News from Creative Industries, the home of Music, Drama, Multimedia and Art.

This fortnight’s articles focus on the events from last term, including the Music Focus Days and the Grooves on the Green concert. You will also find an article and video introducing the Year 12 Production ‘Girls Like That’ coming to Newman Theatre this May.

Music

Choir Focus Day

On Saturday 27 March, the Year 7/8 Choir and the Senior Choir (Year 9-12) spent the day attending a Music Focus Day organised by our wonderful and dedicated Music Department. Due to COVID-19, the Choir Day was not able to go ahead last year, so we were so grateful to have the opportunity to hold one this year.

The day commenced with individual practice sessions allowing each choir to run through their repertoires in preparation for the Grooves on the Green concert to be held on the following Wednesday. Throughout the day, the girls got to know each other and build strong bonds both inside and outside of their ensemble, especially during the breaks.

The performance session in the early afternoon allowed the girls to watch each other perform and exchange feedback. Girls were then put in mixed year level groups at the end of the day and worked collaboratively to participate in a game of 'Guess the Song' and an Easter egg hunt!

The Music Focus Day has helped contribute to a music community that is tightly knit. I can happily say that all the girls enjoyed the day, and we look forward to doing it again next year!

Olivia Kyriacou
Senior Choir Co-Leader

Band Focus Day

On Sunday 28 March, the Band and Strings students attended a Music Focus Day. The initial purpose of the day was to practise the finale for the upcoming concert.

At the start of the rehearsal, everyone gathered together and rehearsed ‘Viva La Vida’ by Coldplay. We managed to fit both concert bands and the strings into one room! The practice went well as all the ensemble directors prepared their ensembles well in advance.

We then dispersed across the music centre to rehearse our own pieces for the concert. The two bands (Symphonic and Concert) performed to each other in preparation for Grooves on the Green. Finally, to conclude the day, the Music Committee hosted ‘The Price is Right’ and a second Easter egg hunt!

The Music Focus Days were a great success in demonstrating the student's and teacher’s enthusiasm, and the results were evident in the Grooves on the Green concert. Both the music focus days and the concert would not have been able to go ahead without the Ensemble Directors and our Head of Music who we thank and appreciate so much.

Harriet McPharlin
Senior Choir Co-Leader

Grooves on the Green Concert

On Wednesday 31 March, the Music Department and students held their inaugural Grooves on the Green concert. Parents and friends were invited to bring along picnic blankets and nibbles to sit on Memorial Lawn and enjoy some wonderful performances in a relaxed environment. Our featured ensembles, including all of the core ensembles, the junior and senior bands and choirs as well as our Senior String Orchestra, all showcased the repertoire that they had been working on during Term 1. We also saw all the music students involved (over 150 students from Years 4-12) come together for a finale to complete this excellent concert. After a year of live streams and video recorded performances, it was wonderful to finally perform to a live audience again.

Jaclyn Wilmot
Senior School Music SRC Representative

AMEB Congratulations

During the holidays, I received an email from the State Manager of the AMEB (Australian Music Examinations Board) informing me of a significant achievement of one of our current students. Isabelle Yu (Year 11) was awarded the 2020 Certificate of Performance Prize for Cello in mid-March.

We have many students sit for AMEB exams every year, and we regularly announce their achievements via the School newsletter, but this award is a little different. AMEB hold exams on any instrument across preliminary – Grade 8 levels. Beyond this, they offer three advanced levels of a Diploma, the Certificate, Associate and Licentiate. For Isabelle to sit for the Certificate level as a Year 10 student (this was for the 2020 year) is a tremendous undertaking, and to be honoured as the highest achieving student in that level for the year, is simply exceptional.

Isabelle breathtakingly performed at the opening school assembly last Tuesday morning, where we acknowledged her achievement in the community.

I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and congratulate Victoria Phan (Year 9), who was also awarded at this ceremony for winning the Grade 7 Violin Prize.

Congratulations to both students on your wonderful achievements in Music.

Anna Lenartowicz
Head of Music

Drama

Drama Girls StandUp to ‘Girls Like That’

StandUp Theatre Company (Stage 2 Drama) Presents

‘Girls Like That’ by Evan Placey | Directed by Aldo Longobardi

Tuesday 11 to Thursday 13 May 2021
6:00pm
Newman Theatre

Tickets available on TryBooking

This play contains strong language and some adult content, including references to suicide.

Rehearsals are in full swing for the StandUp Theatre Company’s production of ‘Girls Like That’ by Evan Placey. Formed in Stage 1 Drama in 2020, StandUp Theatre Company is Wilderness School’s first student theatre company. StandUp is committed to creating theatre by young people for young people. ‘Girls Like That’ is the perfect choice for their Stage 2 major production.

This is more than just a play about school bullying or ‘Mean Girls syndrome’. It is a play that ruptures the very core of social hierarchies or the ‘pecking order’ and questions what feminism is now. How is it that after generations of fighting for the right to vote, for equality in the workplace and control over their own bodies, we often see a culture of young women who are increasingly insecure, judgemental and unsisterly? What role do technology and social media play in this?

‘Buzz. Click. Pop. Flash. An email. A message’

‘Skank. Sket. Slapper. You deserve everything coming to you.’

When a naked photograph of Scarlett goes viral, she becomes the centre of attention but for all the wrong reasons. While everyone at school forms an opinion and the actions of her tormentors escalate, Scarlett just stays silent, knowing that regardless of what she says, she is already condemned.

‘Girls Like That’ is an important, urgent and explosive play that explores the pressures of young women in the wake of advancing technology, the legacy of feminism and what it means to be a feminist for young women today when the vulnerability of one threatens the safety and identity of the whole flock.

Check out this short video of the cast and crew of ‘Girls Like That’ talking about their production and why you should come and see it, as well as some sneak peek photographs from the rehearsal room!

Aldo Longobardi
Head of Drama

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