In Year 7, Music students have been learning how to play the drums and piano with some fun body percussion play-alongs to songs from Frozen and Imagine Dragons that even the Principal was able to do!
Year 8 Music has just finished their Film Music Unit. Students sourced a whole range of “Creative Commons” short films, anime, and video games. Their videos were screen recorded to remove all audio and their task was to create an original soundtrack including adding their own sound effects, dialogue, and music.
Years 11 and 12 VET Music students are working towards their gig at Kindred Studios in Yarraville next month. The night will showcase their Semester 1 work and we welcome the MSJ community to attend on Thursday 10 June at 7pm.
Year 12 Experiential RE Music welcomed back Aboriginal elder, Konrad “Yamba” Ross to the MSJ community. Students were immersed in our Australian Indigenous culture as Konrad shared his smoking ceremony customs, music, dance, and stories. His yidaki (didgeridoo) playing was a highlight and students learnt the mosquito dance!
Konrad is a highly-respected Aboriginal elder and prolific artist. This is just one of his murals.
We have welcomed new and returning students to instrumental music and drama lessons here at MSJ. With 130 students enrolled, there has been a lot happening in and out of lessons this semester. Students are busy preparing for instrumental soirees and mini concerts which will be held toward the end of Term 2, where they can show off their work across the semester to an audience of family and friends. These will feature a range of solo and small group performances. Each mini concert is arranged by our amazing instrumental teachers.
Speaking in Public Short Course
The Speaking in Public course has just started as well, with a big response from the MSJ community. During this course, students learn about confidence and overcoming stage fright and anxiety, and how to use their energy constructively within the classroom when presenting and addressing an audience.
Mary Poppins Jnr, the Musical
This year, MSJ has been able to resume our work on Mary Poppins the Musical, which was delayed due to Covid-19 last year. Students started rehearsals in Term 1 on Thursday after school, where they have been workshopping different scenes, and learning to sing and dance. The musical will be performed at the Altona Theatre on the 12 – 14 August.
Drama
The professional production of the play 'Voyage' by The Good Girl Song Project was recently performed at school for our VCE, Years 10 and 8 Drama students, and the whole of the Year 9 cohort. Blurring the lines between theatre, opera and song cycle, Voyage’s songs bring to life the work of renowned Australian historian Dr Liz Rushen. Using both contemporary and traditional folk elements to showcase a fresh female perspective of early Australian immigration, the songs were key to discovering the inner world of these early immigrant women. Voyage’s themes of leaving and arrival, journey, class conflict, gender power structures and historical representative perspectives are brought to life by two actors giving voice to 11 different characters. Prior to its development as a scripted work, Voyage has been performed over the past five years as a theatrical song cycle throughout Australia’s folk festival circuit. The VCE Drama class was also fortunate enough to have a workshop session with one of the actor's, Carly Ellis, who took the students through various ideas for creating their own dramatic works.
