Performing Arts

DRAMA MATTERS

Year 12:  Year 12 are in their final weeks of school and have had an incredibly productive couple of weeks. Week 6 was their HSC performances for both the Group and Individual Projects. Students spent the last few days finalising their performances, ensuring that each moment had belief and conviction and that they were taking their audience on a journey. I was impressed with their talent, creativity and resilience as they made those final adjustments.

Ky Simpson: Porfolio of Theatre Criticism: Critical Reviews

Not all students choose to perform a monologue of 8-12 minutes. Ky decided that he’s like to see some theatre and got himself around to some Sydney venues in order to complete his Individual Project, Portfolio of Theatre Criticism: Critical Reviews. This project asks students to write four critical reviews of 800 words each. The aim is to see a range of different theatre shows targeting different audiences.

Ky successfully fulfilled this criteria. His plays of choice were: The Book of Mormon (Capital Theatre), The Tempest (Sport for Jove at The Seymour Centre), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Sydney Theatre Company) and Tuesday (Downstairs Belvoir).

HSC Showcase:  Last Thursday was the final chance for the students to perform their monologues to parents, friends and teachers in the band room as part of the HSC Showcase evening. It was wonderful to be part of the creative hub of the school which included musical performances and the Year 12 artworks. The students gave exemplary performances, highlighting their passion and creativity.  

HSC Written Essay Student Day:  On Saturday the Year 12 students will take part in an intensive workshop designed for Drama students completing the HSC Drama paper in 2019. Students are given the opportunity to further refine their essay writing skills in preparation for the upcoming written examination. The following areas will be covered:

• Unpacking the rubric and key terminology
• Strengthening experiential writing ability
• Addressing and approaching the essay question

Excursion Information and Permission Form:

Year 12 students perform at the Sports Awards

The Drama Department is incredibly proud of the HSC students who performed at the awards yesterday. It is wonderful to be asked to share our work with the wider community. Thank you to Mr Stearn for inviting the boys to perform and for the wonderful photos taken by Mr Cunneen.

MUSIC MATTERS  

Vive Les Arts!

HSC Showcase – Celebrating Exemplary Works in Art, Drama and Music:  Last Thursday 5 September the College hosted its HSC Showcase – an exhibition of HSC Art, Music and Drama works.  The evening highlighted the breadth of the Creative and Performing Arts curriculum, with parents and guests taking their time to absorb an array of art installations, before being treated to solo Music and Drama projects. The students’ passion and commitment to their work was clear – a testament to the tireless work and the support of their families and teachers. We congratulate the HSC Art, Drama and Music classes of 2019 and wish our students every success with their upcoming examinations and submissions.

Twilight in Hollywood

There’s no business like show business!

Friday September 6 was a wonderful day for the College. With a flurry of excitement our gymnasium was transformed into an Academy Awards venue. Red carpets, bollards, cameras, lights and gold Oscar monuments formed a dramatic background against which our Performing Arts Ensembles showcased their performance work.  Highlights included:

• Tap dancing by our gifted student, Isaac Donlevy (Year 6) – move over Fred Astaire!
• Skits and video created by our terrific masters of ceremony (Sam Schyvens, Lachlan Donlevy, Tim McLachlan, John-Paul Shahady and Nick McKenzie).
• Professional audio engineering from Steve Cummins and Nick Comensoli.
• 22 items including Jazz Bands, Concert Bands, Orchestra, Choirs and Break Dancing.
• A phenomenal menu of delicious theatre munchies, thanks to our amazing PAPA parents.
• An awards ceremony honouring our talented Year 12 Music and Drama leaders.
• A surprise appearance from lead singer of The Commitments, Andrew Strong (aka Mr Tom Garvey).
• Mrs Godfrey’s magical Hollywood photo booth.
• Kermit the Frog (Nick McKenzie) and Elton John (Rufus Ashford) leading a community sing-a-long.
• The brilliant behaviour and collaboration displayed by all our students.

Our Performing Arts Twilight concerts would not be possible without the support of our Performing Arts Parents’ Association lead so ably by Odette Shahady and her team of change makers: Veronica Osborne, Carmel Daniels, Ute Appenzeller, Kate Shelton, Gabe and James Donlevy, Kate and Frank Vaccher, Michelle and Chris Godfrey and all who helped on the night.

Our hearty congratulations to all the boys involved. Our sincere thanks to the Performing Arts Parents’ Association for their hard work and preparation. Our deepest gratitude to our dedicated Performing Arts teachers, tutors, college staff, skilled maintenance team and Year 12 leaders who helped make the evening such a success.

You can view the photos via the link below:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tNivKEgd8EVQwb66sIE2PLOOiT5xlDpL?usp=sharing

Please read the parent feedback from our “Twilight at the Oscars” attached here:

2019 Colour Awards Ceremony at the Concourse

Acknowledging Student Achievement

Under the fantastic leadership of Mr Stearn, on Monday September 9 our community paused to celebrate the 2019 Colour Award recipients for co-curricular achievement.

We were thrilled to see so many boys on stage receiving silver colour awards for their service and achievement in Drama and Music. 

Prestigious Gold awards in Music were presented to Lachlan Donlevy and Oliver Osborne (pictured).  Their achievements are outlined in their biographies below.

The event was made especially poignant by the entertainment provided by the HSC Drama Group Project, “East Side Story”. East Berlin. Early 1960s. The newly built wall starts to divide more than a nation. It divides a small family who are trying to make ends meet and keep their family together… Performed by: Lachlan Donlevy, Nicholas McKenzie, Timothy McLachlan, Samuel Schyvens and John-Paul Shahady.

Our sincere thanks to the Senior Jazz Band and Mr Power for bringing so much entertainment to the Colour Awards Ceremony with their fantastic performances of Jazz and Funk show-stoppers.

Shh, We’re Recording!

HSC Music Composition Projects Professionally Performed and Recorded at St Pius X College

While the College has Sibelius software that allows midi-playback of boys’ compositions, there is nothing like a live performance and recording of a new composition. Here at Pius we pride ourselves on recording Year 12 Students’ Major compositions. Our sincere thanks to Steve Cummins, Stella Talati, Geoff Power, Natalie Rawle, James Blunt, David Sismey, Andrew Goodwin, Maria Timofeeva, Phillip Cullen, Lindsay Irik, Paul Taylor, Anita Burkart, Sam Jones, Tim Fisher and Rowena Watts for their contribution to performing and recording our Year 12 students’ core and elective compositions.

People and Power

By Sachin Ng

Philosophers have long being contemplating the power of music and its effects on humanity. Please enjoy reading Sachin Ng’s essay below, which explores the power of Music. Our thanks to Pat Rodgers and the History staff for sharing this fine piece of student work.

“If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.”  Ignacio Estrada

Our Performing Arts Calendar is attached below.

Kindest regards,

Ms Pip Waters - Acting Performing Arts Coordinator