Creative & Performing Arts
Music Department
This term in the Music Faculty has been vibrant and full of exciting activities. Year 11 and 12 students went on an excursion to the Sydney Opera House to see Encore, a concert showcasing top HSC performers from last year. This experience demonstrated to students examples of high level performances and compositions in Music 1, 2 and Extension.
Select students from the JJ Choir experienced their first combined rehearsal for the upcoming In Concert performance at the Opera House in June. Students will perform in a combined choir of approximately 800 students from across NSW public schools, singing an array of choral works including a medley of songs from Wicked.
In Curriculum highlights, Year 7 explored rhythm on the djembe and began composing their own music using online software, while Year 8 strengthened their instrumental skills by learning classic hits from the 60s and 70s in groups. Year 9 have been honing their listening skills and practicing their instrumental techniques, and Year 10 delved into Australian music, composing their own works and collating them into a portfolio. Year 11 also tackled a performance task and music analysis, whilst Year 12 completed their second HSC task. All grades are now beginning preparations for the bi-annual Big Night Out XXII concert, and excitement is building for this major event!
Creative Arts
High School Visual Arts students have had a creative and productive term, developing both technical skills and conceptual understanding across all year groups.
Year 7 students have been exploring portraiture through the iconic Mona Lisa and the decorative works of Gustav Klimt. They are currently creating imaginative mash-up portraits that combine traditional portrait techniques with decorative patterning, encouraging creativity and experimentation with composition, colour, and symbolism.
Year 8 students are completing a dynamic Street Art unit, studying contemporary artists such as Scottie Marsh alongside other influential street artists. In the practical component, students are building strong ceramic skills while designing and constructing Ancient-style vessels. They are learning hand-building techniques, refining surface decoration, and applying bold, graphic imagery inspired by Keith Haring. This project supports the development of patience, craftsmanship, and confidence when working with clay.
Year 9 students are undertaking an intensive drawing unit focused on graphite techniques. They are strengthening their skills in shading, proportion, and tonal rendering while studying the highly detailed works of CJ Hendry, Ed Fairburn, and Laith McGregor. This unit supports students in developing precision, observation, and persistence in their drawing practice.
Year 10 students are exploring The Art of Social Commentary, analysing works by a range of artists including Ai Weiwei and Olafur Eliasson. They have begun designing paintings that respond to social issues that are meaningful to them, encouraging thoughtful reflection and personal voice within their artmaking.
Year 11 students have been exploring European art history, focusing on how representations of the human body have evolved throughout the ages. This study has inspired their own creative projects, resulting in sculptural works that thoughtfully reflect human anatomy.
Year 12 students continue to make progress as they develop their Body of Work across a range of exciting artmaking mediums. They are also deepening their knowledge through Case Studies, strengthening their understanding of artists, practice, and the conceptual framework in preparation for their HSC Visual Arts examinations.
We are thrilled to announce that Dennis Golding's installation, "On the Foreshore," featuring artwork created by our students during last year’s workshop, will soon be exhibited at Ramsgate Beach. The installation spans four shipping containers and promises to be an impressive, monolithic display.
Everyone is warmly invited to attend the official opening on Saturday, 11 April, from 2 pm to 4 pm at the Ramsgate Beach car park. We hope to see you there to celebrate this exciting collaboration!