Creative and Performing Arts in Focus

It is with great pride that I am writing this article as the newly appointed substantive Head Teacher of Creative and Performing Arts, and I look forward to building on the strong foundations and successes already established by the CAPA faculty and its students. Term 3 was an extremely busy term for CAPA – Drama Night, Evening of Music, Art Exhibition, HSC Showcase and HSC Music Soiree and Community Concert. The music ensembles were also called upon to perform at Grandparents Day, the Sports Assembly and Year 12 Graduation Assembly. On top of this we also had HSC practical examination in Drama, Music 1, 2 and extension and Visual Arts with nominations in OnSTAGE, ENCORE and ARTEXPRESS. This term is proving to be equally as busy. The Senior Vocal Ensemble performed at the Celebration Sing Out event at the Town Hall on Sunday, 26 October. On Tuesday, 5 November, we hosted a fantastic Jazz Night, showcasing performances by the Junior and Senior Epping Boys High Stage Bands, the Cheltenham Girls High Stage Band, and a special guest appearance by Mike Kenny’s Blues Hues Band and vocalist Melissa Kenny. A huge thank you to Helen Sinclair for her outstanding work in organising this wonderful event. Upcoming events include a performance at RNS Hospital, where the Strings, Senior, and Junior Vocal Ensembles will perform Christmas carols, and Speech Day on 2 December at Town Hall which will feature performances by members of various ensembles.

Year 7 Explore Melody, Composition and the Joy of Ukuleles!

As part of the Year 7 music program, students are asked to develop a given musical idea for their composition task. Renzi N from Mr Tabrett's 7P elected the extension option for his excellent entry. Watch and listen to an excerpt of the piece using the link. The given melodic fragment has been circled three times; can you hear a version of it anywhere else?

In addition to their compositions, Year 7 have welcomed Ukulele’s into the classroom! Students were exposed to the world of reading tablature and chord diagrams to add to their increasing knowledge of musical literacy. The boys were given a variety of popular musical excerpts to learn and perform on their ukuleles during class time.

As part of this unit students were given time to create their own ukulele plectrums (picks). See some of our favourites below!

Through the Lens

As the year comes to a close for the Year 10 Photographic & Digital Media students, they get up close and personal with some simple macro photography. These fantastic shots have been achieved by simply flipping the lens of a DSLR camera around, allowing for some stunning detail with the most common consumer-grade equipment.

The practical work produced by the class, overall, throughout the year has been of an exceptional quality. It has been a pleasure to round off the learning of such a class by the end of Stage 5, and I wish them all the best of luck in their future studies. Be proud of your work, boys, and never stop chasing that perfect shot!

-Ms Low

Top (left to right): Lucas B, Jayden C, Andy L

Bottom (left to right): Peter G, Troy G

Photographer of the Month - August and September Winners

For the months of August and September, our intrepid students were challenged to submit photos that best fit of the respect themes of "Animals" and "Spring." Our winners for both months submitted subdued, but elegant shots with lovely use of composition and focus to truly make their subjects shine.

I'm blown away by the submissions this year, and it only proves how keen of an eye our boys have. I encourage all of our students to go experimenting with any and every camera you can get your hands on, and search out a shot that will stop people in their tracks. Everyone has the ability to take a great photo, as long as you're paying attention to the world around you!

-Ms Low

Left to right: Zane Q and Riian Z

Auditions Ahoy!

Pirates of Penzance auditions for leads, chorus and orchestra are well underway. We have had 145 students from Epping Boys High School, Cheltenham Girls high School and Riverside Girls High School express an interest in participating in the show. Rehearsals have already begun. Several EBHS staff have expressed interest in helping and we welcome staff from Cheltenham and Riverside who would like to be involved, especially dance. We will also be calling for parent helpers soon. The core production team is:

Producer: Mrs L. Whalley

Director: Mr N. Taplin

Musical Director: Ms. P. Hendy and Mr Kenny as orchestra conductor.

Production Director: Mr. M. Tabrett

Creative Director: Ms. E. Chang supported by Ms. J. Low and Ms. J. Tillstrand

Choreographer: TBA

Stage Manager: Mr. A. Mutch

A Spectacular Celebration of Creative Achievement

The Art Exhibition, HSC Showcase, and Soirée in Week 7 last term was a resounding success! The hall was buzzing with families, friends, staff, and students, and our prefects ensured everyone felt welcomed, well-fed, and hydrated throughout the evening.

The Year 12 artworks were a standout feature, drawing significant attention and admiration from visitors. Equally impressive were the creative displays from Years 7–11, whose artworks, designs, and photographs showcased the incredible range and talent within the Epping Boys High School Visual Arts program.

Opening night was exceptionally well attended. Guests were inspired by our alumni and guest artists, Chris and Andrew Yee, who shared insights into their artistic journeys and current multidisciplinary art practices, highlighting the value of studying Visual Arts at school. The brothers then selected an artwork that best demonstrated creativity and technical excellence, presenting Aditya B (Year 11) with the ‘Emerging Artist Award’, proudly sponsored by the Art Scene, West Ryde.

The evening continued with the presentation of the Year 12 Visual Arts Awards, led by Jordan Lane, MP for Ryde, and Trenton Brown, Mayor of Ryde. Congratulations to all our award recipients:

Eric J – School Auxiliary Prize for Visual Arts
Marcus C – Outstanding Work in Visual Arts
Tarik C – Sustained Practice in Visual Arts
Dillon B and Jasper Y – Highly Commended
Joseph L- Old boys choice award

Guests were also treated to captivating performances by several HSC Music students, adding to the night’s celebratory atmosphere.

Overall, the soirée was a wonderful celebration of our Year 12 CAPA students and their remarkable achievements. This success was made possible by the collaborative efforts of students and staff across multiple faculties.

A heartfelt thank you goes to the CAPA staff, Year 12 teachers, our dedicated Prefects, Mr Tabrett for his stunning lighting, and Mr Flaviano for his supervision of the trade kitchen.

Mrs Whalley and Ms Chang with some of the Year 12 Visual Arts classes of 2025.

Epping Boys High School Student nominated for ARTEXPRESS

Congratulations go to Jasper Y, Marcus C, Eric J and Joseph L whose Visual Arts Body of Works were nominated for inclusion in ARTEXPRESS. ARTEXPRESS is an annual showcase of outstanding HSC Visual Arts works and will be exhibited online and at various galleries around NSW throughout 2026.

Jasper’s body of work titled ‘We have too much …” consists of a series of lino print portraits and objects depicting his grandparents. The central black-and-white print presents their outward selves — stoic, defined, and shaped by the baby boomer generation. The monochromatic palette reinforces a sense of simplicity and permanence in their identity. In contrast, a series of smaller lino prints reveal their vibrant inner worlds and the many possessions that surround them. His grandmother’s affinity with nature and his grandfather’s fascination with collecting unusual objects illustrate how identity is constructed through memory, history, and personal passions. Their home of over fifty years, filled with these treasured items, becomes a reflection of their lives and experiences. The work is further enriched by an audio recording of his grandparents’ sharing stories about their collection of meaningful objects.

Marcus’ body of work titled Storm Brewing is a triptych oil on canvas painting. His intentions were to reignite the overwhelming, dramatic atmosphere of Romanticist paintings such as those created by J. M. W. Turner and Caspar David Friedrich. By experimentally blending both contemporary and Romanticist painting techniques—such as finger painting, palette knives, and chiaroscuro lighting. He aimed to intricately yet aggressively convey the sublime power of nature through the depiction of seascapes across time. The main idea was to highlight its shift from beauty to destruction, creating a visceral encounter with nature’s duality: beauty entwined with terror, and fragility interlaced with immeasurable force.

Eric’s body of work titled “Eastern and Western Perspectives” consists of interiors of European and Eastern architectural spaces. Using coloured pencils as the main medium Eric wanted to capture the aesthetic beauty and structural intricacies of forms of architecture across cultures and time. Architecture as not just a mere object of inhabitation but an immaculate, articulated crafting of a striving artist designed for human flourishing. Through his layered portrayal of the architecture across the globe. Eric aimed to invite viewers to contemplate on perspectives of architecture and its purposeful existence we take for granted daily. It is a form of human connection that transcends contexts and space to enable society as we know it today.

Joseph’s body of work titled “Mum! Where is the……..?” explores the dynamic views of Joseph’s world as a colourblind person. He focuses on the misconception that a colourblind person has a monochrome vision of the world around them. Joseph wanted to execute his ideas by portraying his daily life within a house setting, illustrating three places that he frequently visits around his house, each consisting of a drawer that teaches the audience about his personality and lifestyle. Joseph utilised graphite for his drawings, which is essentially symbolic of the monochrome world colourblind people are believed to live in. He subtly wanted to convey the true beauties of a colourblind person’s views within the corresponding drawers, revealing the misunderstood ideas that much of the audience hold. Ultimately overshadowing the unfamiliar truth of a colourblind person’s unique perspective.

We hope that these exceptional artworks will make the final selection for Art Express and wish Jasper the best of luck. Making it to this point is a great achievement in itself! Well done to Jasper, Marcus, Eric and Joseph!

Standing Ovation! Epping Boys Shine in HSC Drama

What a way to end the year in EBHS Drama, FIVE extremely talented HSC students were nominated for Onstage! Dillon B. Was nominated for his individual performance "Keep Calm and..." Korben P. Was nominated for his individual performance "Narcissus". Ethan L. Was nominated for his individual performance "The Soul". Dillon B., Ethan L., Lachlan G., and Muhammad A. were all nominated for their group performance "The Bag". A special congratulations to Dillon and Ethan who were double nominated! This is an extremely rare achievement and a first for Epping Boys. Another special congratulations to Ethan L. Who was not only double nominated, but developed his own script for his individual performance, a great risk only attempted by very few students, who are excellent performers AND writers.

The HSC Drama cohort completed their practical examinations, week 6 last term, and we were thrilled that several of our students were recognised by NESA for their exceptional performances.

-Mr Taplin

Muhammad A., Dillon B., Lachlan G., and Ethan L. were nominated for possible inclusion in OnSTAGE for their outstanding group performance, “The Bag.”

In addition, Dillon B., Ethan L., and Korbin P. each received individual performance nominations, reflecting their creativity, skill, and dedication to the craft.

OnSTAGE is NESA’s annual showcase celebrating the most exemplary HSC Drama performances from across New South Wales — an impressive achievement that highlights the talent within our school.

A heartfelt thank you to Mr Taplin, whose expert guidance, encouragement, and passion for Drama have inspired students to reach such a high level of success.

ENCORE Nominations – Congratulations Wen Z and Ethan C!

Congratulations to Wen Zhu on his outstanding achievements in his Music 2 and Extension Music practical HSC examinations. We are thrilled to announce that Wen has been nominated by NESAfor possible inclusion in ENCORE in recognition of his exceptional recital program on the marimba and vibraphone.

Congratulations also goes to Ethan C for his outstanding composition which has also been nominated for possible inclusion in ENCORE.

ENCORE is an annual showcase celebrating the finest HSC Music performances, compositions, and musicology projects from across NSW.

A massive thank you to Mr Mutch, Mr Tabrett, and Miss Hendy for their expert guidance and support of the Music students throughout the year. If selected, Wen will have the honour of performing at the Sydney Opera House alongside the state’s top HSC Music students.

Jazz Night Hits All the Right Notes

Epping Boys High School recently hosted a Jazz Night, our first in 4 years. The hall was set up with a jazz club feel, with cafe tables, candles, mood lighting and refreshments. Our enthusiastic and appreciative audience were treated to wonderful performances from the Jazz Band and Stage Band from our school. The Jazz Band is our junior ensemble, and it featured a number of students playing improvised solos, often for the first time in front of a live audience. Our Stage Band entertained us with a slick and punchy performance, contrasted with a slow piece highlighted by a beautiful solo from our Baritone Saxophone player, Ben C.

It was a great opportunity to collaborate with our guests from our sister school, the Stage Band from Cheltenham Girls High School. The girls brought a wonderful energy with their performance, which included several vocal items. The night concluded with a performance by a professional ensemble called Blue Hues, led by our conductor, Mike Kenny. The band, consisting of guitar, keyboard, drums, trumpet and vocals (by our own vocal conductor, Melissa Kenny), performed all original pieces, written by Mike, showcasing the beauty and diversity of the Blues genre. It was a thoroughly entertaining performance by these highly skilled musicians.

Our thanks to the team who contributed to the night, Mike and Mel Kenny, Simone Katz from CGHS, Michael Tabrett, Helen Sinclair, Claudia Wang, Antony Mutch, Pearl Hendy and Louise Whalley for video and photos.

-Helen Sinclair

You can listen to some of the performance highlights here: (22 minutes)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iu6vGBcIq-o2hh5q6VIA6cyP17LBfWCb/view?usp=drive_link

Celebration Sing Out

Epping Boys High School and Cheltenham Girls High School Combined String Ensemble had the honour of performing a solo item at the 2025 Celebration Sing Out Concert at the Sydney Town Hall on 26 October. For this prestigious performance, Mr Tabrett selected the ensemble to present an evocative string work titled Hydrangea by American composer Yukiko Nishimura. Their performance follows a number of engagements locally and internationally in New Zealand this year.

Meanwhile, our Senior Vocal Ensemble formed part of the massed choir at the same event, presenting to a packed audience a diverse program of works from Borodin to Crowded House. All students in the event performed to acclaim and were very pleased to contribute to the fund raising effort, proceeds going to Music Therapy at Westmead Hospital. Bravo

Louise Whalley

Head Teacher CAPA

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