Performing Arts

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. Psalm 95

Junior School

At the end of last term, the Junior Ensemble Evening, ably hosted by Junior Performing Arts Captains Amelia McLeod and Bryce Moulton, was received with much enthusiasm by the large crowd in attendance. This was the first of such concerts presented by the Junior School since 2019. All four string ensembles (Andante, Cabaletta, Ostinato and Malaguena) performed confidently and showed the development of their skills in the ensemble setting. Con Il Respiro opened the concert with exuberance and then were joined by Malaguena to form the Junior School Orchestra. This group demonstrated their God-given talents and communicated a beautiful balance of sounds and textures. Cherub Choir are always popular with the audience and did not disappoint with their harmonies and synchronised movement. Whilst talking about harmonies, the Junior Vocal Ensemble engaged all in attendance with some beautiful singing, clearly communicating the messages in their songs. Vivace used the full range of percussion instruments in their presentations and the Seraphim Choir sang their songs with conviction and a mature tone. The concert concluded with the Combined Choir, filling the church with the message that you and I can change the world, before inviting the audience to go now in peace. A wonderful evening of music was enjoyed by all.

All students in the Junior School have commenced rehearsals for this year’s Junior Production of Madagascar – A Musical Journey JR. This will be presented at the Life Ministry Centre on Wednesday 7 September and Thursday 8 September, commencing at 7.30pm. Join Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the hip hip Hippo and, of course, those hilarious, plotting penguins as they bound onto your stage in the musical adventure of a lifetime. Based on the smash DreamWorks animated motion picture, Madagascar – A Musical Adventure JR. follows all your favourite crack-a-lackin’ friends as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar.

Senior School

Our Senior Ensembles followed up last semester’s Senior Ensemble Concert with a performance for their peers at the Senior Music Assembly. The morning included performances from every ensemble and a thought-provoking message from Senior Music Captain, Mattias Talpan. The students in attendance obviously appreciated the talents of the musicians, with some items, such as the Barbershop Quartet and Camerata, receiving especially enthusiastic cheers. Our Senior Ensembles are now working very hard in preparing for the Gala Concert, presented at the end of this term, and Presentation Evening.

The cast of this year’s Senior production of The Little Mermaid has been mesmerising audiences with their combination of character acting, vocal dexterity and dancing prowess. This talented cast and hardworking crew have transported audiences into another world, displaying the incredible reward and success in working as a team. Each lead character and member of the ensemble has brought something special to the stage and all, together with a dedicated staff team, are to be congratulated on this enormous achievement. There are still three performances remaining (Friday evening, Saturday matinee and Saturday evening) and if there are any tickets remaining, go to the Oxley Christian College website and make a purchase to view an amazing show! You won’t be disappointed!

Jeffrey Clarke

Head of Performing Arts