Junior School 

Performing Arts

Eisteddfod Results

Over the last few weeks, the City of Orange Eisteddfod has been running individual dance, speech and drama and instrumental classes.  We have been delighted to hear that many of our performing arts students have been taking part. Not only is it useful to have a goal to work towards, but it also helps with exam preparation for later in the year and the more live performances young people can take part in, the easier it is to get a handle on those pesky performance nerves! 

Below are some of the achievements of our students. If your child has participated in the Orange (other other) Eisteddfod this year, please send details to ksinclair@kws.nsw.edu.au as I’d like to acknowledge their hard work. 

• Spencer Williams 
  Piano Solo U12 – Highly Commended
  Popular Piano Solo 12yrs – 2nd Place
  Australian Composer Piano Solo 12yrs – 3rd Place
  Grade 3&4 Piano Solo – 2nd Place
• Charlotte Williams
  Piano solo (restricted) 10yrs – 2nd Place
• Stuart Bell
  Piano Duet 10yrs – 1st Place
  Piano solo 8yrs - Highly Commended
• Andy Bell
  Piano Duet 10yrs – 1st Place
  Piano Solo 10yrs – 1st Place
  Violin Solo 10yrs – 2nd Place
• Nina Smedley - Dance
  Orange; Jazz - 2nd 
  Orange; Modern and Modern Championship – Highly Commended 
  Bathurst; Hip Hop – 2nd
  Bathurst; Jazz, Modern, Modern Impro and Contemporary Championship – Highly Commended

Know your ABC’s Concerts continue

Mrs Moxey’s “Know your ABCs” concerts continued last week with some more beautiful performances from our string students. 

Every year in the lead up to her students AMEB examinations, Mrs Moxey’s students have the opportunity to perform their List A, B or C in these concerts. It took on a very different look this COVID year as students performed in Stages to each other and parents were unable to attend. Instead parents were sent videos of their child’s performance so that they didn’t miss out.

Mrs Moxey was very proud of every child’s performance and is looking forward to final concert in Week 9.

Instrumental Performances – Week 10

Given the lack of live performance opportunities that have been afforded to us this year, we would like to notify all students who are learning an instrument that all Music classes in Week 10 will include time for students to perform to their peers. Students should speak with their tutor to choose suitable repertoire that is performance ready. Students could perform an item that they may be preparing for an exam or just one that they have mastered and would like to perform. Names and performances will be collected by individual tutors and given to Mrs Sinclair by the end of Week 9. 

Percussion Ensemble – Girls

Last week, our girls’ percussion ensemble performed their latest creation to K-6 students during assembly. The girls were inspired by the piece of music which was reminiscent of the roaring 40’s. The girls explored a variety of body percussion that fitted into the style of music and choreographed a wonderful routine. The shiny hats were a last-minute addition to add a little ‘pizzazz’ to the performance and the girls added the final flourish by swapping them over at the very end; a very clever and creative idea! Please enjoy the video below.

Music: Troublesome Trumpet by Bart & Baker (from Introducing Bart & Baker) 

Choreography: K Sinclair & Year 5-6 students 

Kindy Music and Movement

Students in Kindergarten have been developing their listening and movement skills with Mrs McRae over the last few weeks working on perfecting a fabulous performance complete with oobie eyes! Kindy will perform their routine at assembly this week and the performance will be posted in the next newsletter. 

Kindy Puppet performance: Badinerie by Johann Sebastian Bach

In Kindergarten music, students learnt puppet movements to accompany music by Bach. We created a little story about two ducks which have some funny arguments and then decide they like each other at the end.Students learn to: 

• Keep in time;
• Copy actions correctly;
• Hear and identify different instruments - flute, strings and harpsichord;
• Hear and recognise same and different phrases (developing structure recognition skillls);
• Recognise louds and soft (dynamics) in the music;
• Develop a range of drama skills as the children act out the story of the two ducks by using mime, facial expression, and oobie eyes on their fingers to create ducks.

If you have any questions about the information, please do not hesitate to contact us at the Performing Arts Office at performingarts@kws.nsw.edu.au or 02 6392 0347. 

Mrs K Sinclair 

Junior School Performing Arts Co-ordinator