Arts and Culture
Learning is enhanced and enriched by our commitment and celebration of the Arts and Culture as an integral part of the school curriculum and experience. We showcase our cultural and artistic talents at various productions, events and competitions. Our Kapa Haka and Pasifika groups perform as ambassadors for the school and in the wider community, as well as competing in cultural events.
Sacred Heart Girls’ College has superb facilities for learning art based subjects. Expert teachers aid students at all levels to develop their artistic potential in learning areas such as Painting, Photography, Design, Drama and Music.
Visual Arts are strongly encouraged and artists have access to a modern and vibrant art space. Senior students can have formal leadership roles in this area and they are encouraged to use their skills and talents as event photographers and publicity designers. Musicians are able to enhance and refine their skills through individual tuition, from highly qualified tutors in a variety of instruments – such as violin, guitar, drums, flute, keyboard, piano – as well as singing. Musicians also enjoy various opportunities to perform in front of an audience, including their peers, and have the option of sitting examinations at all levels. Our liturgy band supports the community at various services throughout the year. Drama Students have access to the Creative Arts Centre, which resembles a professional theatre both for performance and technical skills. Stage Challenge and school productions are a strong tradition of the school.
All students are encouraged to build on their oral communication skills through drama, debating and public speaking. Opportunities to participate in a number of performances and inter-school competitions give students confidence in the public performance arena. The five Catholic Colleges in the Hamilton Diocese compete in the Chanel Shield, an annual exchange of public speaking, debating, drama and scripture reading. Learning to write creatively for media publications as well as for local and national competitions has extended our most talented students. Many have gone on to be published in their own right and we are proud of their achievements.
Music
Te toi whakairo, ka ihiihi, ka wehiwehi, ka aweawe, te ao katoa
Artistic excellence makes the world sit up in wonder
Junior Music
Students use focused listening to identify, transcribe, and manipulate musical elements and structural devices. They use instruments and technologies to transpose and notate, compose in a variety of mediums, prepare, rehearse, present, and evaluate a range of musical pieces, for a variety of purposes and performance scenarios and identify and compare musical styles and genres in relation to social and historical contexts.
Senior Music
Senior music students have a personalised learning program that is assessed using NCEA and Unit standards. Students are free to work at their own skill level, allowing for extension programs.
Students choose form a variety of standards including Technology, Performance (Solo, Group and Second Instrument) Composition. Arrangement, Instrumentation, Score reading, Aural, Harmonic & Tonal Analysis, Research and others.
It is possible for students, not in the Music Option classes, to sit some performance and external standards upon application to the TIC Music.
Tuition
Excellent facilities in our music suite provide for individual and group tuition and practice. Tuition is offered for the following:
- singing
- piano (group and private lessons available)
- guitar (bass, acoustic, electric)
- drums (rock, jazz, drum corps)
- strings (violin, viola, cello. double bass)
- brass (trumpet, trombone, tenor horn)
- Woodwind (all sizes of saxophone, clarinet, flute)
Performance opportunities are offered through:
- Barbershop Chorus (‘Heart Attack’ and Quartets)
- The Big Sing Project (all comers choir: ‘Sacred Sisters’)
- Performance Troupe (vocal ensemble)
- Chamber Music ensembles
- Jazz Band
- Concert Band
- Guitar Ensemble (The Sacred Sisters of Soul Orchestra)
- Drum Corps
- Smokefree Rockquest
- Country Club
- High Achievers Competition
- Arts Showcase
- The Lunchtime Concert series
Students compete in regional and national music festivals/competitions gaining gold and silver medals at The Waikato Band and Orchestra festival and placing 3rd nationally at the Young Singers In Harmony competitions in 2018. Our students have achieved highly in both Trinity and Royal examinations and at the Te Awamutu and Hamilton Competitions. We have also had success in the National ‘Hook, Line and Sing-a-long’ competitions.
Drama
Drama is offered to each year level. It is an optional subject.
Junior Drama
Students who choose to do Drama in Year 9 will take it for a term, exploring performance through process drama and scripted pieces. Year 10 students take Drama for the entire year. The course introduces students to the language of drama and gives them the opportunity to create and perform theatre, exploring ways to structure good drama and use scripts, as well as introducing the art of masked performance.
Senior Drama
Students who take Drama in Years 11 to 13 are assessed using NCEA achievement standards. These courses develop students’ skills of performance and creation of theatre. Students also build skills for the analysis of live performances, written texts, characters and situations. They learn to justify their actions and perform with true meaning. Students are also able to sit the scholarship exam at the end of year thirteen.
Extracurricular Drama
At our College, students have the opportunity to be involved in a number of extra curricular activities.
Junior Shakespeare
Junior Shakespeare is run by senior students who direct the Year 9s and 10s in scenes from a multitude of Shakespeare’s plays. It is an opportunity to have fun with the bard’s work, interpreting it in fun and approachable ways. This activity culminates in a Shakespeare festival hosted by a local high school.
The Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival
Senior students are invited to audition to be a part of the school’s teacher directed entry into this exciting festival. They are also able to direct their own pieces for the event. Scenes are chosen from Shakespeare’s plays and are interpreted in a variety of ways. Should we be chosen as the region’s representatives then we will travel to perform in Wellington at the national festival on Queens Birthday weekend. If the school’s entry is not chosen, students are still invited to attend the national festival with a group from school.
Junior and Senior Theatre Sports
Depending on circumstances, the seniors may tutor the juniors for this activity with teacher facilitation. Each team is made up of four members. The seniors and one junior team compete in the regional competitions, entertaining audiences from a multitude of schools.
Theatre Sports Draw
Stage Challenge
Stage Challenge is a well loved tradition at Sacred Heart Girls’ College. The Year 13 students lead a group of up to 100 students each year in creating a dynamic performance for the regional competition held at Founders Theatre. This is a wonderful opportunity for students who love to be on stage, giving them an opportunity to shine in front of a large audience.
School Production
Depending on circumstances the school offers a school production each year. On alternate years, performers from Saint Johns Boys’ College are invited to join the girls in a joint production. Generally, these productions are musical performances but sometimes plays such as Shakespeare’s have been used. At times, a junior production is offered later in the year for Year 9 and 10 students.
Performance in School Assemblies and Events
Throughout the year, students who show talents in the dramatic arts are invited to perform at special occasions and assemblies.
Debating
The Māori Performing Arts
The Kapa haka rōpū at Sacred Heart Girls’ College provides an avenue for students to learn, express and showcase Māori heritage and culture through performing arts. The group is open to all students of all year levels and is an exciting and challenging way to learn about the culture and language in a stimulating environment. Being part of the kaupapa haka rōpū is an opportunity for our members to showcase the beauty and power of the Māori cultural performing arts.
Some of the activities the group leads, supports and contributes to are:
- Performance at school events as well as Mass and Services;
- Waikato Kapa haka competition – He Taiohinga Māro
- Māori Language Week and Matariki (New Year);
- The Māori and Pasifika Dinner – He Ngākau Tapatahi.
- Leading the College in formal pōwhiri;
- The annual House Haka Competition;
- Waiata (song) and Karakia (prayer).
Me aro ki te hā o Hineahuone!
