Performing Arts

In the Junior School (K – 6) students have one 50minute Music lesson each week.

Students in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 learn to sing, listen, respond to music through movement, read musical signs and symbols, play untuned percussion instruments.

Students in Year 3 have started a new programme this year.  The programme is about learning to use their voice as a musical instrument.  Students are learning to read musical notation and learning about the different Italian terms used to indicate speed and volume.  The students are also learning to sing in harmony. 

Students in Year 4 are introduced to different instruments from different families.  The instruments are clarinet, trumpet, percussion and ukelele.  The students spend one term on each instrument giving them a 'taste' for the instrument.  This will then assist them in selecting an instrument for study in the Year 5 and 6 programme.  The students have made fantastic progress this year.  It is great to hear them 'plinking away' on the ukelele!

In Year 5 and 6 students elect to play an instrument for two years. The instrument is chosen from the guitar, concert band and percussion ensemble. This is a very challenging way for students to learn as some instruments are very hard to make ‘nice’ sounds with in the beginning but by the end of Year 6, they should be sounding ‘sweet’.

In the High School, students in Year 7 have three 50 minute Music lessons per fortnight and students in year 8 have four 50 minute Music lessons per fortnight.

In Year 7 all students learn to play the keyboard and to begin composing using musical software. Their lessons take place in the keyboard lab which features 16 computers with MIDI connections to keyboards.  This year, students in Year 7 also spend one lesson per fortnight learning to sing in harmony.  The students have also undertaken some research into how the voice works.

In Year 8 all students learn to play the guitar and by the end of the year, they can play several classical styles melodies and many Rock Riffs.

Students can elect to study Music in Year 9 and Year 10. They have seven 50 minute lessons per fortnight.  Their learning continues to be through performing, composing and listening but the students begin to specialize on one or two instruments.

They must perform both as a soloist and as a member of an ensemble.Topics studied include:

Students can elect to study Music for the Preliminary and HSC Courses. This is conducted in nine 50 minute lessons per fortnight.

Students can choose to study Music 1, Music 2 and Music Extension.

Features of VET Entertainment Industry

Students develop skills in live production in the areas of Staging, Lighting and Audio. All students undertake work experience at school and compulsory work placement in a professional theatre.

Ensembles and Performance Groups (The Performances we love to do!)

We have an extensive Extra-curricular Music Programme at Arndell Anglican College. We take part in College Chapel services, special services such as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, College Performance Showcase evenings. We also support community events such as church fetes and have competed in the Hawkesbury Eistedfodd for many years. Students attend rehearsals at lunchtime, after school and sometimes on Saturdays.

In 2005  the College Choir and Handbell Ensemble toured to Tasmania. We performed at St. David’s Cathedral in Hobart, the ruins of the church at Port Arthur and the Theatre Royal in Hobart. We also took part in a workshop for young choirs directed by The Idea of North!

In 2008 we travelled further....the College Choir and Handbell Ensemble travelled to the UK.  They performed in many beautiful venues including Wells Cathedral, Bath Abbey, Gloucester Cathedral, Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, Coventry Cathedral, York Minster, Selby Abbey, Lincoln Cathedral, Ely Cathedral, Peterborough Cathedral and St. Clement Danes in London.  

Each year the College produces a musical. Students from Years 7 – 12 are invited to take part in the musical. The College musical cast often includes staff members with a love for all things musical too!

Peripatetic Music Programme (What other musical things you can learn!)

The College Peripatetic Programme provides an opportunity for students to learn an instrument or study Drama from a specialist teacher. Students attend a thirty minute lesson each week in the following: