Performing Arts
Music Matters
Concert Club news:
Some of our Year 10 Concert Club attendees were excited to meet and get autographs from the star of the show, renowned cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, during the interval of the SSO Concert at the Sydney Opera House last week.
Free tickets (courtesy of PAPA) are now available to be allocated via Clipboard free for any interested Performing Arts students from Years 9 – 12 for our final concert club of the year on 3 September, which features a Concerto for Two Pianos and Italian composer, Ottorino Respighi’s beautiful orchestral work, The Pines of Rome.
HSC Trials Music Performance exams
Congratulations to all of our Year 12 Music 1, Music 2 and Music Extension students who performed for external examiners at yesterday's HSC Music Practical Trials. Students presented a diverse range of repertoire and delivered confident, well-prepared and highly musical performances, reflecting the many hours of dedication and practice invested throughout the year.
The feedback they received will provide valuable direction as they continue refining their performances in preparation for the HSC practical examinations, which will take place in early September. NESA is expected to release individual examination dates by the end of this month.
Families and members of our College community will have the opportunity to hear many of these outstanding performances at our annual HSC Major Works Showcase - Splinters, Splashes, Sounds, Snaps, Stage and Stories, on Wednesday 27 August from 6.00 pm in the Band Room. This showcase is always a highlight of the Performing Arts calendar, celebrating the exceptional talents of our HSC students across Music, Drama Visual Arts, and History and English Extension. We warmly invite you to join us in supporting our musicians as they prepare for their final HSC practical examinations.
Drumline
Well done to our Drumline and their ensemble director, Dr JB Smith for their performance at the Australian Drumline Championships on the weekend. They received positive and valuable feedback, but most importantly, thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to perform and watch other Drumlines from around the state.
Year 11 Music Composition Workshop at MLC
Our Year 11 Music students recently attended the annual Composition Workshop at MLC, where students studying both Music 1 and Music 2 enjoyed a day of inspiring presentations and hands-on composition activities led by some of Australia's leading composers and performers.
Music 1 students particularly enjoyed hearing from internet sensation Bailey Pickles, who shared insights into his career as a musician, along with his approaches to composition, songwriting and music production.
Meanwhile, Music 2 students explored the music of acclaimed composers Melody Eötvös and Elizabeth Younan through an engaging lecture and live performance by renowned Australian pianist Andrea Lam, who many will recognise from the ABC series The Piano. Students then applied the compositional techniques they had learned to create their own original motifs, several of which were performed by Andrea during the workshop.
The day was both informative and inspiring, providing students with valuable insights into the creative process while encouraging them to experiment with new compositional ideas. We look forward to seeing this inspiration reflected in their own compositions throughout the remainder of the course.
Term 3 Performing Arts dates
Mrs Annabel Westhoff - Leader of Learning, Performing Arts
Drama Matters
Intermediate Drama Ensemble
The Intermediate Drama Ensemble has an extra lesson on Sunday 9 August from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. A pizza lunch is provided by PAPA. Students should bring their scripts.
Drama Excursion: Bennelong in London
The elective Drama students were lucky enough to experience a new play by celebrated Indigenous writer Jane Harrison. This is a powerful and inventive piece of storytelling that uses meta theatre to bring the present and colonial past face-to face. We were impressed by the excellent and passionate acting, creative use of set and the subtle use of the elements of production. One to see!
Drama Cocurricular Showcase - Thursday 13 August
Please come and support the 38 students from Intermediate and Senior Drama Ensembles who will be presenting their work next week. Performances start in the Sarto Centre from 5:00 pm and the show will run for around 75 minutes. We hope you can join us.
TREASURE ISLAND
Audition Dates (CHOOSE ONE SESSION TO ATTEND)
Friday 14 August, 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Sunday 16 August, 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Please see attached the audition/rehearsal booklet:
Upcoming DRAMA events for Term 3:
(Week 3) Sunday 9 August 11:00 am - 2:00 pm: Intermediate Drama Ensemble will rehearse their scenes. LUNCH IS PROVIDED BY PAPA.
(Week 4) Thursday 13 August 5:00 pm: Intermediate & Senior Drama Ensemble Showcase. All students involved should stay behind after school to rehearse. Ms Lindley will send home an email regarding costume that can be brought from home to wear.
(Week 4) Friday 14 August 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm: Treasure Island audition #1
(Week 4) Sunday 16 August 10:00 am - 11:30 am: Treasure Island audition #2
(Week 9) Wednesday 16 September 10:00 am: Elective Drama students go to Belvoir Street Theatre to see The Book of Everything.
(Week 10) Monday 21 September 3:20 pm - 5:00 pm: Treasure Island cast meet up, workshop and costume measurements taken.
Ms Penny Lindley - Leader of Learning, Drama
PAPA news – Comedy Night is back!
🎤 Get ready, SPX community, for a night filled with laughter and fun to support a worthy cause
Now in it's 3rd year, the Performing Arts Parents’ Association (PAPA) presents a comedy line-up featuring some of the sharpest (and funniest) comedic minds on the scene. Expect belly laughs, witty banter and a whole lot of good vibes.
On the mic:
🙌 Tommy Dean
🙌 Fiona Cox
🙌 Bruce Griffiths
🙌 our very own Simon Kennedy!
PAPA is raising funds to help complete sound and stage upgrades that will facilitate the boys’ music and drama activities, so get on board to support this worthy cause.
$50 per ticket (includes 1 drink).
Beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and snacks available to purchase on the night.
Donations also welcome.
Use COMEDYNIGHTEARLYBIRD until 16 August (inclusive) to get $5 off each ticket!
Buy your ticket today – https://events.humanitix.com/spx-papa-comedy-night-2026
PLEASE NOTE – This event is for attendees aged 18+ and current SPX students are not eligible to attend.
Mrs Sylvia Ulevik - PAPA President - papaparents@pandf.spx.nsw.edu.au