Department News

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• Languages:  Chinese Culture Excursion
• Performing Arts

Languages:  Chinese Culture Excursion

During Term 4 2017, Year 7 and 8 Chinese Language classes participated in a Chinese Culture Excursion to Shanghai Stories restaurant in The Concourse. Through this experience students had the opportunity to put their language skills and knowledge of Chinese food and dining etiquette to practical use. Many students enjoyed speaking Chinese to the wait staff and were able to build on their Chinese speaking skills and cultural understanding. The students thoroughly enjoyed this experience. Here are some comments from the students who attended the excursion.

“Yum Cha was an amazing experience and a good opportunity for us to engage in an everyday experience through Chinese cuisine. This excursion gave us the opportunity to use our knowledge of the Chinese language to communicate in a Chinese environment. The food we had consisted of prawn dumplings, sweet and sour pork, soup dumplings, fried rice, mango pancakes and much more.  On our trip, Ms Ho taught us how to compliment the chefs and order more tea. Overall, this was a great experience and we are extra lucky to have been able to go on this excursion.” – Liam Chang, Year 8 

“On the 22nd of November Year 8 Chinese class 5 were privileged to attend the excursion to Shanghai Stories Yum Cha in the Chatswood Concourse. Every member of our class had a great experience. We are very grateful to Ms. Ho and the Language Department, who made this great experience possible and so enjoyable. On behalf of Year 8 Chinese class 5, I would like to extend this thankyou to the teachers who also came to the excursion and also made this experience enjoyable”. – Joshua Jones, Year 8

“On Tuesday the 28th November Ms Ho and Ms Manga brought Chinese class 7-5 to Shanghai Stories in the Concourse in Chatswood. As a class, we enjoyed eating the variety of Chinese foods from dumplings to mango pancakes and it was amazing to try a new and different type and culture of food. I want to thank Ms Ho, Ms Manga and the hosts at Shanghai Stories for making this experience possible and for putting in their time and money for us to have this experience. It was a very enjoyable time and a delicious meal.” – Thomas Fong, Year 7

 “Today my class 7-1 Chinese went to Shanghai Stories in the Chatswood Concourse. We had eight dishes. First served was the pork buns. The pork buns were very nice but some silly people ate the paper. Next we had the spring rolls. Inside of each spring roll was a mix of vegetables and meat. Coming from my fellow students, they enjoyed it. Next up was a variety of dumplings. Few of the best was the Siu Mai (Dim Sims) and Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings). Second last dish was the two fried rice. Each was very nice, one having prawns and one not because of allergies. We could sum up that both fried rice were excellent. The last and best dish were the mango pancakes. Wrapped in a mango pancake and inside had cream and mango. Our class, 7-1, would like to thank Ms Ho for preparing this and Shanghai Stories for providing us with food”. – Joseph Reyes, Year7

“Today, our Chinese class one went on an exciting excursion to Yum Cha. It was an amazing experience for the class, they experienced the culture and tried lots of new foods. The class was very polite and showed excellent manners and represented the College very well. All the class really enjoyed the excursion and would do it again.” – Benjamin Christensen, Year 8

Ms L Ho – Language Teacher

Performing Arts  

Welcome back to all students and parents. The Performing Arts Staff, Ensemble Directors and Instrumental Tutors look forward to working with you this year. We particularly welcome our two new teachers Ms Penny Lindley (Drama) and Ms Pip Waters (Music)

PERFORMING ARTS ORIENTATION NIGHT AND PAPA MEETING

These meetings are on TONIGHT in the Band Room. Parking is available in the College yard. The Orientation Night commences at 6pm and is an opportunity for parents who are new to the College (as well as current) to learn more about our extensive Music and Drama Co-curricular program. The PAPA (Performing Arts Parents Association) meeting commences at 7pm with light refreshments. Parents who attend the Orientation are encouraged to stay for this meeting to make new friends and learn how this group supports performing arts at the College- both academic and co-curricular. Both meetings are for parents only.

INSTRUMENTAL TUITION

Boys Who Would Like To Learn An Instrument: Students who would like to learn an instrument, voice or music production, should pick up a form from the Student Administration Office. The form should be filled in and returned to Ms Bates in the Performing Arts Department as soon as possible. Please be aware that for some instruments there are only limited places available. Consequently, students will be allocated to tutors on a first come, first serve basis and then placed on waiting lists.

New Students- Instrumental Tuition: All boys new to the College who requested to learn an instrument have been placed with a tutor. The tutor has been given your details and should be in touch shortly. If you have not heard from a tutor by the end of THIS week, please see Ms Bates in the Performing Arts Staffroom.

Continuing Students- Instrumental Tuition: Unless you requested a change of tutor you have been placed with the same person you had in 2017. Your tutor should be in touch shortly. If you have not heard from your tutor by the end of THIS  week, please see Ms Bates.

ENSEMBLES

A full list of Ensembles and rehearsal times can be found by opening the PDF attachment below. With the exception of the College Orchestra (Senior Strings 7.00am, Full Orchestra 7.30am), all other ensembles commence NEXT WEEK. Parents of new students who expressed an interest in and/or auditioned for an ensemble and parents of continuing students, were emailed in December last year advising of placements. Currently our Concert Bands, Jazz Bands, Guitar and Percussion ensembles are at full capacity and there are no further positions available. There are vacancies in Senior Choir, Junior Choir, Digital Music ensembles and Junior and Senior Drama ensembles. If your son is interested in these groups, please ask him to attend on the required day or alternatively contact Ms Bates at TBates@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au for further information.

PERFORMING ARTS PERFORMANCE AND EXCURSION CALENDAR TERM 1

The draft calendar for Term 1 can be found by opening the PDF attachment below.

ONSTAGE

Year 12 Drama students will be attending this evening performance next Monday 5th February. A  permission note has been sent home with all the details.

SYDNEY YOUTH ORCHESTRA SUMMER SCHOOL

Congratulations to Oliver Osborne (Year 11) who was selected to participate in this program during the recent holidays.

SYDNEY YOUTH ORCHESTRA

Congratulations to Phillip Cullen and Liaam Rao (Year 12) who successfully auditioned on cello and viola respectively and are now members of this elite program for young musicians.

NATIONAL CHORAL SCHOOL

Congratulations to Lachlan Donlevy (Year 11) who participated in a two week residential program at UNSW with the Gondwana Choirs during the summer holidays.

GREASE THE ARENA SPECTACULAR

Well done to Andrew McKinnon (Year 8) who was in the ensemble for this production during the recent holidays.

Ms T Bates - Performing Arts Coordinator