Performing Arts 

Mamma Mia!

Our Mamma Mia! cast, crew and orchestra are making incredible progress as we move closer to showtime! On Monday 30th June, students participated in an all-day rehearsal, completing their very first full run-through of the entire 2.5-hour show. It was a big day, and while students were understandably exhausted, they’re now beginning to build the stamina and focus needed to get “show fit” for our August performances.

As Term 2 wrapped up, we were thrilled to welcome professional musical theatre actor Emma Powell to our final rehearsal. Emma provided valuable feedback on the ensemble’s performance and generously hosted a Q&A session with our students. When asked, “How do you beat your nerves?”, Emma shared that nerves never really go away—but preparation is key. “Know your songs and dances,” she said. “Trust yourself—you’ve done the work, and your body will remember what to do.” When students asked what to do if they forgot a cue line, Emma advised them to stay in character, keep the story moving, and support each other on stage: “If you know the story, you’ll find your way through it.”

Over the school holidays, students will continue rehearsing their lines, songs and choreography at home as we prepare for our final intensive rehearsal period in Term 3. We are incredibly proud of the dedication and teamwork this cast continues to show, and we can’t wait to see it all come together on stage.

Stay tuned for ticket releases and performance dates early next term—we can’t wait to welcome you to Mamma Mia!.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

To celebrate the end of Term 2, our talented Year 7 Drama students proudly performed William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream to an audience of over 150 Cranbourne East Primary School students. After weeks of learning lines, rehearsing blocking, and exploring characterisation, students embraced the spotlight with confidence and enthusiasm.

The performance was a true team effort, with classes from Ms Jemmeson, Mr Hunt, Ms Dimitriou, and Ms Forster-Muir working together to bring the show to life. Students not only performed on stage but also took on important backstage roles, such as operating the spotlight and moving props.

There were many memorable moments—audience laughter at the jokes, students stepping up to cover additional roles for absent cast members, and performers proudly sharing that they had conquered their fears. Perhaps the biggest sign of success came when students asked, “When are we performing our next play?”

We are incredibly proud of their achievements and can’t wait to see what they do next!

Instrumental Music!

It's been another HUGE term for the Instrumental Music program and students. As always, I continue to be impressed with the enthusiasm our learners take toward their lessons and the amazing culture being grown at CESC.

Mid-Year Music Soiree

What a fantastic display of skill and talent! This year, we saw more than 100 parents and family member come to watch over 60 students perform in 11 performance items at the college. While the former is a bit of a mouthful, it’s also a new record for attendance at a mid-year event. 

A highlight for me was seeing the Junior Concert Band's first ever performance at the Mid-Year Soiree. These students shared their apprehension and nerves about performing and when put on stage, did a fantastic job. I'm looking forward to seeing what the band gets up to in term 3 under the direction of Shane Walterfang.

I want to extend a huge thank you to our parents and community that came out in the cold to support our students and I look forward to seeing you in term 4 at the Arts and Technology Festival.

Musician Of the Month

Built upon student feedback, we have kicked off our musician of the Month and I want to recognise Sahiba Relan in year 8 as our first recipient. Sahiba has unknowingly made a huge contribution to not only the instrumental program but also supports her peers in year 8 Classroom Music. She was an inspiration for her class and other young guitarists and shows a keen love for music. Well done Sahiba!

If there is someone you think goes above and beyond with their music learning at CESC, you can nominate them for Musician of the Month! Musicians are selected based on their overall commitment and engagement with their music learning at CESC.

Production Orchestra!

On Monday the 30th June, we saw CESC’s first ever full production orchestra rehearsal! I have been directing orchestras for school productions for many years however, never have a group of students tackled professional grade music so aptly in such a short time. The band sounded fantastic and our students should be proud of what they’re working toward.

Production orchestras are an amazing addition to a school’s production because it’s a direct link for student’s to industry professionals. Currently, our students are working on professional music, with 7 experienced professionals to back them up. It’s much more than a ‘taste’ of the music industry and really highlights the skills our musicians need to and are currently developing.

I’m hoping to see more of our talented CESC students involve themselves in this orchestra in 2026.

Please note: There are some extensive changes in the timetable for Term 3 Ensembles. See below for this update. It has also been communicated to the relevant parents and students. 

Please note: These changes have tried to accommodate student feedback and staff availability as much as possible. Rehearsals in Term 3 will run weekly and cancelations will be communicated to parents and students as early as possible.

You can email instrumentalmusic@cesc.vic.gov.au with any questions about ensembles or the program in general.

Upcoming Events

• Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre’s Bands Extravaganza! - 24/07/25
• Intermediate Concert Band Festival – TBA
• SEVR’s Battle of the Bands! – 21/08/2025 (Register a band with Mr Jones by end of July!)
• CESC Production – 26th - 30th August
• VSSS Mass Choir/Mass Dance – September

As you can see, there’s still so much to come in term 3! The instrumental music program hopes you have a restful break and looks forward to seeing everyone next term!