Performing Arts
Come and see our High School Musical
Newlands Middle School has been hard at work for the past two terms, rehearing for the upcoming production of Disney’s High School Musical Jr. This epic rock concert-style performance will take place in Aikman Hall on Wednesday, 30 and Thursday, 31 August.
Please come along to see this smash hit musical brought to life! You can purchase tickets here or via the QR code below.
Nick Waxman
Head of Drama and Theatre Studies
Music
Haileybury in Concert set to shine
This Thursday night, Haileybury’s fourth showcase event, Haileybury in Concert, will be held in the prestigious Elisabeth Murdoch Hall at Melbourne Recital Centre in Southbank. With its spectacular interior design and world class orchestral acoustic, the centre is one of the country’s premier concert venues and is a truly inspiring venue for live music.
The Haileybury in Concert program features performances by ten Senior School large ensembles and is the culmination of months of dedicated ensemble rehearsal and individual practice. It is a huge collective effort by 250-plus students, more than 30 music staff, administration support and parents. I am inspired and humbled by the level of commitment, expertise, artistry and goodwill shown by everyone involved in the concert’s preparation.
The program includes classical, jazz and contemporary repertoire and two special combined items — Stage Band with solo vocalist and String Orchestra, and a grand finale combining Symphony Orchestra with Haileybury Singers. This will see more than 100 students on stage together.
Haileybury in Concert starts at 7.00 pm and will conclude at 9.15 pm, including a 20-minute interval. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased from Melbourne Recital Centre here.
I hope as many families as possible will enjoy an extremely high standard of music within a glorious venue.
Rod Marshall
Director of Performing Arts & Head of Haileybury Music
Visual Arts
Norma Bull Scholarship Award Exhibition
Congratulations to Tarika Wimalasuirya (Year 11) on the exciting news that her self-portrait, Cross-roads has been accepted into the Norma Bull Scholarship Exhibition at the Victorian Artists Society (VAS). Tarika could win $5,000 towards further developing her painting skills.
We are incredibly proud of Tarika who created this portrait specially for the award while also completing her Units 3 and 4 Art Making and Exhibiting studies.
The Norma Bull Scholarship Award is a biennial award that encourages students of all ages to advance in the naturalistic style of portraiture. We thank VAS for their ongoing support of our Haileybury Visual Arts students and their partnership with our programs.
Please enjoy reading about Tarika’s ideas and the process involved in creating her painting in her own words:
“Recently my oil painting, Cross-roads, was accepted to be considered for the Norma Bull Scholarship hosted by the Victorian Artists Society. The scholarship is open to all students in an arts course or in classes that practice naturalism. I submitted my self-portrait due to my love of oil painting and because I wished to gain some insight into the broader artistic community within Victoria.
“The painting is 1220 x 915 x 40 mm and was developed at home with final touches applied in the onsite VAS studio.
“I initially wanted to paint my cousin, however, she was unavailable during this time, so I did a self-portrait. It is a reflection on the influence that Sri Lankan and Australian cultures have had on my life as I grow and make challenging decisions.
“This is implied by the contrast of a saree shawl against a more modern outfit. The saree has small figures drawn in teal and green, some of which are Sri Lankan devil masks. These types of masks scared me when I was a child, and they reference how children of first-generation immigrants tend to fear or distance themselves from their heritage. The subject clutches the saree, signifying how she accepts that she does not belong to solely one culture. I also chose mostly cool colours to create a sense of tranquillity and peace that highlight the stability the subject currently feels.”
More info here.
Well done to our 2023 House art winners
Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 Senior House Art Competition. Student representatives from all houses showed enthusiasm and creativity as they produced artworks focused on sustainability using predominantly recycled materials.
The selection process was challenging due to the exceptional quality of the entries. Ultimately, the winners distinguished themselves through their creative approach, their use of recycled materials and the strong conceptual foundation of their artworks. Their thoughtful artist statements added depth and context and highlighted their informed engagement with contemporary global issues.
We commend all participants for their contributions.
Girls House Winners, Cuddihy: Jelly Schelly recycled plastic
‘Exploring through art, environmentalism and the haunting, insidious degradation of our planet, we have incorporated the detrimental yet widely used plastic in a sculptural, decorative artwork titled Jelly Schelly. The issue we recognise in choosing to use plastics primarily is its unsustainable impact on the environment and its long, deadly decomposition time.
‘In particular, as a campus located by the ocean, we wanted to address the impact of our daily plastic usage on the ocean ecosystem, and to also express our personal desire to maintain our precious beaches.
‘This chandelier represents the collective light that brings life to earth while also maintaining a recognisable image of human design to convey the idea of re-usage. The incorporation of the jellyfish ties back to the ocean ecosystem and the killing of sea life that mistake the airy composition of plastic for jellyfish.
‘The jellyfish were made from an assortment of recycled plastics, including various hard plastic from bottles sourced from around the School as well as all kinds of soft plastic bound together with nylon to create the illusion of their buoyant floating appearance in the oceans.’
Antara Afra (Year 11) and Kelly Shang (Year 11)
Boys House Winners, Bradshaw: Naïve to the world, oil and rubbish collage
‘This artwork visualises the corruption that urbanisation has on the natural environment. A few naïve sheep graze on a picturesque landscape of rolling hills, engulfed by rubbish — recyclable and non-recyclable. The lush green scene of serenity depicts the hills with sheep grazing on the land under the astral-like sky that is filled with stars and nebulae representing the gift of life.
‘The frame of rubbish shows how the beautiful vision of the world can only be perceived by setting aside the by-products of nature, almost like glancing through a detritus window. The dull hues of the waste and the bright, innocent colours of the painting create a contrast and a conflict between tones that augments the intoxication of the environment.
‘The entrapment of fauna and flora illustrates the lethal impact that waste has on life, as the few sheep standing in the field are dissipating into the breeze, showing the repercussion of human actions — extinction. The disappearance of the sheep represents a loss of innocence as lambs are symbolic of young children and the next generation. The evaporation of the sheep is a direct effect from corruption of the natural world by our hands.’
Kendrick Goy (Year 12), Rishi Sethi (Year 12), Alan Hoang (Year 10) and Alfred Luc (Year 10)
Celebrating Our Community Through Art Exhibition
Final arrangements are under way to safely transport the delicate cargo of student artworks to the Belle Property exhibition that will showcase local young artists on Wednesday, 30 and Thursday, 31 August. The works will be shown at Belle Property’s Berwick office at 2/16 Langmore Lane.
This is a wonderful opportunity for our students and gives them exhibiting experience, a chance to network with other young artists and industry professionals, and to expose their work to a broad public audience. The 14 exhibiting Haileybury students will meet renowned artist Kerry Armstrong during the exclusive opening night, and a range of incredible prizes will help students further their art studies.
Rachelle Rae
Head of Visual Arts Senior School
Pipes & Drums
Haileybury Pipes and Drums travel to Scotland
Over the past few months, our talented Haileybury Pipes and Drums have been hard at work, fine-tuning their skills and rehearsing tirelessly to ensure that they are ready to showcase the best of our traditions and music on the global stage at the World Pipe Band Championships in Scotland.
Our instructors Lincoln Hilton, Daniel Staley, Tom Perry and Angus Evans have been pushing the band to new heights ensuring that every member of the band is in sync and ready to create an unforgettable performance. After a grueling 24-hour journey, the band arrived in Scotland, ready to showcase their remarkable talent on the global stage.
The weekend prior to the Worlds, they took part in the North Berwick Highland Gathering, to compete in Grade 3A. Against all odds, they secured a remarkable 2nd place overall, leaving a buzz about Haileybury through Scotland.
The momentum continued to build as the band's journey unfolded. The following day, the band competed in the Perth Highland Gathering, this time taking on even higher competition in Grade 2. The result was nothing short of incredible – they clinched 3rd place, marking a monumental and historic achievement for Haileybury Pipes and Drums.
Yet, their journey was far from over. As they explored Scotland, the band members had the privilege of visiting iconic landmarks such as the Wallace Monument, steeped in history and culture.
The excitement reached a crescendo when they witnessed the renowned Edinburgh Tattoo performance, a visual and auditory feast that left them inspired.
Congratulations and well done to everyone!
Lincoln Hilton
Director, Pipes & Drums
