Year 9 Performing Arts

Drama

Students have the opportunity to develop and sustain different roles and characters to realise dramatic intentions and engage audiences. They perform devised and scripted drama in different forms, styles and performance spaces. They plan, direct, produce, rehearse and refine performances.  

They select and use the elements of drama, narrative and structure in directing and acting and apply stagecraft. They use performance and expressive skills to convey dramatic action and meaning. Students analyse the elements of drama, forms and performance styles and evaluate meaning and aesthetic effect in drama they devise, interpret, perform and view. They use experiences of drama practices from different cultures, places and times of evaluate drama. The subject provides an excellent pathway into year 10 ‘Drama’ and VCE Theatre Studies.   

Explore and Express Ideas - Students will be able to:  

• Improvise the elements of drama and narrative structure to develop ideas, and explore subtext to shape devised and scripted drama.  
• Manipulate combinations of the elements of drama to develop and convey the physical and psychological aspects of roles and characters consistent with intentions in dramatic forms and performance styles.  

Drama Practices - Students will be able to:  

• Practise and refine the expressive capacity of voice and movement to communicate ideas and dramatic action in a range of forms, styles and performances spaces.  
• Structure drama to engage an audience through manipulation of dramatic action, forms and performance styles and by using design elements.   

Present and Perform - Students will be able to:  

• Perform devised and scripted drama making deliberate artistic choices and shaping design elements to unify dramatic meaning for an audience.  

Respond and Interpret - Students will be able to:  

• Evaluate how the elements of drama, forms and performance styles in devised and scripted drama to convey meaning and aesthetic effect.  
• Analyse a range of drama from contemporary and past times to explore differing viewpoints and enrich their drama practice. 

Music Performance 

Students in Year 9 Music elective will be given an insight into the performance side of music. They will rehearse and perform as a soloist and as a member of a group, applying feedback and refining their skills. Students look at a wide variety of musical styles through composition, arrangement, analysis, aural training, and performance. They build skills in communication, running their own rehearsals, selecting music, and collaborating with other musicians. Students explore, reflect on and respond to the music they listen to, create and perform. 

This subject can be studied as a stand-alone subject or would be a perfect accompaniment to Year 9 Song Writing elective. The subject provides an excellent pathway into both year 10 ‘Music performance’ and ‘Music Composition’. At VCE; Music Performance Unit 1 & 2 and either ‘Performance’ or ‘Composition’ Unit 3 & 4. Having lessons on a specific instrument is not a pre-requisite for this subject but some experience is advantageous.  

Explore and Express Ideas - Students will learn to:  

• Improvise and arrange music, using aural awareness and technical skills to manipulate the elements of music to explore options for interpretation and developing music ideas   
• Manipulate combinations of the elements of music in a range of styles, using technology and notation to communicate music ideas and intentions  

Music Practices - Students will learn to:  

• Create, practice, and rehearse a variety of performance repertoire with increasing technical and expressive skill and awareness of stylistic conventions   
• Plan, develop, and notate compositions with an understanding of style and convention   

Present and Perform - Students will be able to:  

• Perform music applying techniques and expression to interpret the composer’s use of the elements of music and compositional devices   

Respond and Interpret - Students will be able to:  

• Evaluate a range of performances and compositions to inform and refine their own music making  
• Analyse a range of music from contemporary and past times, to explore differing viewpoints and enrich their music making, and consider music in international contexts  

Song Writing

Song Writing will give students from all levels of experience in music an opportunity to explore their creative side and delve into the world of creating their own music. Students will listen to a variety of music and learn common structure in music. Students’ analysis and knowledge of how composers use ideas, stimuli and creative processes becomes a starting point for creating their own music. From here they will follow a scaffolded and sequential approach to learn how to write, record and perform their own compositions.   

This subject can be studied as a stand-alone subject or would be a perfect accompaniment to Year 9 Music Performance elective. The subject provides an excellent pathway into both year 10 ‘Music performance’ and ‘Music Composition’. At VCE; Music Performance Unit 1 & 2 and either ‘Performance’ or ‘Composition’ Unit 3 & 4. Having lessons on a specific instrument is not a pre-requisite for this subject but some experience is advantageous.    

Explore and Express Ideas - Students will learn to:   

• Explore sound and silence and ways of using voice, instruments and technologies to develop and express ideas.   
• Use listening skills and imagination to develop ideas in response to stimuli such as music they have listened to, observations, feelings, experiences and research.    
• Manipulate combinations of the elements of music in a range of styles, using technology and notation to communicate music ideas and intentions.:   

Music Practices – Student will learn to:  

• Create, practise and rehearse music to interpret a variety of performance repertoire with increasing technical and expressive skill and awareness of stylistic conventions  

Present and Perform - Students will be able to:   

• Focus on planning, rehearsing, and refining their compositions to communicate ideas and intentions to an audience.   
• Perform music applying techniques and expression and varying compositional devices.  

Respond and Interpret - Students will be able to:   

• Use listening skills to discriminate, identify and describe qualities of sound and features of music.   
• Evaluate a range of performances and compositions to inform and refine their own music making.