Performing Arts

DRAMA MATTERS

Stage 5 Drama:  It was really lovely to meet all of the Year 8 parents at the Subject Selection evening last week. It was a great opportunity to discuss the curriculum in more detail and highlight the benefits of taking Drama as a subject in Years 9 & 10. There was a lot of interest from the students and it was good to reconnect with the boys as they currently don’t have Drama lessons in Year 8. Charlie Hamill, Douglas Daniels and Alec Ramsbottom from Year 10, were on hand to chat to parents and students about what Drama is really like and also to highlight the benefit of taking a practical and creative subject. Drama encourages and promotes a cooperative approach to exploring the world through enactment with students consistently sharing and developing their ideas and emotions.

Curriculum content:  Improvisation, Scripted Drama, Elizabethan Theatre, Commedia dell’arte, Documentary Drama & Multi-Media, Playbuilding, Contemporary Australian Plays, Monologues, Duologues, Elements of Design, Elements of Drama.

I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms,

the most immediate way in which a human being can share

with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.

- Oscar Wilde

Students regularly see two to three performances per year of professional theatre, and are encouraged to take part in the co-curricular aspects of the school such as the School Play, Drama Ensembles and Twilight Concerts.

Ms Penny Lindley - Drama Teacher

MUSIC MATTERS  

“It’s better than cake.” 

Reflections on Playing Stringed Instruments

The Senior String ensemble is presently working to perfect Vivaldi’s “Gloria” and the film score, “Soul Bossa Nova”.  When asked what they love about playing a stringed instrument, they needed no prompting in their responses:

“It is fun playing over fast passages, it feels satisfying going quickly.” Jonah Gonzales

“My violin is portable, it’s not a piano and sounds better than a trombone. I think I am the only person to work at Bunnings who is a classically trained violinist.  Wait, don’t quote that!” Tom Van Dijk

“The violin is my paintbrush.” Luke McManus

“When played with passion, the violin creates magic.” Cody Choi  

“It’s fun.” Cooper Anderson

“Everyone thinks I play the violin.  It’s a viola!!” Eamon Boyle

“Baroque and Classical are the supreme genres of Western Art Music.” Douglas Daniels

“It’s better than cake.” Spencer Anderson

“Playing in the String Ensemble is interesting as you get to learn the music of other cultures.” Benjamin Cutbill

“When everyone asks if I play violin I have to explain to them what a viola is.  I love playing a stringed instrument. It challenges you.” Hudson Lomas

“My favourite aspect of playing the violin is having the opportunity to perform.  Just before a performance your nerves combine with your passion to create energy for playing. This feeling can lead to a sense of excitement, a rush. And afterwards, a sense of personal achievement.” Jarred Lam

Our sincere thanks to Mr Primrose-Heaney, Mrs Talati and Pius parents for facilitating the growth of our string players and the College’s string program.

Jazz and Beyond!

Daniel Mooney and Oliver Osborne Selected into the Manly Jazz All Star Band

Congratulations to Daniel Mooney and Oliver Osborne on their successful selection to the Manly Jazz All Star Band. With only 20 young musicians selected across Sydney, this is a fantastic achievement. Well done to Geoff Power for coaching all our Jazz musicians so well over the years and well done boys!

See Daniel and Oliver Performance at the Manly Jazz weekend:  

• Sunday 6 October 11 – 11.45am Oceanfront Arena
• Sunday 6 October – Director’s Choice Concert: Ellingtonia.  The All Stars will be on the same program as Rodney Whittaker, Andrew Speight, Charito (singer from Japan), John Harkins, Andrew Dickeson and more. 

Stage 4 Musicians Study Music of the Stage and Screen

Year 7 and 8 Students have commenced learning their new topic, Music of the Stage and Screen. This unit of work takes the boys into the depths of song writing and orchestration. We become expects in how the 6 main concepts of music are manipulated to create a sense of mood, character, concept or time. From Broadway musicals to present day films we’ll be exploring what composers do to help tell a story or paint a scene. Here we see Year 8 boys analysing the overture of The Greatest Show. Their composition task this term will be to create their own original sound tracks to an existing movie clip and notate these graphically. Homework is to watch movies as a family and discuss the success of the composer to emotionally manipulate or enhance each scene.

Love What You Do

Choosing Elective Subjects for 2020

We had a terrific show of families at the Year 8 into 9 Subject selection evening last Wednesday. Significant numbers of boys are interested in pursuing Elective Music Year 9. It was fantastic to meet so many parents and spend time helping boys with their questions.

Please find below the PowerPoint Slide we shared with students, along with documents supporting your son’s path into Elective Music in Year 9.  Shortly we will hold another Q and A lunch for prospective students that will be run by our older Elective musicians. Please call or email if you have any further queries regarding your son’s subject selection for 2020.

“For it is in giving that we receive.” - St. Francis of Assisi

Year 10 Elective Musicians Bring the Gift of Music to Meals on Wheels Service

We are so proud of the big hearts of Year 10 Musicians. This week Mr Primrose-Heaney’s Year 10 Music Class volunteered to help Mr Pawlak in serving lunch at the Dougherty Centre and entertaining those in need of the gift of music. The organisers of Willoughby Meals on Wheels could not have been more grateful to our students. Well done Year 10, and keep answering the call to those in need of assistance.

TEAM UP!  

Saturday Night Rugby?  FALSE, Saturday Night Trivia! Saturday 17 August at 6.00pm

Calling all Trivia Teams to Assemble. Don’t forget to dig out your vintage double-denim, leather, fur or corduroy for this Saturday’s P & F Trivia Night. Parents, staff and friends are cordially invited to join our PAPA table for friendship and fun.  Entertainment provided by the College Blues Bros (SPX Senior Jazz Band).

Ring Them Bells

Ben, David and Abi Giles - Bell Ringing at Holy Family Church Lindfield and St Mary’s Cathedral

On Sunday afternoons, before 6pm Mass, Ben, David and Abi Giles practise bell ringing at Holy Family Church, Lindfield.  David did his first quarter peel on 23rd June (41 minutes) to acknowledge a parishioner couple's 50th wedding anniversary. 

Below is the link to Fr Colin's explanation, on the Parish website (which has a link at the bottom of the blurb to the official website, "Bell Board", where such peels are recorded).  You need to click the bottom right,  "The bells, the bell tower and the bellringers".

http://www.lindfieldkillara.org.au/

During the holidays, Ben, David and Abi Giles had a chance to ring at St Mary's Cathedral, after climbing the 110 stairs up to the tower (nearly killed their mum Sally!) You can see Ben and David in the top right picture and Abi on the box in the bottom right.  The 14 bells weigh from 281kg-1741kg.  An amazing experience!  Keep up the wonderful faith in action Team Giles! Next t