Good luck to all of our Year 12 Performing Arts students as they prepare for their final exams. It is a busy time for our students and they are working hard to finalise the practical components of their courses.

Congratulations to our first HSC Dance cohort who had their HSC Practical Assessment with NESA on Tuesday 16th August. The students had worked tirelessly in the lead-up and were happy with their performances on the day. Thank you Ms Johnson for your work with these students.

The HSC Drama Practical exams are next - Monday 29th August from 8:30am - 3:30pm in the Theatre. Students are asked to stay away from the theatre area to minimise noise for our students. Good luck Ms Gudgeon and the Year 12 Drama class!

HSC Music Practical dates have just been released this week. NESA will be on site to mark the music performances on Tuesday 13th September from 8:30am. There will be no instrumental lessons on that day and music tutors have been advised of this and should contact families regarding alternate lesson times or credit for lessons on this day. 

Good luck to all of our Year 12 Performing Arts students. 

AMEB Exams

Congratulations to those students who have sat AMEB exams this term. The results so far have been outstanding and the students and teachers should be very proud of their efforts. Well done in particular to Camble Scott (9) and Amelie Howard (8) who both sat examinations on two instruments at high levels and achieved excellent results. Of particular note goes to Ms Truus Muelenbroeks, our primary classroom teacher. Truus has been learning saxophone for a few years and this year, she sat her very first AMEB exam - Grade 5 on Alto Saxophone and was awarded a B+. Well done Ms Muelenbroeks - we are so proud of you!

A list of results so far include:

Piano
Lucas Tai (3) - Grade 2 - A
Claude Taylor (3) - Grade 4 - A+
Rhu Graham (4) - Grade 2 - A
Zitong Lin (5) - Grade 6 - A+
Sophia Walraven (5) - Grade 5 - A+
Julius Taylor (7) - Grade 7 - A+
Lior Daley (8) - Grade 1 - A+
Amelie Howard (8) - Grade 7 - A+
Camble Scott (9) - Grade 8 - A+

Brass
Alexei Benton (8) - French Horn Grade 3 - B

Violin
Lucas Tai (3) - Grade 1 - A

Woodwind
Simon Vivas-Gutierrez (6) - Saxophone Grade 2 - A
Katie Hodgson (7) - Flute Grade 5 - A+
Amelie Howard (8) - Bassoon Grade 6 - A
Camble Scott (9) - Clarinet Grade 7 - A
Ms Truus Muelenbroeks (Staff) - Alto Saxophone Grade 5 - B+

Please send through any other AMEB exam results to Mrs Day as they come through. Congratulations to all those students.

Bangarra Dance Academy

On Saturday 13th August selected BDC Dance students travelled to Brisbane to see the 10th anniversary performance of Terrain choreographed by Frances Rings and performed by Bangarra Dance Company. This dance is HSC prescribed work that students write about for their final exam. Students had the opportunity to see, hear and feel the performance giving them a deeper experience of the work than what they would get watching the video in class. A great opportunity! Thank you to Ms Hannah Johnson for all of her organisation for this excursion and for providing this opportunity for our Dance students. Thank you also to Ms Rachel Watson who attended with the students.

Secondary Assembly

Thank you to Jaela Hibbard for an amazing tap routine to “Puttin’ on the Ritz” at the Week 4 Secondary assembly. You can view her performance below. 

Music Tutor Spotlight 

The tutor spotlight for this newsletter edition is our amazing percussion teacher, Pete Skelton. Pete has been part of the BDC team since 2019 and teaches drums and percussion on Mondays and Tuesday at the college. 

Pete Skelton is a first-call musician with performing and recording credits including Wynton Marsalis, Sheila Jordan, Kristen Chenoweth, Mike Stern, Randy Brecker, Hugh Jackman, Elaine Paige, Russell Watson, Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter, James Morrison, Paul Capsis, The Choirboys, 

Human Nature, Missy Higgins, David Campbell, Christine Anu, Doug Parkinson, Trisha Noble, Margaret Urlich, Don Burrows, Tom Burlinson, Jimmy Barnes, Jon English, Dale Barlow, Monica Trapaga, Glenn Shorrock, Melinda Schneider, Wes Carr, Chrissie Amphlett, Little Pattie, Col Joye, Kate Cebrano, Damien Leith, Delta Goodrum, Jenny Morris, Venetta Fields, Billy Thorpe, Noiseworks, Shannon Noll, Angry Anderson, Russell Morris, Wendy Matthews, and many others. 

Pete has worked with the Sydney, Queensland, Melbourne, and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras as well as the Australian Wind Orchestra and sessions with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Pete performed drums on the World premiere performances of Shout! Legend of the Wild One, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Dusty the Musical, as well as Pirates of Penzance, Jersey Boys, Hair, Footloose and Fame. 

As an educator, Pete brings a wealth of experience to drum and percussion ensembles as well as contemporary rhythm sections and works regularly with NSW Arts Unit and Qld Education Departments with workshops, tutoring and mentoring programs.

Pete is excited about working with the BDC music team in creating the Junior and Senior Percussion ensembles and helping students realise their music potential.

We are so fortunate to have Pete working at the college. If your child is interested in Drum lessons with Pete, please complete an enrolment form on the college website.

Bellingen Muse Festival

Formally known as The Bellingen Fine Music Festival, Muse Festival will occur from 22nd - 25th September at locations in Bellingen and the Coffs Harbour Regional Conservatorium of Music. There are a number of amazing ensembles playing throughout the Festival. You can see the full program here:

https://www.bellingenmuse.com....

Upcoming Dates for your Diary

• Monday 29th August - HSC Drama Practical Examination
• Thursday 1st September - Fathers Day Breakfast
• Monday 5th September  - HSC Music Compositions due to NESA
• Thursday 22nd September - Year 12 Valedictory Assembly

Rebecca Day
Head of Performing Arts