Performing Arts
Stories brought to Light
The City Senior School play, Stories in the Dark, played to full houses at the Loft Theatre, Chapel Off Chapel in Prahran. It told the story of teenagers trapped in an undisclosed war zone without their family and the way they fought to survive. Part of their coping mechanism was to tell folk tales and as an audience we watched the play flip from the harsh war conditions to these comical and magical worlds. The students found the balance and engaged the audience from the very start. It was a compelling and enjoyable performance from an ensemble cast that transformed themselves and the stage time and time again.
Thank you to Jane Marshall for coordinating, producing and directing this timely production as well as leading the team of staff who put in hours working on the show. Final congratulations to the student company who dedicated hours of their time to bring this show to life.
Best of the Best
Congratulations to Emma (Year 12) and Teleetha (Year 12) , VCE Dance students in 2023, who performed at Top Class Dance on Wednesday 6 March at the Melbourne Recital Centre. This year, 109 top performing students were invited to audition for Top Class Dance, and only 31 students were selected to perform. Selected performers exemplified the skill and creativity that can be achieved within VCE Dance. We were very proud of the way in which Emma and Teleetha performed on stage and represented Haileybury. Well done, girls!
Tickets on sale!
Tickets for the 2024 Years 9 –12 cross-campus musical Addams Family are now on sale!
Buy tickets here.
Nick Waxman
Head of Drama and Theatre Studies
Music
Haileyburians set to participate at prestigious VCAA Top Class concerts
The Music Department is extremely proud to report that three Haileybury music students featured in Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority (VCAA) Season of Excellence concerts held this fortnight.
Daragh Rodrigues (OHA 2023), who achieved the perfect Study Score of 50 for Music: Contemporary Performance, will perform two works at the Melbourne Recital Centre this week. Daragh was the only student statewide to achieve a 50 for this study in 2023. He will be accompanied by Marcus Beyer (Keyboards – OHA 2023), James Gedicke (Electric Bass – OHA 2023), Mr Sean McLeod (Drums), Sarah Tan (Violin – OHA 2023), Samuel Koh (Violin – OHA 2023), Nathan Su (OHA 2023) and Elliot Guo (Cello – OHA 2023).
Music: Composition students James Gedicke (OHA 2023) and Santrix (Year 12) both had compositions selected for performance at the prestigious Top Class: Sound concert. James’s composition The Unearthing of Pakasqa llaqta and Santrix’s Untethered were simply outstanding. Bravo! These talented composers achieved study scores in the top five awarded for 2023.
Being selected for Top Class places students within the top 1% of the state. Haileybury students have consistently featured in these concerts over the last 15 years. Tickets to the Season of Excellence series typically sell out within hours of their release. Well done and congratulations to all involved.
Twilight Concert this Thursday
In the same fortnight as the Top Class concerts, Haileybury Senior School students are set to perform at their first large ensemble concert for 2023. To be held in the Senior School Quadrangle at Keysborough, the excitement and anticipation of performing at Twilight Concert was noticeable at rehearsals during the week just passed.
Set within a relaxed outdoor setting, the event is not ticketed, entry is free and refreshments will be provided. The concert will feature repertoire with a popular focus making the concert’s appeal broad and accessible for all ages.
If you are free this Thursday afternoon, please come to Keysborough between 5.00 pm and 6.30 pm to enjoy the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Haileybury Singers, Viva-Voce, Symphony Orchestra, Contemporary Singers, String Orchestra, Senior Brass Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble and Stage Band.
If you have never attended a Senior School concert before, please come along and be amazed by the skills of our talented music students.
Rod Marshall
Director of Performing Arts & Head of Haileybury Music
Visual Arts
Visit to the NGV Triennial
Recently, a group of senior school students embarked on an exciting adventure to the NGV International and a series of independent galleries throughout Melbourne. They immersed themselves in a world of creativity, discovering artworks from both renowned artists and emerging talents.
As part of their Units 3 and 4 Art Making and Exhibiting studies, they visited the NGV International to view the Triennial, they encountered contemporary artworks and installations, and each offered a unique perspective on the human experience.
Venturing into independent galleries, the students explored the cutting edge of the art world. They were exposed to innovative techniques and thought-provoking concepts, gaining insight into the diverse range of artistic expressions that exist in Melbourne’s rich Arts culture. All these insights will help the students in their own practice, and we look forward to the year ahead.
Ngaire Thomson
Head of Visual Arts Senior School
Pipes & Drums
The P&D Season Begins!
On 1 March, the Founders Day Cocktail Party kicked off with a bang as our Pipes & Drums group entertained over 200 attendees at the official opening of the Langford Pavilion. Students from the program had the opportunity to debut some of their new competition music that they will be performing at the upcoming competitions and championships.
The excitement continued as our A, B and C bands geared up for their first competition of the season on Sunday, 17 March at the Keysborough Campus on Rendall Oval. It was a full day of competition, with performances ranging from 10.45 am to 3.20 pm, culminating in an awards ceremony and Massed Bands performance. The C Band earned a spot in the Juvenile Novice B selection of marches by securing 3rd place. The B Band came in second place behind PLC in the Novice Juvenile B section and achieved a commendable 3rd place overall in Grade 4B. The A band had a successful day by winning the Juvenile Novice A section against their rivals, Scotch College. Additionally, they won their first local Grade 3 contest against strong competition from Victoria Scottish Pipe Band. The A Band drum corp also won the Grade 3 drumming prize.
Well done to everyone involved, and thank you to everyone who was able to attend on the day! Your presence means the world to the performers, and it is a fantastic way to experience the passion and tradition of Pipes & Drums. The bands are now gearing up for the Victorian Pipe Band Championship at the Melbourne Highland Games and Celtic Festival in Croydon on Sunday, 24 March.
Lincoln Hilton
Director, Pipes & Drums
