Arts

Performing Arts

Beware! Opening night is just days away...

You are invited to the inaugural Years 9–12 Senior School play featuring 68 cast members from City, Brighton, Berwick and Keysborough. This immersive experience is in three parts. Acts 1 and 3 are a traditional performance taking place in Aikman Hall.

In Act 2, you can choose your own adventure and use our map to navigate 16 unique spaces within Otranto Manor that will be transformed into laboratories, libraries, cellars, attics and graveyards.

While this show is for an audience of 10 years and older, it is not a haunted house. There are no terrifying surprises, just beautiful gothic atmospheres, suspense and intrigue with the performance inspired by the great gothic works of literature by Poe, Shelley, Bronte, Stoker, and Radcliffe.

As you move through the different rooms and spaces as a visitor to Otranto Manor, the veil is lifted as writers, visitors and characters from a lost era emerge from their shadowy corners to warn us of a secret that ought not be revealed.

Join Jekyll, Bertha, Frankenstein’s creature, Dracula, Havisham and many more as we unearth the mysteries of this famous house … but do not stray for too long as the house holds more than secrets in its ink-black catacombs.

Below are some photos from our weekend rehearsals.

Nick Waxman
Head of Drama and Theatre Studies

Music

A visit from Haileybury UK Chamber Choir

In the first week of term, Haileybury Music Department hosted a 27-strong Chamber Choir from Haileybury school in the United Kingdom.

Two of our choirs, Haileybury Singers and Viva Voce, combined with the UK choir to perform an evening concert in the David Bradshaw Chapel at Keysborough. The concert, which was to a full house, was a wonderful celebration of the two schools joining together in a highly collaborative performance event. The performances were just spectacular.

A huge thanks to the families of Melbourne students who graciously opened their homes to host a UK visitor. It was heartening to be part of the community spirit displayed by these families who put their busy schedules aside to accommodate a guest.

I’m very confident that students from both sides of the globe have made long-term friends.

Packed houses at MEMO Hall

The first major concert to take place this term was the Haileybury Jazz Night on Monday, 24 July and Tuesday, 25 July. These nights have become a popular feature in the school music concert calendar.

Held at the iconic St Kilda music venue, MEMO Music Hall, 29 jazz groups performed across the two nights. Each night featured students from Middle School, Senior School and the VCE Music Program. The Haileybury Stage Band also performed on both nights.

The pictures below showcase the spectacular atmosphere of the event and the collective spirit of our Haileybury community.

Rod Marshall
Director of Performing Arts & Head of Haileybury Music

Lachlan Johnston's reflection of his and Dean Ninic's five-day work experience with Architectus

On the first day we met the team of Architectus and the other students taking part in the work experience — two of us from Haileybury, four from around the state and one student from rural NSW. We were given a tour of the Melbourne office in the CBD, which had 360-degree views of the city including Flinders Street Station and Olympic Park. We were then taken on a tour of the historic arcades of Melbourne and learnt why they were built.

On the second day, we were given a brief to redesign a cultural pavilion at the NGV. We undertook a site visit and began to understand the flow of people throughout the precinct and how each pavilion interacted with the local environment.

During the next couple of days, we worked and attended meetings with sustainability and technology professionals, including specialists who helped us refine our concept. On the final day, we visited the State Library, which was recently refurbished by Architectus.

We then finalised our concepts and mocked up a 3D render to present to Architectus staff. Overall, this experience provided an in-depth look at the life of an architect, the environment in which they work and the processes of designing a building.

Angelica Karagounis' reflection on the Victorian Artists Society Unit 3 Art Making and Exhibiting 2023 Exhibition

Art is so subjective and that’s what makes it so powerful. You can take a whole moment in time and express it in any way you see fit. I know my art style isn’t for everyone and that’s okay. Going into this artwork I have been so hard on myself for so many reasons, such as being irritated at how impressionistic my work looked versus other people in my class whose artworks looked like the Mona Lisa.

However, through this process, I learnt it’s not about comparison — it’s about the message the artist is trying to convey. This was an incredibly emotional piece for me because of the hidden message. It gave me so much joy being able to display my artwork in an exhibition because of the story I wanted to convey. I want to share that story with you now.

In 1943, in Kalavryta Greece, Nazi soldiers killed men and young boys and attempted to murder women and young children. Only the humanity of one German soldier who stayed behind after the local school was set on fire to free the women, children and babies from the burning school saved their lives. If only he could have saved the innocent men and boys who were lined up on the hills of Kalavryta and killed by a machine gun.

I am closely tied to this region of Greece as this is where my family are from. For many years, I wondered what it must have been like for these women who were almost burned alive to find their homes, livestock and possessions burned to the ground and to then find their husbands, fathers, uncles and sons lying dead. The weeping … the hurt. I cannot imagine.

Every time I visit this part of my heritage in Greece and see the memorial site, my heart aches. Finally, I have allowed myself to express the silence and hurt of the women of Kalavryta and their bravery in burying their loved ones and continuing on for their families. This is a huge part of who I am, and I am beyond grateful to be able to express the truth of the women of Kalavryta.

This artwork is called Ελπίδα (Elpitha) Hope.

Rachelle Rae

Head of Visual Arts Senior School

Pipes & Drums

Haileybury champions shine at State Solo Piping Championships

On Saturday, 8 July, Haileybury Pipers demonstrated their exquisite talent, claiming significant victories at the State Solo Piping Championships hosted at the Presbyterian Ladies College Burwood campus.

Our star performer, Jessie Sun (Year 10) earned an impressive 2nd place overall in the C grade against a highly contested field of 13 strong performers. This is a significant leap from her Novice grade just last year.

Jessie’s sterling performance in the Piobeareachd won her the prestigious Bronze Medal, while she took third place in the march, Strathspey and reel, and fifth in the hornpipe and jig. Jessie’s unwavering consistency through the season was rewarded with the coveted title of 2nd place in the C Grade Piper of the Year aggregate table.

We also celebrated the solo debut of Dylan Tran (Year 2). Competing in the Novice grade, Dylan showcased his incredible technique on the pipes, holding his own in this highly competitive environment. His performance promises another rising star within the Haileybury Pipers.

Congratulations to Jessie and Dylan on their fantastic performances. We look forward to their continued success.

Lincoln Hilton
Director, Pipes & Drums