The Arts

Music, Drama and Visual Art, are thriving disciplines at TAS.

ARTS subjects are studied as part of the Junior School curriculum. In Year 7 and Year 8, all students study Music, Drama and Visual Art for a semester. In Year 9 and Year 10, Music, Drama and Visual Art can be studied as elective subjects each semester. This culminates in the students’ selection of Music, Drama and Visual Art as Senior Authority subjects.

TAS Visual Art Program

The TAS Art Program is enhanced by regular visits of professional artists and by attendance at local exhibitions. Students enter both local and national art competitions, as well as displaying their work at school promotional evenings and at specifically staged school art shows.  Each year, the Senior Visual Art students participate in competitions and exhibitions.

Competitions

Cairns Show – Photography and Wearable Art Competitions

Write About Art by Flying Art Competition

Exhibitions

Creative Generation – ENERGY Exhibition at the TANKS Art Centre

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TAS Drama Program

The TAS Drama Program encourages students to participate in productions ranging from Shakespeare to mime and contemporary plays. Productions are staged for the public on a regular basis in the Bishop Centre for Performing Arts, the School’s fully equipped Performing Arts Complex. The student technical crew support these performances.

Instrumental Tuition

Many students receive instrumental tuition on a range of musical instruments through TAS Instrumental and Vocal Lessons. These lessons are provided by a number of visiting private contractor tutors who offer professional, individual tuition, during school hours. Students from Year 2 to Year 12 can apply for lessons on piano, violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, tuba, drums, guitar, and voice.

Concerts and Events

Every term musicians at TAS take part in a major concert performance. In 2016, we staged our inaugural “Rock under the Stars” which gave every one of the many rock bands at the school the opportunity to perform at an open-air concert. This popular event is now staged annually. TAS musicians always perform at major school events such as Trinity Day, Gala night, Speech Night and Coconut Carnival. TAS groups often stage off-site concerts and community performances during the year. TAS choirs and ensembles take part in and have a high success rate at the Cairns and District Junior Eisteddfod.

TAS Music Workshops

TAS Music Workshops, often held at the start of the year, provide students with an occasion to learn new material and sharpen their skills.   Every year, a music  workshop is held, providing an occasion to learn new material and offering further opportunities for development, education and performance practice.  In 2018 the TAS Music Workshop was tutored by a professional conductor from Melbourne – Ms Ingrid Martin. In June 2018 TAS ensembles had the opportunity to work with students from the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony Orchestra as they visited us as part of their Australian Tour.

Opportunities for Musical Growth

The foundation of the TAS Instrumental Music program is built on the voluntary Year 3 String program. This course, taught by the Director of Music, offers each student introductory group lessons on the violin, viola or cello and instruments are loaned to students for the duration of this semester-long course. For students in Year 5, the Wind/Brass program offers the same opportunity to students who are interested in these instruments. Many students who commence these programs go on to individual lessons on their chosen instruments and as a result, our musical groups continue to grow in strength and accomplishment.

TAS Orchestra

This group combines the talents of our top orchestral musicians and is conducted by the Director of Music. The orchestra performs at key school functions such as Speech Night, Trinity Day and Gala Night.

TAS Middle School Orchestra

This ensemble was introduced in 2017 and extends the talents of the best of White Rock Junior Instrumentalists by allowing them to play in an orchestra with students from Years 7 to 8.

TAS Concert Band

The concert band plays music from a diverse range of musical styles and is open to all senior school musicians who play a wind or brass instrument.

TAS Ensembles

String Ensemble

Conducted by the Director of Music, this ensemble is open to all string players in the Senior School and experienced White Rock Junior players. TAS Strings plays for school functions, especially when there is a need for quieter, reflective music, and in events for the local community.

Small Ensembles

As musical talent develops, students are encouraged to play in small ensembles. These have been many and varied and have included a string quartet, piano trio, clarinet choir, flute ensemble and sax pack. These groups perform on many occasions, both at school and for community events.

Junior Ensembles

Both campuses have Junior School Concert Bands forming effective training ensembles for participation in Senior School music. White Rock Junior and Kewarra Beach Junior string ensembles are also essential training groups which feed into the Senior School ensembles in later years. These bands also play for school events and celebrations.

Other Junior School Ensembles

In recent years a variety of ensembles have formed in the Junior Schools to suit the talents of students. An example of this is the ukulele ensemble at Kewarra Beach Junior who have performed in the Cairns Ukulele Festival.

TAS Jazz

TAS Jazz is comprised of some of the School’s top wind, brass and rhythm players, enabling it to perform Jazz, Rock and popular music to a very high standard. This is a very committed group of musicians who play not only for school performances, but out-of-school functions.

TAS Rock Bands

TAS offers year level rock bands for students from Years 2 to 12. These bands feature at both the annual “Rock Under the Stars” performance and at Coconut Carnival.

TAS Choirs

Choirs are an integral part of the school music program at all stages of school life. Junior and Senior School Choirs perform at Eisteddfodau, Speech Night, Worship Services, School functions and concerts.

Our Senior School choir, TAS Voices, is open to all Senior School students, from our talented vocal specialists to any student who wishes to learn to sing in a choir. A diverse range of music is performed from popular music to Australian choral compositions.

Kewarra Beach and White Rock Junior schools have a choir for students in all age groups from the Prep to Year 2 and from Years 3 to 6. The Year 3 to 6 choirs have very successfully performed in the Cairns Eisteddfod and, in recent years, have frequently placed first in this competition.

Friends of TAS Music

Friends of TAS Music is an enthusiastic group of parents who have supported music excellence at TAS since 1997. Working closely with the TAS Music Department, Friends of TAS Music provides assistance and fundraising opportunities for the TAS Music programs at White Rock and Kewarra Beach.

Commitment to Developing our Young Musicians

TAS musicians are encouraged to aspire to be the best that they can be on their chosen instrument. Many students take part in external examinations through Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) or Trinity College London (TCL).

TAS Music is committed to training young musicians who are musically informed and literate and who can confidently play their chosen instrument in solo and ensemble settings. TAS Music recognises that the ability to play an instrument or sing in a choir is a skill that can be nurtured and developed into a life-long passion for, and engagement with, the music community of Australia.

Commitment to Professional Development

TAS recognises the need to provide professional development and performance opportunities to support teachers and musicians in our local area and further afield. To find out more please contact the Director of Music.