Performing Arts and Languages News

Music

Senior Music students perform final recitals 

Our senior Music students delivered their final performances last weekend at The Salon in The Hedberg, marking a celebratory end to their year of musical study. Each student presented a thoughtfully curated recital, showcasing not only their proficiency but also their artistic expression and individuality. 

Lucy McKenna, Grace Munday (Year 12), Grace Willis and Arabella Butterworth-Barry (Year 11) performed programs that explored a range of themes, with a diverse repertoire that highlighted each students' versatility and commitment to making music. We extend our thanks to Mr Scott Weston and Mr Damian Messer for generously giving their time on a Saturday morning to support our students in this public performance.

Music in Motion 

Ms Mary Heferen-Faulkner 

Our Kinder to Year 4 students have been enthusiastically building not only their music skills, but also a wide range of developmental abilities. Through a rich and engaging music program, students are strengthening their fine and gross motor skills, auditory awareness, vocal production, sensory development, social skills, creativity, improvisation, symbol interpretation and theoretical understanding. 

Our young musicians have been: 

• Listening and moving to music 
• Creating their own body percussion 
• Playing percussion instruments and xylophones 
• Learning recorder 
• Singing as a group 
• Collaborating in music-making activities 
• Composing and improvising using xylophone 
• Reading and interpreting music notation 

These musical experiences don’t just stay in the music room. The skills our students develop through music transfer powerfully into other areas of their learning: 

• Listening: to the teacher, each other and themselves 
• Communication: speaking and reading with expression and meaning 
• Coordination: using both hands in sync; developing hand-eye coordination 
• Cognitive growth: fuelling imagination and strategic thinking in maths, writing, coding and even chess 
• Symbol recognition: interpreting symbols in music, books and visual art 
• Collaboration: working with others in games, social settings and group tasks 

Music activities engage and energise the brain, helping every student progress along their own learning journey with rhythm, creativity and confidence. And, we have a great time doing this together! 

Material Girls

Congratulations to our Year 8 students who performed this week at In The Hanging Garden as part of a sustainability program, highlighting the importance of recycling and reusing sustainable materials. Invited by the Material Institute and led by dance artist Tullia Chung-Tilley, our students presented a performance sharing their message before leading two flashmobs of 500 junior school students each, from across Tasmania. 

The students displayed outstanding creativity, leadership and strong interpersonal connections throughout the program, and their efforts were featured on WIN News last night. We extend our thanks also to Ms Irene Knauseder and Mrs Karen Walter for their invaluable support in making this event possible.