Dance
Junior Dance Troupe offers students from Year 5 and 6 a chance to participate in healthy physical activity. It differs from Curriculum Dance in its focus on skill development, rather than dance analysis and composition. Dance classes will be targeted at the following areas: skill development, performance skills and production. This is a year long commitment and will be focusing on a few main performances throughout the year such as Wakakirri Performing Arts Challenge, Open Day and Fair and the PLC Sydney Tattoo.
Senior Dance Troupe offers students from Year 7–9 a chance to participate in healthy physical activity. It differs from Curriculum Dance in its focus on skill development, rather than dance analysis and composition. Dance classes will be targeted at the following areas: skill development, performance skills and production. This is a year long commitment and will be focusing on a few main performances throughout the year such as Wakakirri Performing Arts Challenge, Open Day and Fair and the PLC Sydney Tattoo.
Drama
Drama Company Production gives students from Years 7–11 an opportunity to enhance their performance skills, working with students from different year groups. The students will be provided with challenging texts and in-depth characters which will stretch their skills. This group should be of particular interest to students who have a keen interest in drama and performance or who are taking, or intending to take, Drama as a subject.
Junior Drama Club is open to students from Years 7–9 who are interested in developing their performance skills in an ensemble environment. The Junior Drama Club is a wonderful way for students to engage with Drama and refine their performance. skills. The purpose is to explore drama through enjoyable, practical activities, as well as prepare work for special performance opportunities.
The PLC Sydney Musical is the major production of the year. All students in Years 7–12 are invited to audition. Auditions are held in Term 3 for the following year’s production. Other opportunities to be involved include stage crew, costumes, lighting, sound and front-of-house. In 2020 we will be performing Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical.
Some of the wonderful musical that have been produced over the past few years include:
- Beauty and the Beast
- High School Musical
- Into the Woods
- Les Miserables
The PLC Sydney Play gives students from Years 7–11 an opportunity to enhance their performance skills, working with students from different year groups. The students will be provided with challenging texts and in-depth characters which will stretch their skills. This group should be of particular interest to students who have a keen interest in Drama and performance or who are taking, or intending to take, Drama as an elective.
Production Club is offered to students from Years 7–12 are trained to assist as Crew for Performing Arts Productions, where they assist with props, costumes and backstage. In addition they learn about women who were pioneers or are current leaders in technical areas of theatre, have guest speakers from industry, go on a backstage tour of the Opera House and collaborate with the Production and Technical Crews from other schools.
Senior Drama Club students from Years 10–12 who are interested in developing their performance skills in an ensemble environment. The Senior Drama Club focuses on preparing students for special projects and competitions, as well as workshopping current classroom or external performance work.
Theatresports will prepare students from Years 10–12 (and Year 9 from Term 2 onwards) for the expanding improvisation opportunities that are now on offer. These include the Carlton Cup, The Inner West Cup, The All Girls Shield and the large Impro Australia Competition. Teams for these various competitions will be selected from club members.
Music
Students from Years 7–12 Senior Chamber Orchestra are eligible to join the Baroque Ensemble where they will learn to play baroque string instruments and perform baroque works. PLC Sydney has a strong association with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. Members of the Baroque Ensemble have the opportunity to participate in workshops with members of the Orchestra and will be able to attend rehearsals and concerts.
In Big Band, students from Years 7–12 have the chance to build on their jazz performance skills within an ensemble setting. This group also allows students to build their understanding of improvisation in a jazz context. Girls in the Big Band must also belong to one of the major ensembles such as Stage Band or Wind Ensemble.
Chamber Choir regularly performs at Church services, College functions, inter school events and competitions. The range of music is challenging and varied, and would appeal to students in Years 8–12 who love to sing, who have vocal lessons or who have had experience in choirs.
Chamber Music is aimed at students in Years 7–12 who demonstrate a keen interest in playing in a small ensemble such as a quartet or trio. Chamber Music groups perform at school concerts and also professional appointments including weddings and work functions. Groups may also enter competitions.
Chamber Strings is the Intermediate String Ensemble for students in Years 7–12. The girls in the ensemble are approximately Grade 2 to Grade 5 Standard (AMEB). The ensemble provides an opportunity for girls to develop their string technique and ensemble skills.
College Choir is for students in Years 7–12 who love to sing, regardless of vocal ability. Repertoire is taken from light classics and popular music. The choir sing songs in unison, two and three parts. Students will also learn correct vocal technique. They often performs with other groups in the College for large events.
- College Choir requires a commitment for the full year.
- Members are required to attend all performances and rehearsals. Only illness or special permission from Mrs Allen will excuse the student from performance or rehearsal. A note from a parent/guardian is expected, preferably before an absence from a performance or rehearsal.
- All Year 7 students considering auditioning for any of the selective choirs in the future (e.g. Chamber Choir, Vocal Synergy) must have served in College Choir in order to develop their choral skills.
- Members of Chamber Choir must attend College Choir until the completion of Year 9.
The Concert Band is for students in Years 7–12 who play a wind, brass or percussion instrument. This ensemble is a training group for players aspiring to work with Wind Ensemble. Students participate in workshops and band camp and perform regularly at PLC Sydney and in the wider community. Their main focus is on enjoying ensemble playing. The rehearsals for this group are always well humoured while the group still strives for excellence.
The Madrigal Group is a specialised ensemble that focuses on unaccompanied vocal music from the Renaissance and early Baroque eras. Students in Years 10–12 who are members of Chamber Choir are invited to join Madrigal Group having shown service to College Choir. Members should possess good sight reading abilities or an excellent aural ability.
String players from Hamilton Strings (Years 3–6) and Chamber Strings (Years 7–12), and wind and brass players from Junior Concert Band (Years 3–6) and Concert Band (Years 7–12) are eligible to join the Middle Years Orchestra.
The Percussion Ensemble is open to students in Years 7–12 who can play a percussion instrument. This includes both tuned and un-tuned percussion.
The Pipes and Drums program is the largest all girls pipe band in Australia. The College Pipes and Drums are highly active throughout the year performing as solo pipers, in one of three smaller band ensembles or as a massed bands at approximately 30 events each year. The Pipes and Drums hold a very special place in the community, representing the College in the Sydney ANZAC Day march and at pipe band competitions throughout NSW.
Students excel under a group of professional musicians who tutor students and nurture their learning. Students develop specific skills that enable them to perform individually and in ensembles.
Private Music Tuition is available to all interested students at PLC Sydney from Kindergarten to Year 12. Tuition requires a serious commitment and means students must commit to one full school calendar year (30 weeks of the year). The College offers PLC Sydney and external students a vast array of instrumental tuition as well as alternate courses in musicianship, theory and composition.
PLC sydney students can find out more about Private Music Tuition via the co-curricular microsite in PLACES.
Non-PLC Sydney students can complete this form to enrol in Private Music Tuition at PLC Sydney or for more information, please contact Ms Jodi McCarthy on jmccarthy@plc.nsw.edu.au or +612 9704 5651
Senior Bells is open to students from Years 7–12 who can read single line music equivalent to Grade 3 A.M.E.B standard.
The Senior Chamber Orchestra is the advanced string ensemble at PLC Sydney. Students in Chamber Strings (Years 7–12) are invited to audition. Strings groups over the years have toured to Britain, Queensland, Singapore, China, Hong Kong and Hawaii. Girls in the ensemble are usually at minimum Grade 6 (AMEB) standard. The ensemble extends and enhances girls’ musical development and enjoyment through the rehearsal and performance of stimulating repertoire. The diverse repertoire ranges from classical works to sophisticated modern and contemporary works for string ensemble. The standard is very high.
Stage Band is primarily for students from Years 7–9 and is a feeder band for the Big Band. Repertoire ranges from classical works to more sophisticated modern and contemporary works for string ensemble. The standard is very high and members are required to be learning privately.
Symphony Orchestra is for string players from Years 7–12 who are members of Senior Chamber Orchestra and invited woodwind, brass and percussion players from Wind Ensemble.
Vocal Synergy is a contemporary vocal group for students from Years 8–12. Members will hone their contemporary vocal, performance and movement skills through engaging popular music repertoire. The music selected features a capella singing and beatboxing.
An enjoyable, high achieving ensemble for students in Years Years 7–12 who who play a wind, brass or percussion instrument. Wind Ensemble is a finely balanced group of woodwind, brass and percussion instrumentalists who strive to create a clear wind ensemble sound yet perform in a range of styles from commercial music through to jazz and classical repertoire.