Extracurricular Opportunities

Blaxland High School Orchestra

BHS Orchestra 2018 will be a combination of ALL available instruments without restriction. Imagine instruments of an Orchestra, regular Band instruments like Saxophone’s, bolstered by rock instruments, strings and keyboards with a few exotic instruments on the side. If your child wants to participate, please encourage them to join.

Requirements

Students will need to able to read a little music, attend rehearsals on a regular basis and be available for performances at Music Nights and perhaps other functions throughout the year. Having their own instrument will mean they can begin playing immediately, HOWEVER if they have played an instrument in the past (borrowed from their previous school) and would like to continue, I can help try and organise acquisition of another to suit your budget.

Auditions

For the most part, standard instruments can have multiples e.g. 4 Flutes but some others are simply impractical and will therefore be auditioned. These will be Drums, Percussion, Keyboard & Guitars. ALL others will be on probation but able to participate. What will be auditioned will be the position of First Desk of each instrument. These players will be, in effect, in charge of all others who play that instrument and will act as a mentor to others to help their development. Also, these musicians will be highlighted in the ensemble through solo lines and even have whole pieces that highlight their virtuosity.

Multi-Instrumentalists

Multi-instrumentalists are encouraged to swap instruments at times as the music dictates and keyboard players will often play lines for other unavailable instruments – e.g. Harp, Oboe, Harpsichord etc. Also, some pieces will require singers who could possibly come from the ensemble personnel.

PRESENIOR DANCE COMPANY (Yrs 7-9)

Comprises of dance students from Years 7 to 9, meeting once a week to develop skills with a technique class and to learn choreography. Students audition early Term 1 to gain a place in the company. PreSenior Company focuses on increasing the skill level in dance technique and performance quality in the style of contemporary, musical theatre and lyrical. This performance group represents Blaxland High School in events such as Synergy Public Schools Dance Festival, Blue Mountains Nepean Dance Festival, BHS Dance Night, McDonalds Challenge, Hawkesbury Eisteddfod, Penrith Eisteddfod. In 2018, PreSenior Dance Company will be taught by Mrs Rebecca Holmes and student dance teachers Kirra Rossetto (Yr 12) Dance audition Application link: https://goo.gl/forms/1MmFN6njsjZRMH003

Junior Vocal Ensemble:

The BHS Junior Vocal Ensemble (JVE) is a Year 7-10 CAPA initiative that has been active for the last 18 years. It is the biggest high school vocal group in the region, with approximately 65 members.

The ensemble performs mixed voice and SATB repertoire with a focus on stylistic variety, improving sight-reading skills and promoting mentorship and the cultural values of the performing arts at BHS.

Students do not have to audition, however an 80% attendance rate is required to represent the school at eisteddfods and other concerts.

JVE is a pathway to the Senior Vocal Ensemble for singers who demonstrate more sophisticated skills and a high degree of commitment towards their musical literacy. Part leaders are appointed and Platinum and Gold Certificates provided for members who complete the four year “journey”.

JVE is the current Junior School Choral Champion of the Penrith Eisteddfod and in 2016 was runner-up at the Bathurst Eisteddfod behind our own SVE!

Senior Dance Company

This company is targeted to year 9,10,11,12 students forming our senior representative group. We hold auditions for this company at the start of every school year. The company meets during senior sport each Wednesday for two hours. Students focus on strength and flexibility through a variety of new skills for the first hour of the class followed by a choreography focus in various styles during the second hour of rehearsal. Students experience contemporary, lyrical, jazz and musical theatre dance styles as part of this group. The company performs as part of the Synergy dance festival, BMNDF festival, various local eisteddfods and other performances throughout the year.

Jazz Dance Company

This company consists of a small group of students ranging from years 8-11 with strong jazz training and performance experience. This group was designed in January 2016 to introduce popular dance in commercial Jazz styles to Blaxland High School. Students learn 2 routines throughout the year in two different Jazz dance styles, challenging and expanding their movement vocabulary. The company performs throughout the year at various eisteddfods and showcases including Synergy dance, BMNDF and City of Sydney. In 2016 Blaxland Jazz Dance Company won 1st place at the Hawksberry Dance Eisteddfod winning the overall highest score of the day. All students are welcome to audition for this group, auditions are in the first few weeks of term 1.

BHS Guitar Ensemble

The BHS Guitar Ensemble was established in 2016 and will continue into 2018. This ensemble is for guitarist who wish to extended their guitar playing into a chamber music style ensemble. The ensemble plays a range of repertoire form classical to popular music.

The ensemble meets every Wednesday at recess.

Entry into this ensemble is via expression of interest.