Performing Arts News
Radio Club
Mr Daniel Mulligan accompanied 7 students down to Southern FM studios in Brighton for the last GEC Radio broadcast for 2017 bright and early on Thursday 23rd November. Michael Linardakis, Nick Johnston and Leto Agnew-Mildren discussed a range of topics from sport and gaming to their thoughts on the age-old question, “what should you do if you find money on the ground?” The 7C students also played an eclectic mix of songs whilst they were on the air, including Slim Dusty and Charlie Puth. Whilst this engaging broadcast was being streamed live on 88.3 FM and online, we also had a second team of students planning and training in the spare radio studio. This team included Aimee Harris 8A, Essie Wilson 7C, Sebastian Buley-Delanty 7F and Isabella Zambas 7F. Both teams (and Mr Mulligan!) enjoyed the debrief and breakfast afterwards at a local cafe before coming back to school.
Well done to all students who participated in Radio Club this year, either in planning and preparing broadcast content at our weekly meetings and/or delivering the shows live on the air.
Leto Agnew-Mildren 7C
Nick Johnston 7C
Michael Linardakis 7C
Essie Wilson 7C
Sebastian Buley-Delanty 7F
Isabella Zambas 7F
Amy Harris 8A
Georgia Wood-Freeman 8D
Jay Scott 8F
Izzy McFarland 9C
Kate Pulver 9F
Erin Herr 10A
Sierra Danon 10B
Manon Personnier 10B
Alice Sabouraud 10A
Barney Miller 11B
Boris Pribil 11B
Anna Rowsell 11B
Ashley Szmerling 11B
There are many benefits in participating in Radio Club. This includes improving planning, public speaking and listening skills as well as working productively as part of a team. Speaking fluently, articulately and on your feet is a life skill that is required in all fields. If any student from Year 7-12 is interested in participating in Radio Club 2018 keep an eye on the bulletin and the GEC student HUB at the start of next year.
Festival of Music - Semester 2 Instrumental Music Concert
Monday 4th December was the final instrumental music concert for 2017. It was a showcase of students from the GEC instrumental music program, with a huge variety of performances from solo piano, flute and violin, to small and large guitar, percussion, woodwind, string and vocal groups. It was a celebration of a big year of music, with an array of ensembles and genres of music played by students from all year levels. Emma and Gabriel from Year 8 were our student MCs and did a brilliant job of announcing each of the acts.
The final item for our 2017 Festival of Music was the GEC Band students, playing the song Louie Louie and led by our woodwind teacher Mr Mark Dipnall. Some of the Year 7, 8 and 9 students in the band have only been learning instruments from the beginning of the year. There was also a special guest performer - our Principal, Mrs Kindler who played the conga drum beautifully and with full concentration.
Thank you to all the instrumental music students who performed at the Festival of Music, and also to the instrumental music teachers for preparing everyone and organising the concert, including Mr Voogd, Mr Westlake, Mr Dipnall, Ms Wood, Ms Morley and Ms Wijaya, as well as the Head of Performing Arts Ms Baker-Goldsmith. Thank you also to the college students who helped out with the technical side of the concert. We would also like to thank all of the college staff, students and families for coming along on the night to support the performing arts at GEC.
VSSS
We were proud and excited to have had GEC students from Years 7-11 participating in the 2017 Victorian State Schools Spectacular: Anything is Possible in the auditioned PAU Choir, the Mass Choir, the Orchestra and even behind the scenes in marketing and technical production. This program – managed by the Department of Education and Training – helps to develop each student’s performance skills, discipline, perseverance, cooperation and confidence under the training of industry professionals. One in five state government schools participated in this year’s State Schools Spectacular, including over 1200 school students in the Mass Choir.
This year’s Spectacular was held at Hisense Arena on Saturday 16 September, with two shows at 1pm and 6:30pm. We’re excited to confirm that the Channel 7 broadcast of the Victorian State Schools Spectacular will be on Saturday 16 December 2017 at 7pm. The two-hour broadcast will feature highlights from the live performances as well as behind-the-scenes footage and interviews. Tune in from 7pm to 9pm to catch all the action and relive the Spectacular memories.
At our recent whole school assembly, we were able to recognise and celebrate this involvement and present students with certificates.
Performing Arts Unit (PAU) Choir
Sophie Rowsell 9B
Estelle Lipovetsky 9C
Mass Choir students
Maayan Ashkar 10A
Bridie Skinner 9C
Kei Someda 9C
Sophie Swiatlo 8B
Jasmine Shaw 8B
Rosie Bitmead 8C
Sasha Hudson 8C
Mieka Maloney 8C
Clea McKeown 8C
Lottie Hudson 8E
Emma Laird 8E
Maani Baker 7C
Keely Edwards 7C
Alicia Scott 7C
Caleb Hopewell 7F
Maiya McLean 7F
Isabella Zambas 7F
Orchestra
Mikki Clemans 9C
Technical Production
Barney Miller 11B
Ashley Szmerling 11B
Boris Pribil from 11B
Christopher Rudel 9C
Laura Baker-Goldsmith
Head of Performing Arts
2018 Production
The 2018 school production planning and preparation is well under way with auditions this week.
A google doc has been put onto the student hub and you are to choose one of those days to audition. You must put your details into the document to audition.
2018 Year 7 students will be able to audition and those students who are absent/ or already on holidays during the December auditions will have the opportunity to in week 2 of term 1, on Tuesday 6th Feb and Wednesday 7th Feb after school.
Please keep an eye on your emails also as Mrs Mortimer will be sending out emails for updates on the processes of auditions. A Xuno email is also being sent out to parents this week with the full details of the process.
The school production in 2018 will be in week 10 of term 2.
We encourage everyone to get involved in the cast or the crew. Everyone, no matter what your talents are will be accepted into the show, and it is a great opportunity to make new friends and develop your existing talents.
Any questions or queries please come and see or email Mrs Mortimer.
Sarah Mortimer
2018 Production Director