As 2024 draws to a close, we would like take this opportunity to reflect on some of the fantastic Arts events that took place over the busy last few months.

Sacred Heart College VCE Art Exhibition

Earlier in the term, SHC staff and families have had the privilege of viewing the 2024 VCE Art Exhibition at the Trio Gallery and Studio, Kyneton, a beautiful gallery run by a former Sacred Heart Arts Learning Leader and longtime local artist, Ms Maxine McKee. There was an amazing variety of work on display completed by students studying Year 11/12 Art: Creative Practice and Year 12 Visual Communication and Design. Congratulations to those who exhibited and to their teachers, Anne Berend, Kirsten Gibson and Sam Bentley.

Special thanks to our Arts Technology Assistant, Peter Ashman, who completed the important work of transporting the valuable artworks to and from the gallery and whose assistance over the period of the development of the VCE artworks has been invaluable.

Thanks also to Year 10 students, Sylvie Rigby and Angus White, who entertained the attendees at the opening night.

Several awards were given to students during the night for their outstanding work as part of the exhibition:

• Acquisition Award - Hana Tsuya
• As part of this $500 award, Hana’s amazing work has been acquired by the school and will be displayed.
• Exhibition Award: Art – Creative Practise - Molly Pankhurst. $150
• Exhibition Award: Visual Communication and Design – Hazel Smith. $150

Arts Leaders

A final thank you and acknowledgements of the work at our Arts captains for 2024, Dylan Bunn and Iona Kerry and to our Junior Arts Leaders, Annabel Eshuys and Charli Tracey.

It’s been a fabulous year in the Arts at Sacred Heart and we’re very excited next year to bring a whole lot of interesting Arts activities for students to be part of.

VCE Monologue Exam

Recently, the Year 12 Theatre Studies class have been very busy with their VCE Monologue Exam. The exam comprises a prescribed monologue performance (known as the interpretation) and a two minute explanation of the student's decisions (known as the interpretation statement).

Students can either choose to tackle the monologue from an actor/director role, where they perform the monologue, or a designer role, where they put themselves in the shoes of a set/make-up/costume/props designer working on the monologue. The monologue process started in June when all Theatre Studies students around Victoria were given ten possible monologues to choose from.

At SHC, the students eventually chose seven of the ten monologues, all of which were different in their genres, performances, and overall look. I chose the actor/director role, along with Trigorin's monologue from The Notebook of Trigorin by Tennessee Williams, which I struggled with at first, but quickly came to perform pretty well, as did all of my fellow classmates with their own monologues.

Our hard work was first displayed to the public on 9 October, initially bringing heaps of stress but ultimately a sense of achievement.

On 24 October, we drove to Darebin Arts Centre to formally perform our monologues, we each gave it our all and performed our monologues.

Dylan Bunn. (Year 11)

Music Notes 

Thanks again to all those members of the school community who have made music such an important part of life at SHC.

During the year the talented members of our College Show Band shared their musical talents at various concerts around the region, lead by the amazing Sarah Gill.

Earlier this term we held the annual SHC Music Leaders’ Concert. Thanks again to the 2024 Music Captains, Amelia Walsh and Lachlan Hyatt, for hosting this event and for their organisation and leadership.

The final Instrumental Music Evening for 2024 was also held across a number of venues in the College. This evening offers a fantastic opportunity for parents to witness the development that students have made as performers. We are so very fortunate to have so many talented and committed instrumental music staff that help make this possible.

Finally, we would like to thank and farewell several members of our music staff who have given so much to the college instrumental program and are moving on.

Helen Duggan (Voice and Choir) is retiring after more than ten years involvement at Sacred Heart.

Henry Vyhnal (Violin) is finishing after 7 years teaching at SHC.

Peter Campion (Drums) is finishing his time at SHC after a twelve-month involvement and has been appointed to the Australian Army Band Corps.

Thanks again to all parents and friends who were able to support our amazing students in their work in the Music program. I would like to thank everyone who has been part of the Music program and wish you all the very best over the Christmas period.