Creative Arts

At Calvary Christian College, we value and foster the development of students’ creativity, providing opportunities for students to explore their unique God given gifts and talents, and to nurture and encourage them to use their creativity to grow into the person that God has called them to be.

Our dedicated Creative Arts teachers offer a vibrant curriculum in from Years 7 to 12 in Music, Drama and Visual Arts. 

Within the Creative Arts Department, there are a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities available for our students, including the Performing and Creative Arts Program, Chapel Band, Art Exhibitions and competitions, drama workshops and productions. 

Aside from the obvious career paths – musician, artist or actor, studying Creative Arts subjects can foster skills that can be applied across many different fields, contributing to a well-rounded individual. 

YEAR 7 - 10

Drama enables students to develop not only dramatic and communication skills, but also skills in other important areas of intellect, spirit, aesthetic appreciation, self-esteem, self-actualisation, self-reflection and a greater understanding of the diverse world. 

YEAR 7

  • Exploratory Unit - Basic Drama Skills.

YEAR 8

  • Introduction to the Elements of Drama
  • Introduction to Conventions of style covered in later years
  • Practice of Dramatic Skills such as stagecraft, directing, devising and responding
  • Working with scripts through analysing, rehearsing and presenting
  • Development of reflective skills
  • Workshops with community theatre groups.

YEAR 9

  • Introduction to Conventions of style covered in later years
  • Further development of performance skills in styles such as Realism 
  • Working with scripts through analysing, rehearsing and presenting
  • Devising skills using set stimulus
  • Workshops with visiting performers or theatre groups
  • Opportunities to participate in Showcase performances.

YEAR 10

  • Further development and practice of the Elements of Drama
  • Introduction to Conventions of style covered such as Verbatim, Documentary Drama, Epic Theatre, Realism, Magical Realism, and Shakespeare
  • Practice of Dramatic Skills such as stagecraft, directing, devising and responding
  • Working with scripts through analysing, rehearsing and presenting
  • Development of reflective skills Workshops with community theatre groups.


Music participation enhances problem-solving, teamwork, self-expression, coordination, memory skills, self-confidence and esteem.  The formal study of Music has also been proven to benefit students in their study of the Maths and Science. 

YEAR 7

  • Exploratory Unit - The Fundamentals of Music

YEAR 8

  • Christian Music
  • Classical Music
  • Cultural Music
  • Instruments of Music
  • Jazz
  • Medieval Music
  • Modern Music
  • Technology in Music

YEAR 9

  • Christian Music
  • Classical Music
  • Cultural Music
  • Instruments of Music
  • Jazz
  • Medieval Music
  • Modern Music
  • Technology in Music

YEAR 10

  • Music Theory – Exploring the music elements and analysing and evaluating music
  • Composition
  • Performance.

The Core Skills covered throughout Year 8 - 10 are:

Music Theory

  • Reading music
  • Developing oral skills
  • Understanding music elements

Composing

  • Forming melodies
  • Using technology
  • Creating rhythms
  • Exploring chord functions and scales

Performance

  • Developing technical abilities across a range of instruments
  • Group performances Performance skills


Art is an expressive form of communication, creation and develops extensive imagination. People of all ages use art without even knowing - to decorate interiors, colour schemes for weddings and even choosing the clothes we wear.  Visual Language is the basic mode of communication and transcends written and spoken languages so it is considerably more universal.

Visual Art education develops awareness and skills so that the student may be both subjective and objective. 

YEAR 7

  • Exploratory Unit - Exploring the Elements and Principles of Visual Art

YEAR 8

  • Painting
  • Collage
  • Sculpture
  • Printmaking

YEAR 9

  • Drawing
  • Painting
  • Sculpture
  • Printmaking

YEAR 10

  • Art as looking
  • Art as symbol
  • Art as knowing
  • Art as lens

YEAR 11 - 12

DRAMA

Overview

Drama fosters creative and expressive communication. It interrogates the human experience by investigating, communicating and embodying stories, experiences, emotions and ideas that reflect the human experience. It engages students in imaginative meaning-making processes and involves them using a range of artistic skills as they make and respond to dramatic works.

Students experience, reflect on, understand, communicate, collaborate and appreciate different perspectives of themselves, others and the world in which they live. They learn about the dramatic languages and how these contribute to the creation, interpretation and critique of dramatic action and meaning for a range of purposes. They study a range of forms, styles and their conventions in a variety of inherited traditions, current practice and emerging trends.

Students learn how to engage with dramatic works as both artists and audience through the use of critical literacies. The study of drama develops students’ knowledge, skills and understanding in the making of and responding to dramatic works to help them realise their creative and expressive potential as individuals.

Pathways

A successful course of study in Drama will establish a strong foundations for various career pathways such as, educators, advertising, journalists and tourism. This course can also prepare a student for further studies in Creative Industries or involvement within the theatre community.

Units

  • Share
  • Reflect
  • Challenge
  • Transform

DRAMA IN PRACTICE

Overview

Drama in Practice gives students opportunities to plan, create, adapt, produce, perform, appreciate and evaluate a range of dramatic works or events in a variety of settings. A key focus of this syllabus is engaging with school and/or local community contexts and, where possible, interacting with practising artists. As students gain practical experience in a number of onstage and offstage roles, including actor/performer, designer, scriptwriter, director, stage technician, publicity manager and stage manager, they recognise the role drama plays and value the contribution it makes to the social and cultural lives of local, national and international communities.

Through the core of dramatic practices students also learn essential workplace health and safety procedures relevant to the drama and theatre industry, as well as effective work practices and industry skills needed by a drama practitioner

Pathways

A course of study in Drama in Practice can establish a basis for further education and employment in the drama and theatre industry in areas such as performance, theatre management and promotions. With additional training and experience, potential employment outcomes may include actor/performer, stage director, scriptwriter, lighting or sound designer, theatre technician, properties manager, stage manager, tour manager, producer, costume designer, venue manager or marketing and promotions manager.

Core Topics

  • Dramatic Principles
  • Dramatic Practices

Elective Topics

  • Acting
  • Playbuilding
  • Scriptwriting
  • Technical Design and Production

MUSIC

Overview

Music fosters creative and expressive communication. It allows students to develop musicianship through making (composition and performance) and responding (musicology).

Through composition, performance and musicology, students use and apply music elements and concepts. They apply their knowledge and understanding to convey meaning and/or emotion to an audience. Students use essential literacy skills to engage in a multimodal world. They demonstrate practical music skills, and analyse and evaluate music in a variety of contexts, styles and genres.

Pathways

A course of study in Music can establish a basis for further education and employment in the fields of arts administration, communication, education, creative industries, public relations and science and technology. The demand for creativity from employees is rising in a world of rapid technological change. As more organisations value work-related creativity and diversity, the processes and practices of Music develop transferable 21st century skills essential for many areas of employment. Specifically, the study of Music helps develop creative and critical thinking, collaboration, ICT skills, social/personal skills and communication — all of which is sought after in modern workplaces.

Units

  • Designs
  • Identities
  • Innovations
  • Narratives

MUSIC IN PRACTICE

Overview

Musicians fulfill many roles in a community — as makers/creators, performers, presenters, journalists, technicians, administrators and managers. Music in Practice gives students opportunities to explore these and other roles through active engagement with music and music productions, and, where possible, by interacting with practicing artists.

In Music in Practice, students explore and engage with the core of music principles and practices as they create, perform, produce and respond to their own and others’ music works in class, school and community settings. They gain practical, technical and listening skills and make choices to communicate in and through their music. Through the music activities of composing, performing and responding, they apply techniques, processes and skills, individually and in groups, to express music ideas that serve particular functions and purposes. This fosters creativity, helps students develop problem-solving skills, and heightens their imaginative, emotional, aesthetic, analytical and reflective experiences.

Pathways

A course of study in Music in Practice can establish a basis for further education and employment by giving students the knowledge and skills that should enhance their employment prospects in the music industry in areas such as performance, critical listening, music management and music promotions. With additional training and experience, potential employment opportunities may include musician, band or recording group member, music journalist, media composer, DJ, sound or studio engineer, songwriter or arranger, record producer, concert promoter, entertainment manager, tour manager or music director.

Core Topics

  • Music Principles
  • Music Practices

Elective Topics

  • Contemporary Music
  • Practical Music Skills
  • Song Writing
  • Music for Film, TV and Video Games
  • Community Music
  • Performance Craft

Overview

Visual Art provides students with opportunities to understand and appreciate the role of visual art in past and present traditions and cultures, as well as the contributions of contemporary visual artists and their aesthetic, historical and cultural influences.

Students have opportunities to construct knowledge and communicate personal interpretations by working as both artist and audience. They use their imagination and creativity to innovatively solve problems and experiment with visual language and expression. Through an inquiry learning model, students develop critical and creative thinking skills. They create individualised responses and meaning by applying diverse materials, techniques, technologies and art processes.

In responding to artworks, students employ essential literacy skills to investigate artistic expression and critically analyse artworks in diverse contexts. They consider meaning, purposes and theoretical approaches when ascribing aesthetic value and challenging ideas.

Pathways

A course of study in Visual Art can establish a basis for further education and employment in the fields of arts practice, design, craft, and information technologies; broader areas in creative industries and cultural institutions; and diverse fields.

Units

  • Art as lens
  • Art as code
  • Art as knowledge
  • Art as alternate

Creative Arts Enquiry Form