Music doesn’t describe, narrate, or tell stories. What it does best is evoke, suggest, and imply. It can open up the mind of a child in extraordinary ways. The abstraction of music allows them into a special world and a unique way of thinking. And that’s why they should make their own, preferably via singing. – Richard Gill OAM
St. Ambrose offers a specialized Performing Arts curriculum with specialist teacher, Mrs. Nicole Sherlock-Byrne. Students participate in classes each week on Thursdays and Fridays.
Performing Arts at St. Ambrose combines the Victorian Curriculum learning areas of Music, Dance, and Drama and is guided by the Orff and Kodaly philosophies of music education.
Students also participate in Circus and hands on learning about the spectrum of circus acts and the many skills attached to them.
School Production
During Term 3 every second year, St. Ambrose School presents a School Production. The production involves all students from Foundation to Year Six. Throughout the production, students focus on music, dance, circus, and drama performance skills as well as the technical elements of a stage production.
In terms 2 & 3 students work collaboratively with students in their grade and at times other grades to choreograph and stage each item.
Last year’s production was inspired by the play Safari which enabled student voice and agency in preparing scenes, dance routines, song choice, and dialogue. The children also learned about and educated families about sustainable practices.
Performance Opportunities
At St Ambrose, students are encouraged to prepare and present Music, Drama, Dance, and Circus performances to an audience, their peers, the school community, and also to the wider community. Students regularly perform at School Assemblies, Community events such as the Woodend Lion’s Christmas Carols, and School Events such as our Christmas carols evening and at Bupa aged care where our Ukulele group plays and sings.
