A lot has been happening in The Arts Department over the past couple of months with many opportunities to meet people in the Arts industry as well as collaborating with other students from across the Coast in workshops, performances and competitions.
Celebration of Swing
On 13 March a number of students who study jazz under the guidance of Miss Scolnik and Miss Keane had the privilege of a backstage pass into the rehearsal of John Morrison and his Big Band before watching the full performance of ‘Celebration of Swing’. Students also had the opportunity to meet and greet John Morrison where they discussed rehearsing techniques as a band, how many hours a day they practice and what it’s like to be on the road as a travelling musician.
Sunshine Coast Youth Orchestra combined workshop and concert
Back on 19 March, GCC instrumental music students from our Wind Orchestra and String Orchestras joined with the Sunshine Coast Youth Orchestra for a day of workshopping music with guest conductors and a concert for parents to conclude the day of learning. This was a lovely day meeting students from other schools, sharing meals and playing music together.
SHEP Sunshine Coast
Katie Pettingill in Year 11 participated in the inaugural SHEP – State Honours Ensemble Workshop and concert on the Sunshine Coast on 29 and 30 April. She reflected on the weekend, explaining:
The SHEP program was amazing! 3 days of playing music with a bunch of strangers who also enjoyed the music. We learnt 5 different pieces of music in the conjoined 12 hours of playing and managed to perform them all for the parents. We also noticed that posture is very important for the overall band sound and learnt the importance of listening and matching the “colour” of sound the section leader made to bend all the instruments and have a more unified sound.
Loch Lomond was my favourite piece to play, it’s a lovely slow piece that our conductor David Lore pulls and pushes around to make the more simple piece of music sound so beautiful. Overall the whole weekend of SHEP was amazing!
Year 10 Music excursion to Disney’s ‘Frozen’
On 5 May Year 10 students went to see Disney’s ‘Frozen’. This concluded our unit on musical theatre. What an amazing performance! Many of the Year 10 music students are also involved with the College’s production, so it inspired them and set a very high standard of what can be achieved. Students were wowed by the costumes, set design, lighting effects, singing and dancing.
Glasshouse Christian College’s production of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
Since October of last year, students and Arts staff have been working with students to create this year’s production of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. While we have experienced interruptions from covid and rehearsal cancellations due to floods, the students have worked extremely hard learning songs and dances. The orchestra, made up of students, staff, parents and instrumental teachers have also rehearsed tirelessly every Wednesday learning very difficult music. We are now two weeks away from opening night! The costumes are coming together, Mrs McDonald and the art students have been painting sets and Miss Crase has been very creative in creating a chocolatey world!
Tickets to our College musical have been released for sale. We will bring Roald Dahl’s beloved novel to life, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory asks audiences to feast on the sweets and chocolates of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Join young Charlie Bucket and his Grandpa Joe and the other golden ticket winners as they encounter this mysterious world and of course the Oompa-Loompas.
Performance details:
· Friday 3 June 6:00 pm
· Saturday 4 June 2:00 pm
· Saturday 4 June 6:00 pm
Tickets can be purchased via Humanitix and will be on sale until one hour before each show unless sold out.
Novelty Charlie and the Chocolate Factory biscuits, soft drinks and programs will be available to purchase during intermission at each show. These will be available to purchase as a pre-sell and collected during intermission.
We would love to see as many families as possible come and support the fantastic work our students have done with this musical despite the challenges and interruptions faced this year.
Ebony Hilton, Head of Arts