Performing Arts

DRAMA MATTERS

'Great Expectations'  Week 10, 2-4 April in the Sarto Centre

CASTING NEWS:  I am pleased to announce that casting has finished and rehearsals are happening after school on Monday and Friday and Sunday afternoons in the Sarto Centre. We have ten students from Mercy to play the female roles who will join the cast alongside the Pius boys listed below.

Tickets $20 per person.  Book via  trybooking:   https://www.trybooking.com/482280

Please click on the flyer below for details. 

Ms Penny Lindley - Drama Teacher/Director

MUSIC MATTERS

JUNIOR CONCERT BAND MAKES A FABULOUS START TO 2019

Mr Dollin had nothing but praise the for the great start boys in their Junior Concert Band rehearsals.  “The Junior Band boys have made a great start to 2019. Everyone is working hard to learn the pitch material and rhythms of our new charts. Our repertoire includes: Fireflies, Measure of Valour, Counting Stars, the Pokémon Theme, John Williams Trilogy and Save the Best For Last.”

When the boys were asked to describe what made rehearsals so much fun, their responses included:

“I like Mr Dollin’s jokes.” Joe

“We get to play together and learn lots of new repertoire, it’s all really fun.” Aaron

“We often learn songs that we know from movies or pop charts.” Tom  

“The band is fun because it gets more challenging throughout the term and you get to perform for others. Playing in front of an audience can be nerve-racking but when we do it together we have fun and get used to it.” Luca

TEACHING & LEARNING

International Women’s Day is Celebrated with Works by Australian Women Composers

Year 11 Music 1 students have been studying Music for Small Ensembles. On International Women’s Day the boys studied and analysed the award winning chamber score, “Russian Rag” by Elena Kats-Chernin.  Elena Kats-Chernin is a much-loved Australian female composer who has just recently been made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in this year’s Australia Day Honours.  As we listened to Elena’s score, the boys identified the key musical elements and displayed these on our concept boards.  From our visible boards, boys were then able to write complex sentences describing the music with correct music vocabulary and terminology. This year we will also visit the Opera House to hear the newly composed symphonic work, “The Space Between Stars” by Ella Macens (a young Sydney based young composer who also studied Music 1 at school).

Turning Symbols Into Sound

This week Stage 5 boys gave up their time to create teaching aids for Stage 4 students. If you visit our music rooms you will find chord charts and rhythm games all made by Pius students. Peer-to-peer learning is fast, free and fun.

Elective Chamber Music Ensembles Are Introduced to St Pius X College

As chamber music forms an important requirement of the HSC Music, we thought it only smart to get this skill developing earlier in our boys’ lives. As such, we now offer Chamber Music and Contemporary Music Ensembles to students in Years 7-12.  Pictured here is Ms Stella Waddington’s Year 8 Chamber Music Group having a wonderful time in their lunchtime rehearsal.

The more boys perform together, the better their instrumental technique and enjoyment of Music will become.

Year 12 Music 2 Students Perform at Their First Sandwich Soiree

To build the boys’ solo skills we have introduced a Sandwich Soiree program into lunchtimes. Through informal performances, Elective Musicians get better one small bite at time. This week coffee, chocolate caramel slice and works by Australian Composers turned a wet Monday lunch into a feast for the soul.  Our sincere thanks to Ms Stella Waddington and Pius teachers for making this so successful. You can tell by the smiles in these photos that staff and students alike loved the positive interaction and sharing of learning. Details of the program are attached here:

OPEN DAY MAGIC

Last Saturday prospective parents enjoyed weaving their way through our Music and Drama rooms to be treated to an array of performances from our curricular and co-curricular programs.

• String Serenades From the Veranda

Whilst stepping through to the veranda on a wet Saturday morning, parents were serenaded by students from our Elective Music Program and String Ensembles to start their Open Day experience.  This included a variety of musical styles from Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, played by Tom Hopkins in Year 10, to Corelli’s String Sonata performed by members of our String Ensemble.  Later on in the day, various Elective Music students could be seen jamming in different areas and classrooms, showcasing their love of music and skills of improvisation.  Many boys and future students stopped to admire and play our new classroom guitars and ukuleles so wonderfully provided by the Performing Arts Parents’ Association. Our thanks to Mrs Stella Talati and Mr. Primrose-Heaney for coordinating the entertainment on the veranda and accompanying our musicians so beautifully.

• Guitarists Chase the Blues Away

The Intermediate and Senior Guitar Ensembles kick-started our outdoor entertainment with upbeat works by the Beach Boys, Billy Joel, the Beatles, John Lee Hooker, Dire Straits, the Clash and our College favourite, John Denver.  Mr Cranney was beaming with pride on Monday morning as he recounted the work of his Pius guitarists.

• Happiness is Singing in the St Pius X College Choir

Inside Music Room 1 our SPX College Choir performed three contrasting works by Karl Jenkins, Giulio Caccini and Elton John, calling for audience participation on their final number. Visiting parents said that they would love their boys to sing and play like our Pius choristers. Our congratulations to Lachlan Donlevy for his master conducting and MC work. Our sincere thanks to Mrs Rawle for her stunning piano accompaniments and for bringing along her daughters Amelia and Juliet to join in with singing and dancing.

• Take More Chances, Dance More Dances

Our Break Dance groups lead by Tanya Carne held open workshops in the Music Performance Room, with visitors stopping to catch some grooves and moves. Tanya had everyone sweating and smiling.

• Theatre Is My Sport

Ms Lindley’s Year 10 and Year 12 Drama Students worked consistently throughout the morning to master their group projects and monologues. Focus, talent and passion were all on display in the Drama Studio.

• Let There Be Drummers…

Upstairs in the Band Room Mr Talati was having way too much fun running percussion workshops for both existing and prospective children. One parent asking “How does my son start drum lessons?” Mr Talati replied, “How old is your son?” To which this eager dad answered, “He is only six, but he wants to be a rock star!” Mr Talati’s response: “We can’t wait for your son to join the college, in fact, let’s just start him now!”

• You’re Nothing Without Your Tech Crew

Inside the Digital Music Studio and Recording Studio Mr Cummins and his protégés keenly showed off the fantastic equipment and capabilities of our Electronic Musicians.   Mr Cummins and his technical crew ran around all day ensuring that every classroom and performance had their sound requirements perfectly organised. Thank you Mr Cummins and SPX Digital Musicians.