Program Highlights
Robotics State Champions
Congratulations to all students who took part in the Victoria State Robotics Competition at Melbourne University this week. In particular, Jesse Thompson and Aden Kallio from Year 8, who competed in the Senior Dance category, were awarded the 1st place trophy in their category. It was also pleasing to see them win the Melbourne University Dean of Engineering Award for the best engineering design in their competition.
Congratulations also to Year 7 students Ethan Dharmawardena, Cedric Janvier, Isaac Webb, and Grant Zhong for being placed 2nd in the same category.
Lastly, congratulations to Sasha Vulling, Jasmine Fassoulis, Lydia Sharpe, Victoria Bullard, and Jaslyn Truong for being awarded the winner’s trophy in the Open category of the Dance competition.
At the end of the term, four teams will travel to Sydney to compete in the national competitions.
Rajnesh Ram, Robotics Coordinator
A Brilliant Annual Music Concert
Last Friday, the Kilvington School community was treated to an exciting musical extravaganza at the Annual Concert. This was the culmination of weeks of hard work by students and staff involved in the music program at the School.
Music students from Prep through to Year 12 took part in the concert which featured a wide range of music performed by the School orchestra, concert band, string groups, wind ensembles, school choirs and the more contemporary Jazz and Blues Ensemble and Stage Band.
The performances were of a very high standard and the excitement and enthusiasm of the students could be seen on their faces.
After the performance, a number of the students were heard to say, “We did it, we did it, we can’t wait to start new music…!” From the applause, the appreciation of the audience was clearly evident as well.
The final piece Shadowland, from the musical the Lion King, summed up the whole concert when the Year 7 to 9 choir, soloist Shreya Naidoo with a number of hand-picked singers accompanied by the percussion ensemble brought the performance to a rousing conclusion.
Many thanks to all who contributed to the performance.
This is an event not to be missed next year.
Ken McClimont
Acting Academic Dean of Performing Arts
Opera Express
In July, 26 students gathered in the music building to hear about the Opera Express program for the next three weeks. We were briefed by Nate and Murray from Opera Express, and their passion for performing arts and their musical knowledge really inspired us to start thinking creatively.
On the first Wednesday we created characters, a story line, started writing lyrics and the melody to our very own Opera. Characters like Clyde the ambitious male model, and Eugenia the villainous ex-model were all intertwined into the plot.
The following week we set to work completing the lyrics before getting Nate to add music. Every single person contributed one line to the script and then sung a line each making the whole process completely collaborative and inclusive.
The auditions for parts, as well as painting the sets, took place on the third Wednesday. Everybody who wanted a lead role learnt a line and sung it to the group. We were split into groups to build, design and paint a large canvas for the set.
During the week before our big performance, all of us worked hard to learn our lines. At 12.05pm on Thursday 4 August, the entire Senior School filed into the Hall to watch what we had produced. It was a great success and an amazing feeling to be able to perform a piece of work that was created by yourself and your peers. It was a fantastic experience to be a part of.
Zoe Parsons and Sarah Godfrey, Year 9
Guitar Ensemble Performs at CGSV Ensemble Extravaganza 2016
The Kilvington Senior Guitar Ensemble recently made their debut performance at the 2016 Classical Guitar Society of Victoria Ensemble Extravaganza (EE). This annual invitational performance event caters specifically for guitar ensembles from various schools across Melbourne to perform in a one-off showcase event. With a total of 13 ensembles performing at this year’s event, it highlights that guitar ensemble performance and participation is developing, becoming more popular amongst students within schools as well as becoming musically more sophisticated.
The EE first began in 2010 under the direction of CGSV patron and former Kilvington student, Susan Ellis. Susan has been a pivotal and leading figure in the classical guitar community for many decades not only within Melbourne but also across Australia. Needless to say, Susan was very happy to see Kilvington at the EE.
I wish to congratulate the Kilvington Guitar Ensemble for such a great performance and for their commitment and dedication: Louisa Abbott, Sarah Harding, Joshua Hickman, Ashil Mohan, Patrick Nachar, Blake Pfeiffer, Mat Pickthall, Michael Stokol and Emily Zhu.
I am very much looking forward to our next performance at the Royal South Street competition in late August as well as our return to the Extravaganza in 2017!
Ben Dix, Guitar Teacher & Ensemble Director
Kilvington Welcomes Students from Japan and China
During the past fortnight, it was a pleasure to welcome students from our sister schools of Hiroshima Jogakuin, Japan and Shanghai West Yanan Middle School, China.
For many of these students, aged 12 to 14, it was their first time to travel internationally and for all students it was their first experience of school and life in Australia. They were able to participate in classes, visit the sites of Melbourne and experience home life in Australia. For our students too, this experience was an enriching one, giving them the opportunity to practise their language skills and learn about the many differences between our countries and cultures.
A big thank you to all the members of the Kilvington community who helped to accommodate, orientate, teach or otherwise assist our visitors from Japan and China over the past two weeks and help them to have a fantastic experience.
Alan Clarke
International Student Coordinator
Kilvington Writers Festival – Parent Writing Competition
As part of the Kilvington Writers Festival to be held from 29 August to 2 September, parents are invited to enter the Staff/Parent Writing Competition.
The theme is Growing Up. All students will complete a creative response addressing this theme.
Word limit is 800 – 1000 words and entries must be submitted to lebasm@kilvington.vic.edu.au by no later than Thursday 25 August 2016.
Put those creative impulses to work and start writing!