Performing Arts

DRAMA MATTERS

Year 12 Trial Performances

On Sunday the Year 12 Elective Drama students performed their Group & Individual Projects for an invited audience of parents, teachers and peers. This was a culmination of all the practical work they have created this year. Students will then perform these projects for the HSC Markers at the end of August.

The Group Project is compulsory for all students of Drama. Lasting between 8-12 minutes, one group created a story about a newspaper business called New Issue: Big Issue!! performed by James Bleasdale, Nicholas Cowie, Ky Simpson, Tobias Stokeld.

The other was about a family living in East Berlin in the shadow of the Berlin Wall: East Side Story performed by Lachlan Donlevy, Nicholas McKenzie, Timothy McLachlan, Samuel Schyvens, John-Paul Shahady.

Students can choose a range of Individual Projects for their Major Work. We had eight monologues to mark and one Analysis: Theatre Criticism. Students from Elective Drama in Years 10 and 11 were part of the production crew and I am very thankful for their help. They included Louis Brockwell, Tom Lawson, Adam Hawthorne, Luke Thompson & Douglas Daniels. Mrs Pip Waters helped me with the afternoon tea that kept everyone going throughout the afternoon. We were lucky enough to have two extremely experienced HSC markers, Ms Kate Caron (Mercy School) and Mr Andrew Benson (Newtown Performing Arts). It was a very successful afternoon of performances. Students will now be working hard to implement the feedback given by the markers.

Year 8: Zeal Performance and Workshops

Students in Year 8 had a wonderful opportunity to see a professional theatre production in their school over the past two days. Zeal Theatre came to perform their outstanding show The Stones, which tells the true story of two boys who make a very bad choice that culminates in the death of a university lecturer and shatters the life of his wife. The boys who made this grave error are the same age as the Year 8 boys watching and it was a really good opportunity for them to reflect on their choices in life, especially when with their peers. Students were then lucky enough to take part in an acting workshop led by Tom and Stefo and to create their own short plays. We were very impressed with the quality of the performances and dedication of the students. Each boy collaborated and problem solved with their group to creatively present characters and situations with belief and conviction. They used their physical and vocal acting techniques and watched, listened and supported each other when plays were being performed. We are very grateful to PAPA for covering the cost of this workshop.

Ms Penny Lindley - Drama Teacher

MUSIC MATTERS  

SPX students observe the Australian World Orchestra in open rehearsal

at City Recital Hall on Tuesday 30 July.

“One of the great orchestras of the world”.  (Sir Simon Rattle)

“This stunning orchestra… in a word, matchless”.  (Limelight Magazine)

Through the generosity of the Rizk family and the Arab Bank of Australia, our Year 11 Music 1 and Music 2 Students were given the gift of sponsored tickets to watch artists of the World Orchestra rehearsing at City Recital Hall, Angel Place.  Our Elective musicians saw an all-star line-up of the AWO SIX; a formidable cast of virtuosic musicians coming together for one day to prepare an exciting and intimate chamber performance of Mendelssohn and Brahms.  

Artists:

• Natalie Chee violin (1st Concertmaster – SWR Symphony Orchestra, Stuttgart)
• Daniel Dodds violin (Leader & Artistic Director – Festival Strings Lucerne)
• Tahlia Petrosian viola (Gewandhaus Orchestra)
• Andra Darzins viola (University of Music Stuttgart)
• David Berlin cello (Principal Cello – Melbourne Symphony Orchestra)
• Julian Thompson cello (Australian Chamber Orchestra)

Repertoire:

• “Mendelssohn’s String Quintet No.2 in B flat major is richly melodic and haunting, and a wonderful example of the composer’s genius ability to create romantic conversations between stringed instruments.
• Brahms’ sextet No.2 in G major could easily be described as a musical expression of his infatuation with the soprano Agathe von Siebold. It is the universally relatable story of unrequited love sung by cellos, violas and violins.”

Conductor:  Alexander Briger is one of Australia’s preeminent conductors, having worked with Maestros Zubin Mehta, Pierre Boulez and Sir Charles Mackerras. Awarded the Order of Australia for services to music as a leading conductor in 2016, he is considered a specialist in the works of Janáček, Mozart and contemporary music. Our boys were lucky to see Alexander Briger conducting the Australian World Orchestra and take part in the Question and Answer workshop that followed.

Our sincere thanks to the Rizk family for their immense support of Music Education at St Pius X College.

SPX Junior Singers are Unstoppable

“I throw my hands up in the air sometimes, saying ay-oh.”

Mrs Rawle taught the Junior Choir a new warm up last week. The boys loved it so much they ended up arranging it in small groups and then performing it in a 4-part round. Our junior musicians bring so much energy and passion to school and we love harnessing this into activities for being creative.

Overheard while the boys worked in their small groups:

“See, this is why I like choir.” Daniel Carroll

“The show must go on…”  Robert Oner

The photos above show their joy, energy and ambitious performance work.  All students in Years 5 and 6 are welcome to join the Junior Choir on Thursdays @ 7.30am in Music Rm 1.

Junior Concert Band Hard at Work Rehearsing for Twilight Concert #2 !

Lift Every Voice and Sing:  SPX Senior Choristers Bring Joy to the Faith-Life of Our College

Mr Adrian Brannan, Father Jim, Nathan Mulheron and Ryan Balboa pass on their thanks to students of the SPX Senior Choir for leading the singing at our College Mass last Tuesday July 23 and our Youth Mass last Sunday, July 28.  “It was great to see St Pius X College students combining their voices with the students of Mercy College to lift others up. Please also pass on our thanks to the musicians and parents who joined in. It was joyous and exciting.”  Our next SPX Lead Youth Mass dates are Sunday 25 August, Sunday 22 September and Sunday 24 November at 5.30pm @ Our Lady of Dolours. Please put these in your diary.

What Next?

Upcoming Dates for your Calendar

• SPX Inaugural Song Writing Day with Luke Byrne Sunday, August 4
• Please register your son for our “Song in a Day” workshop this Sunday 4 August. Complete the application form below and return this to your Music teachers in the Performing Arts Office.

• Subject Selection Evening for Year 9 (2020) Wednesday 7 August at 5pm

In terms of brain development, creativity and people skills, Music and Drama are every bit as important educationally as the three Rs.  If your son is interested in studying Elective Drama or Music in Year 9, please come along to the subject selection evening. Our friendly students and staff will be available to answer your questions from 5pm

• P & F Trivia Night Saturday August 17, 6pm – with Entertainment from the Senior Jazz Band
• Don’t miss out on this fantastic evening, complete with trivia, prizes, refreshments and entertainment from the SPX Senior Jazz Band!  Join the Performing Arts Staff and Parents. While we may not have all the answers, we have all the fun!

• College Orchestra Workshop Sunday August 18, 10.30am
• Meet the Music Concert #6 Wednesday August 21, 6.15pm

Please see our Complete Performing Arts Calendar below:

Kindest regards,

Ms Pip Waters - Acting Performing Arts Coordinator