Performing Arts
Music Matters
Wow! What a wonderful week it’s been for showcasing the talents of our Performing Arts students!
Father's Day Mass: Congratulations to the Junior and Senior Chorale members and our Year 11 instrumentalists who provided such beautiful music for the Father's Day Mass on Friday morning. Many of these students then performed as members of the Guitar Ensembles, entertaining the fathers and sons at breakfast or later that afternoon at the Twilight Concert. It was a big day and greatly appreciated by all who were able to witness your musical talents in action.
‘Farewell to Year 12’ Twilight Concert: What a sensational night it was and certainly a spectacular send-off for our Year 12 musicians. Our ensembles performed with musicality and flair and entertained the large audience with the high standards they have come to expect. Thank you especially to our Ensemble Directors Ms Laura Power, Mr Geoff Power, Mr David Sismey, Mr Shane Cranney and Mr Stephen Cummins and to Mrs Stella Talati for her work behind the scenes in orchestrating the night as Coordinator of Music Ensembles. Special thanks also to PAPA for providing the BBQ and for gifting each Year 12 musician and drama student with an engraved pen as a memento of their involvement in the Performing Arts during their time at the College.
The Co-curricular Colour Awards Ceremony was a fabulous avenue to witness the magnificent achievements of five of our Year 12 students, who were awarded a ‘Gold’ for their outstanding services to Music during their time at the College. I would like to congratulate Jacob Chang, Henrik Hogg, Aaron Lau, Cameron Pfeiffer and Luke Sarkissian on their outstanding contribution to our Performing Arts program here at the College. A huge vote of thanks to Mr Geoff Power and the extraordinary Senior Jazz Ensemble for their wonderful entertainment at the ceremony. It featured some of our Gold Award recipient winners: Cameron Pfieffer playing the drums in the Senior Jazz Ensemble’s opening number, ‘Sun Cat’; Jacob Chang singing ‘Beyond the Sea’ and finished with Aaron Lau playing the drums in their final number, ‘Get Happy’.
HSC Music Practical Exams: For those of you who were able to be present at the recent Splinters Splashes, Sounds, Snaps, Stage and Stories major works performance evening, you were lucky to witness the amazing talents of our Year 12 cohort. Our students have been rehearsing diligently with their accompanists since May, including a few weekend rehearsals. The Music 1 practical exam takes place in the Band Room this Friday 8 September, followed by Music 2 and Music Extension exam on Friday 15 September. We wish our musicians the very best of luck and hope they see these days as an opportunity to enjoy and showcase their hard work to an appreciative audience, rather than see it as an ‘examination’.
BAND ROOM CLOSED – Friday 8 September and Friday 15 September – 8:00 am – 1:00 pm: There will be NO access to the Band Room, Chamber Room or Mr Cummins' office due to HSC Music Practical Examinations. Please organise to take your instrument home on Thursday afternoon. All instruments can be left in the Performing Arts Staff Room (below the Band Room) for the day. The Performing Arts Staff Room will open at 8:00 am and closes at 3:50 pm.
Upcoming events in the Performing Arts calendar:
8 September - Music 1 - HSC Music practicals
15 September - Music 2 and Music Extension - HSC Music practicals
13 September - Intermediate Jazz Ensemble – Forestville RSL concert
23 September - Manly Jazz Festival – Senior Jazz Ensemble
Mrs Annabel Westhoff - Performing Arts Coordinator
Drama
Drama Silver Awards
Well done to those students who received their Silver Drama Awards at yesterday's co-curricular awards ceremony. All these students have been dedicated to Drama since joining the college in Year 5 or 6. They have been part of numerous showcases, performances and were all heavily involved in The 39 Steps this year. They bring heart and dedication to each performance and are wonderful mentors to the younger years. They are Cooper Anderson, Spencer Anderson, Harry Feehan, Liam Hartley, Jack Harrison, Jordan Hill, Michael Krizan and Blake Markulin.
Also, a big thank you to those students who performed in The 39 Steps reprise at the ceremony. It was a great experience to re-visit this work again and thanks to the college for allowing us to share our work.
PAPA
A warm thank you to PAPA for acknowledging the Performing Arts students last Friday night at the Farewell to Seniors Twilight Concert. A wonderful evening of music. The Year 12 Drama students were particularly impressed with their pens. We are grateful for the ongoing support from PAPA this year which has allowed us to attend invaluable professional workshops and theatre performances.
Ms Penny Lindley - Drama Coordinator