Programs

Arts Excellence

Tamborine Mountain College recognises the value of The Arts in helping students to develop perseverance and self-discipline, enhance their ability to think creatively and analytically, and provide an outlet for emotional expression. Students are able to participate in Drama, Music and Visual Art and have many opportunities throughout the year to showcase their Arts talents at school and external events, in particular the annual ArtsFest in Term 3.

Tamborine Mountain College values Drama as a critical tool in helping students to gain confidence in communication, creativity and presentation; hone their ability to work both individually and as part of a team; and connect with cultures, traditions and audiences.

All students in Year 7-10 study Drama, completing script-writing, directing and analytical essay tasks.

Year 11 and 12 students have the opportunity to choose Drama as an elective and may also audition for the Drama Excellence Program as an extra-curricular activity.

The Drama Excellence Program is open to senior students who wish to advance their skills in drama and performance. The program is designed to provide a diverse range of drama experiences through the exploration of various theatre forms and styles. Students work intensively with teachers to develop a performance outcome for live audiences. Past performances include Emotional Baggage (2019), 1984 (2018) Cagebirds (2017), Man the Balloon (2016), and Cluedo – Murder in the Manor (2015).

From 2019, Senior Drama Excellence students will compete in the Gold Coast Secondary Schools Drama Festival. This competition is a fantastic local event and opportunity for students from surrounding secondary schools come together as a community. We look forward to treading the boards again in 2020!

As part of our continuing commitment to foster an appreciation of the Arts and cultural enrichment, we offer an annual Musical Theatre excursion to secondary students. Past shows include Aladdin, We Will Rock You, Matilda, Wicked and School of Rock.

At Tamborine Mountain College learning in the Visual Arts involves students making and responding to artworks, drawing on their world as a source of ideas. Students engage with the knowledge of visual arts, develop skills, techniques and processes, and use materials as they explore a range of forms, styles and contexts.

Students are actively engaged in the Visual Arts program from their early years of schooling and into secondary.

Highlights of the Visual Art program include the annual ArtsFest where student artwork is exhibited, inclusion in multiple external exhibitions and competitions, and participation in extracurricular art activities including lunch-time art clubs and excursions to regional and metropolitan galleries.

In their Senior years, talented students have the opportunity to engage in the Arts Excellence Program whereby their artwork may be exhibited in galleries.

The Arts Excellence Program provides opportunities for talented students to develop extra skills and time into their art works. Workshops are also available where recognised artists share their styles with our students.

Students in Prep to Year 3 and Year 5 to 6 attend general music lessons each week.

Primary students in Years 3 to 6 are encouraged to participate in Primary Choir.

Students in Prep to Year 2 have the opportunity to participate in a lunchtime singing club.

Secondary students are invited to audition for the Vocal Group. This group performs a mix of acappella and accompanied tunes in 3 to 6-part harmony.

Since its inception in 2017, the Year 4 Curricular Band Program has been a highlight of the Music curriculum. Instead of taking general music classes, all Year 4 students learn a band instrument. There is no better way to study music than to learn an instrument and play in an ensemble! (See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0JKCYZ8hng for a short clip on how learning to play an instrument, as opposed to just listening to music, actually enhances your brain function).

Each child receives free instrument hire and free weekly tuition in small groups for flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, trombone, electric bass or percussion.

Students begin lessons in small groups in Term 1 and form the Year 4 Band in Term 3

See the Year 4 Curricular Band Program Handbook for all details.

Students in Year 5 to 12 who have purchased their own instrument also receive free weekly tuition as part of our Instrumental Music Program (one half hour lesson per week in small groups, scheduled during class time).

Students are placed in the Junior Band or Senior Band according to ability. Our students learn a wide variety of music, performing regularly in chamber ensembles and as a band at school events and in the community

See the Year 5-12 Instrumental Music Program Handbook for all details.

The College boasts three choirs:

Kookaburras for Prep - Year 2

Songbirds for Years 3-6

Senior Vocal Group for Years 7 - 12,

All aim to build vocal and choral skills whilst singing fun and varied repertoire.

Our choral ensembles provide various performance opportunities such as College assemblies, ANZAC Day, Gold Coast Eisteddfod, Primary Music Concert, ArtsFest and Awards Day.