Arts in Action at Fairholme

Lunchtime Concert Series | Junior and Middle Schools

Our music and drama students once again enjoyed the opportunity to perform as part of the Lunchtime Concert Series this term. In Term 3 there were four concerts catering for Years 1 and 2, Years 3 and 4, Years 5 and 6 and the final concert on Thursday 2 September featured students from the Middle School.

An enthusiastic audience of parents, students (both performers and supportive friends) and Middle School teachers were entertained by a variety of string, piano and flute items. These concerts continue to provide a relaxed and supportive performance space for our budding musicians.

Junior School | 'Twilight Concert'

Held in the College Assembly Hall on Thursday 2 September as part of the Kaleidoscope Concert Series, the Twilight Concert featured Fairholme Junior's large performance ensembles. Opening with the Junior String Orchestra playing Ghost Ship, by Stephen Chin, the program for the evening was connected by a nautical theme. This was followed by a rousing performance from the Junior Band, directed by Mr Malcolm Gaydon.

The Junior Chorale rounded out the program with three delightful songs, all related to water and the sea. Their final number, Travelling, was prefaced by an original poem written and read by Year 5 student Emily McCormack, entitled The Sea. Emily’s reading of her words was accompanied by a torch light show on the ceiling, creating a wonderful atmosphere of aquatic wonder!Thank you to Mrs Eldridge for providing this opportunity and to Mr Egerton and Mr Gaydon for their work with our Junior girls.

In Term 4 there will be another round of concerts for the Junior School, along with the final Senior School Lunchtime Concert on Friday 22 October and the final Middle School Concert for this year on Thursday 28 October.Karen Hayward | Head of Arts

'A Box of Chocolates' | A Concert to delight the senses!

Congratulations to concert organisers, Mrs Jaye Ross (Head of Middle School) and Mrs Meg Middleton (Deputy Head of Middle School), and to all of the Middle School girls who performed at this year’s fabulous ‘A Box of Chocolates’ concert. The program, featuring a wonderful array of Dance, Drama, Vocal, Choral and Instrumental Music performances, together with some exciting Visual Arts presentations, left audience members in no doubt that there is an amazingly rich depth of talent within our Middle School.

We extend our appreciation to Mrs Elizabeth Egan, Mrs Christine Lebsanft, Mrs Anne Gralow, Mr Rod Egerton, Mrs Katrina Bailey, Ms Nancy Macks, Mrs Libby Hobson, Ms Karen Wighton and Mr Alex Dixon for their professional guidance and support in helping the girls prepare their items for this very special concert.

Congratulations is also extended to our 2021 Middle School Leaders for The Arts, Rachel Yap, Lily Cameron, Lizzie Kelly and Hannah Pocknee for their contributions throughout the evening.

'The Show Must Go On!' | A Resounding Success!

Congratulations to Mrs Katrina Bailey and the fabulous Co-Production team of staff members and the amazingly talented students from both Fairholme and Toowoomba Grammar for The Show Must Go On!, performances on Saturday 21 August at the Empire Theatre.

The feedback has been amazing and whilst this year’s co-production experience was unique, it was nonetheless extremely rewarding for all involved – delivering yet another refined, highly professional outcome.

Wonderful feedback included…

‘Clever! So, so clever!’

‘What a creative production!! I am so impressed! Loved the chance to reminisce too! Congratulations!’

‘Congratulations!!! My husband and I both loved the musical.’

‘My daughter loved being able to watch her own show. It’s such a unique experience.’

‘It was absolutely fantastic!’

‘It was absolutely inspirational on every level.’

Thank you to everyone who came along to support this event - we trust you enjoyed seeing it as much as we enjoyed creating it!

Congratulations to all of the students involved in The Show Must Go On! We are extremely proud of your dedication, enthusiasm and engagement over the past eight months!

Annual Dance Showcase | A Choreographed Success!

Congratulations to Mrs Brooke Choice and Ms Nancy Macks and all of the amazing dancers that performed at this year’s Dance Showcase on Saturday 28 August.This sold-out concert was absolutely fabulous, featuring no fewer than 22 different items celebrating a variety of dance genres, from Jazz to Contemporary to Hip Hop Fusion.

The program featured all three co-curricular Dance groups – our Dance Troupe and Troupettes as well as our Dance Collective girls – each showcasing the amazing choreography they have been working on this year.

In addition, the students in the Year 9, 10 , 11 and 12 Dance classes performed a number of their assessment pieces for the appreciative audience. Such a wonderful showcase would not have been possible without the tireless, dedicated and professional guidance of Mrs Choice, Ms Macks, and our Arts Captain for Dance and Drama, Tyla Arnold.

'Pre-Eisteddfod Concert' | Fabulous Instrumental Music and Dance!

On Tuesday July 27, an enthusiastic audience of Parents, Family Members, Staff and Students were treated to a variety show of no less than 16 instrumental music ensembles as well as special guest performances from the Fairholme Dance Troupe and Troupettes.

The Pre-Eisteddfod Instrumental Concert gave all of our performance groups the opportunity to hone their performance skills in front of a supportive audience, leading into what was a much-anticipated week of friendly community competition.

With performers ranging from Year 3 in Junior School to Year 12, and groups of between 3 and 35 members, the evening was capped off by a combined performance of themes from the stage musical HAMILTON, featuring over 50 students and staff.

Congratulations and sincere appreciation must go to all performers and the Specialist Arts teachers and conductors who helped them prepare for this event.

As it turned out, only our Symphony Orchestra and string groups ended up with the opportunity to compete in the 2021 Toowoomba Eisteddfod, as late on Saturday afternoon, 31 July, the remaining sessions were cancelled due to the South-East Qld COVID-19 lockdown.

Chronicle Junior Art Expo | Outstanding Fairholme Artists

This year’s Toowoomba Art Society’s ‘Chronicle Junior Art Expo‘ Awards attracted over 450 entries from which the Judges short-listed just 150 works for special commendation, 31 of which belonged to Fairholme College students from our Junior, Middle and Senior sub-schools.

This outstanding achievement saw Fairholme College awarded the Dornbusch Family Schools’ Encouragement Award for having the most entries selected.

Along with five students in the Junior School, Middle School students Ariel Qiu, Ankita Sajjan, Ciara Teahan and Hazelle Tinkler had their works short-listed and were presented with Certificates of Commendation at last Friday Night’s Official Opening.

Year 12 students, Mairead Webb, Maggie Harris, Sarah Craft and Charlotte Andrews, were also presented with Certificates of Commendation for their works in the Painting, Photography and Multimedia sections.

Year 11 Bronte Lane’s Lino Block Print, Year 10 Keely Gilmore’s Photorealism painting and Year 12 Lucy Ford’s painting also caught the eye of the judges in this year’s awards and were short-listed for this expo. In addition to the Certificates of Commendation, a number of generous Awards were presented by the Sponsors to the following Fairholme students:

Year 11 Charlotte Patterson was awarded the Australian Decorative & Fine Arts Society’s Individual Encouragement Award for having the most entries selected, an award shared with a student from Toowoomba State High School. Charlotte had an amazing five entries selected across the Drawing, Painting and Printmaking sections. Furthermore, Charlotte was also awarded First Prize in the Australian Decorative & Fine Arts Society’s ‘Culliford’ Open Drawing section. Congratulations, Charlotte (applause).

Laura Patterson was awarded the Runner-up Prize in the Re/Maxx Success in the Open Drawing section for her beautiful watercolour study of a frog.

Julia Rathie was awarded the Runner-up Prize in the Re/Maxx Success Open Painting section for her stunning Photorealism painting of oil drums.

Maggie Lattimore was awarded the David Curtis Memorial First Prize in Open Printmaking section for her amazing Multi-coloured Reduction Lino Print of the Palace Royal in France.

Olivia McKay was awarded First Prize in the Re/Maxx Success in the new Open Photography and Multimedia section for her photograph of the bonfire she organised as part of her IA2 Body of Work.

Brooke Ronan was awarded Runner-up Prize in the Re/Maxx Success in the new Open Photography and Multimedia section for her photograph of Jemima Brodie wearing the vegetable dress she created as part of her IA2 Body of Work.

These wonderful results would not have been possible without the professional guidance and support from teachers - in the Junior School Mrs Helen Rasmussen and Mrs Rebekah Scott, in the Middle School, Mrs Libby Hobson and in the Senior School, Mrs Karen Hayward. Thank you also to Mr Sessarago for taking the photos of the girls at these awards.

Congratulations to all of these students on their outstanding achievements.

‘Autumn Tones’ Recital | Talent showcased during Assessment

On Thursday, 27 May, the students of the Year 8 Performance Music Class, together with the Year 11 Music students gave individual performances at the ‘Autumn Tones’ Recital as part of their assessment. Supported by their teacher, Mr Dixon, and their individual Specialist Arts teachers and accompanists, Mrs Egan, Mrs Duane and Mr Egerton, all of the girls performed their chosen repertoire beautifully for the appreciative audience of parents, family members, staff and students.

Performers included Sophie Browlie, Chanudi Dissanayake, Ariel Qiu, Zoe Hoare, Olivia Kennedy, Skye Bleney, Mackenzi Schefe, Geneva Searle, Gracie Walker, Ayesha Saleh, Lilli Hamilton and Eliza Kingston.

Instrumental Music | Lunchtime Concert Series

The Lunchtime Concert Series continues to grow across all three sub-schools at Fairholme. Over the course of Term 2 we have witnessed no fewer than three concerts for the Junior School, two Thursday lunchtime concerts for the Middle School and the launch of our first Senior School lunchtime concert event.

The demand for places in these informal performance event reflects a pleasing growth in the practical side of instrumental music at the College, alongside the occasional cameo appearance of some of our vocal or Speech and Drama students.

No fewer than 90 girls from Year 1 to Year 12 have enjoyed the opportunity to share their craft with their peers, parents and a supportive audience.

The final lunchtime concert will feature the Year 2 String Class as well as soloists from Years 1 and 2, and will occur on Monday 14 June at 12.30pm in the L-Block Assembly.

Karen Hayward | Head of The Arts