Music: 

A group of 16 music students participated in a two-day SongMakers workshop on March 14 and 15, run by APRA AMCOS. The workshop gives students an insight into working in the Australian music industry as an artist, songwriter and/or music producer and the opportunity to work with mentors who themselves work in the industry. During day one, students collaborated in small groups to write an original song which was then recorded and produced on the second day. Thank you to our wonderful mentors, DVNA, Tim Commandeur and Yeo for supporting and encouraging our students during the workshop.

Don College has been partnering with APRA AMCOS for the past 6 years through this workshop. APRA AMCOS represents Australian songwriters, composers and music publishers. They license organisations to play, perform, copy or record their members music and distribute royalties to them. Our music teacher, Danielle James, is also a member of the SongMakers national teacher advisory committee. Earlier in the term she was invited to APRA AMCOS headquarters in Melbourne to meet with other teachers from across the country to discuss the future development of this program and the integration of song writing into the national curriculum.

You can have a listen to the songs by accessing the link below: https://soundcloud.com/don-college/sets/songmakers-2024

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Theatre:

Congratulations to our Theatre Performance Graduating Class of 2024 on the Term 1 monologue performances, their first major performance assessment for the year.

These 3-5min pieces were chosen from a range of Australian and Internationally acclaimed playwrights requiring in-depth character research, vocal accent work, memorisation of lengthy text and written reflection.

This class are now in the beginning stages of blocking for their mid-year show, ‘Little Girls Alone in the Woods’ which will be staged mid Term 2. Written by Australian Playwright, Morgan Rose, Little Girls Alone in the Woods is a ‘whip-smart adaptation of The Bacchae that puts a contemporary lens on the Greek legend of Dionysis, the god of wine, theatre and ritual madness. It dares to go into the woods and seek out what knowledge lies beyond the border of respectability and rules. What worlds await us?’….

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Theatre and Drama: 

Friday 22^nd March was a late one for the 30 Drama 2, Drama 3 and Theatre Performance students who travelled to Launceston to view Encore Theatre Company’s latest show-stopper, CHESS THE MUSICAL.

This year’s cohort didn’t disappoint and continued our ‘tradition’ of dressing up for a night at the Theatre with gusto and excitement.

After a classy stop over at Morty’s Food Hall, we arrived at the beautiful old Princess Theatre in Launceston for a three hour stage spectacular. BJ King and Encore extended their kindness by offering our students a Q&A with the cast, on the stage following the show.

The 12.30am return to college was definitely worth the effort. Next comes the hard task of writing up formal theatrical reviews for internal assessment. Thanks to Encore Theatre and Theatre North, Launceston for having us.

We look forward to the next theatre experience in Ulverstone in May where we will view Ulverstone Repertory Theatre Society’s production of ‘Mother and Son’.

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