Day one in Bikini Bottom!
Rehearsals have begun for the Years 9–12 musical, SpongeBob.
Over the holidays the enthusiastic cast and production team began work on this hilarious and ridiculous musical. With themes around sustainability, friendship, community and the role of the media and government in catastrophising current events, this show has a great deal of substance below the surface.
Below some of the cast made an S-shape for SpongeBob! You can also see them working on the choreography for the production’s opening number, Bikini Bottom Day!
After School Dance program
Each Haileybury campus offers a wonderful After School Dance program as an optional extra for Prep to Grade 6 students. Weekly classes include different activities and approaches to learning, and students can refine their choreography and have some fun. Students build their technique, learn different genres of dance and, in Grades 5 and 6, they build routines for competition and for the end of year Dance Gala in November.
Please visit myDance on the myHaileybury app (within Performing Arts) for information about the program including class times, locations and fees.
Enrolments for the 2023 After School Dance program opened on Wednesday, 25 January 2023 for Prep to Grade 6 dance classes at all campuses. Enrolments close on Friday, 17 February. To enrol your child, please:
- Click on the myHaileybury app
- Click on the Performing Arts tab
- Click on myDance
- Click on Join Co-Curricular Dance.
Once you have submitted your enrolment form your relevant campus dance coordinator will be in touch via email to confirm they have received the enrolment form and they will provide details of the first lesson.
Please note that even if you enrolled in the 2022 program, you need to re-enrol for 2023.
If you have any queries please contact After School Dance Coordinators, Teri Batis and Cassie Peele, via email at afterschooldanceprogram@haileybury.vic.edu.au
Nick Waxman
Head of Drama and Theatre Studies
Music
An exciting year ahead and congratulations
This is set to be a very exciting year for the Haileybury Music Department.
A highlight of the year’s concert program will be the return of the biannual Melbourne Recital Centre Concert in the prestigious Elizabeth Murdoch Hall. The concert on Thursday, 24 August will showcase Haileybury’s finest musicians in Melbourne’s premier concert venue.
In 2023, over 1,000 students will receive an instrumental music lesson every week and will participate in one or more of the 60+ ensembles on offer. Places within the program are extremely limited, so if you would like to enroll for lessons, please do so asap.
This first full week back at School has seen ensemble rehearsals begin in earnest. Involvement in an ensemble is fundamental to learning a musical instrument at Haileybury. Through weekly rehearsals, students use their advancing skills in a practical and collaborative way.
Importantly, it is only after focused group rehearsals, in preparation for a concert event, that students can showcase their talent and determination to improve as musicians to large, appreciative audiences.
Punctual attendance at rehearsals and instrumental lessons is fundamental to the collaborative potential of the 2023 program. When a student must miss a rehearsal or instrumental lesson, please ensure the relevant music staff are contacted well-prior to the impending absence.
Congratulations to Michael Sun
Our heartfelt congratulations to Michael Sun who, in 2022, received the highest possible ATAR score of 99.95. Throughout his years at Haileybury, Michael participated in numerous music activities including Symphony Orchestra, String Orchestra, Viva Voce, Haileybury Singers and numerous VCE programs where he supported his peers.
Consistently, a significant percentage of Haileybury’s highest scoring academic students are active participants in the Music program throughout their school life. For these students, music provides a fun yet challenging creative pursuit and research has repeatedly shown that it also enhances strong academic outcomes.
Chapel Concert series begins
Our fortnightly Lunchtime Chapel Concert series in the David Bradshaw Chapel at 855 Springvale Road, Keysborough is a free concert series open to the public. The concerts feature our current leading music students, Old Haileyburians and members of the music staff.
Come and be inspired by some of the finest classical and Romantic music performed in one of the architectural jewels of south-east Melbourne. The first concert will take place on Wednesday, 8 February at 1.20 pm. Please note that visitors must sign in at Reception before entering the concert.
Rod Marshall
Director of Performing Arts & Head of Haileybury Music
Visual Arts
Competitions and exhibitions
Congratulations to our 2022 VCE Units 1 to 4 students for the success of the inaugural Victorian Artists Society Haileybury Studio Arts exhibition. The event ran from Tuesday, 6 December to Wednesday, 14 December in the Mackley Members’ Room at the VAS headquarters in East Melbourne.
This final exhibition closed out a year of incredible engagement from our Visual Arts students with many occasions to celebrate and promote their art outside of school. We look forward to another big year of competitions and exhibitions that provide learning opportunities, such as writing exhibition proposals and articulating the ideas that are expressed through the students’ work, while also growing our network of creative connections and industry supporters.
From the VAS website dedicated to the Haileybury exhibition:
‘In celebration of the wonderful achievement of Haileybury’s Studio Arts students, we are proud to present a selection of their work for their families, friends and the public — including industry members at the Victorian Artists Society.
The artworks created by the VCE students range in style and ideas, bringing to light key themes for young contemporary artists today. Themes and concepts explored include relationships, the impermanence of life, gender, the impact of technology and more.
Students explored and experimented with materials and techniques in their studio process, as outlined in their exploration proposal. The art forms utilised to convey these ideas include painting, drawing, photography, textiles, digital and sculpture.’
“Sensored is a painting depicting my relationship with technology and the digital world and how it encourages the creation of online personas on platforms such as social media. Especially in lockdown, I found myself having excessive screen time, and it wasn’t until I addressed how this caused a disconnect between my family and friends that I could reduce my time spent in the digital world and increase my time in the real world. This is what I attempted to portray in my painting. This painting is both critical and empathetic as it represents humanity as immersed in the wonders of digital technology. However, it also communicates the danger of becoming too attached to the digital world.”Ashley Tonelli
Rachelle Rae
Head of Visual Arts Senior School
Pipes & Drums
Pipes & Drums Band Camp
The 2023 Haileybury Pipes and Drums camp was a blast, with members of the band sharpening their skills and working their fingers to the bone to prepare for the upcoming competition season. The camp was held over several days at the Oasis Camp in Mount Evelyn and was attended by seasoned veterans and fresh-faced rookies. This was our first full in-person camp since 2020.
Participants worked on their technique and musicality through activities including group rehearsals, individual practice sessions and ensemble performances. Ten dedicated Pipes & Drums staff members provided guidance and feedback to help each player improve their skills.
A highlight was the opportunity for band members to perform in an ensemble setting. The group worked on several pieces of music, focusing on precision and timing to create a cohesive sound. The final result was a true showcase of the band’s hard work and dedication, with each player giving it their all to create an impressive and dynamic performance.
In addition to rehearsals and performances, the camp also featured social activities and team building exercises. These helped build camaraderie and a sense of community among the band members and were a great way for everyone to get to know each other better. It was also a great opportunity to find out who snores the loudest!
The Haileybury Pipes and Drums camp was an extremely successful and enjoyable experience. The band is now well-prepared for the upcoming competition season and members are eager to show off their hard work and their ability to play in sync on the competition stage.
Congratulations to all band members for their hard work — and for not breaking any instruments during the camp! Best of luck to everyone in the upcoming competitions.
Lincoln Hilton
Director, Pipes & Drums
