Performing Arts
Year 12 discussing their music compositions with Mr Damo
DRAMA MATTERS: Year 11 Drama
'Great Expectations' Week 10, 2-4 April in the Sarto Centre
We all know that the best learning often comes through stories. Just as well then that the young men and women of St Pius X and Mercy College are preparing an unbelievably good tale for you. Wealth and poverty, love and rejection, the triumph of good over evil, it doesn’t get any better. Think churchyards, convicts, fights to the death, wonderful characters.
Tickets $20 per person.
Book via trybooking: https://www.trybooking.com/482280
Please click on the flyer below for details.
Year 11 Theatre Workshops: We have been extremely lucky to have the wonderful teacher Guillaume Barriere come to St Pius and conduct some physical theatre workshops with our Year 11 students. Guillaume trained at the École Internationale de Theatre with Jacques Lecoq, which is a school of physical theatre in Paris. Founded in 1956 by Jacques Lecoq, the school offers a professional and intensive two-year course emphasising the body, movement and space as entry point in theatrical performance and prepares its students to create collaboratively. This method is called mimodynamics.
The school’s graduate list includes renowned figures of stage such as Ariane Mnouchkine of Théâtre du Soleil and Simon McBurney of Complicité among others. The students have been studying Lecoq and are creating their own physical theatre play based around a social justice issue of their choice. Guillaume will be back in Term 2 to work with our HSC Drama students on their Group Project. A big thank you to PAPA for the funding for these workshops.
Ms Penny Lindley - Drama Teacher and Director
MUSIC MATTERS
Singing, Prayers and Silent Reflection Bring Dignity to Our Ash Wednesday Liturgies
Led strongly by Mr. Nathan Mulheron, our St Pius X College Ash Wednesday Liturgies provided an important pause in our midterm hustle. Our fifty-strong College Choir including both young men and staff of St Pius, performed the sixteenth-century Florentine aria, “Ave Maria” by Giulio Caccini. While members of our community received their ashes, this hauntingly beautiful melody hung above our heads, drawing hearts and minds to remember Jesus’ life; to act justly and serve others.
The SPX College Choir is open to everyone - Wednesdays 7.30am-8.30am in Music Room 1.
Assistant-Principal Teaching and Learning, Mr Alex Damo, Visits Our Classrooms
Last week Mr. Damo created time in his busy schedule to work with our Elective Year 12 Musicians. It was so helpful for the boys to show Mr Damo their performance pieces and explain the intricacies of their compositions. After listening to Daniel Mooney’s original composition for Big Band, Mr Damo exclaimed, “Wow I’d pay to listen to that opening section. How did you do that? In the third section there were some tiny moments that might need refining, what else could you do there?”
Members of the Leadership Team often drop in to observe students working hard in their classrooms. We are sincerely grateful for the leadership and support that they provide to teaching and learning in the College.
St Pius X College Offers Specialised Vocal Training with Andrew Goodwin and Maria Timofeeva
Andrew Goodwin of Australia’s “Pinchgut Opera” and Russian trained, Maria Timofeeva are helping many students of St Pius X College to find their voice. Through weekly singing lessons, boys learn correct vocal technique and develop their solo performance skills across a range of styles. Here we see Lachlan Donlevy of Year 12 working with Maria to extend his consistency in pitch and volume across his vocal range.
If your son loves to sing and wants to become the next Hugh Jackman or Teddy Tahu Rhodes, take the first step by filling in the attached lesson application. Lessons are highly professional, yet lots of fun. To hear Lachlan sing with Maria, please save the date of our Twilight Concert #1, Thursday May 9.
Yesterday I Couldn’t Spell Ukulele, Today I Played One
Being dyslexic in a world full of music readers sometimes leaves a child feeling like a fork in a drawer full of spoons. Our World’s Okayest Ukulele Club acknowledges that some music-makers just want hands-on playing without a long and complicated theory lesson. Last Wednesday saw more than 32 kids and staff strumming their hearts and fingers out. Eventually they will understand the theory and be able to read music, but it can happen retrospectively - lunchtimes are for fun first!
Final Schedule for Open Day
Ms Pip Waters - Acting Performing Arts Coordinator