Performing Arts
Junior Choir
Junior Choir is a choral program opportunity for students in years 3 and 4. Students start with two weeks of “Come and Try” sessions before committing to the choir. Our current Junior Choir of 58 students practice one lesson a week in the Performing Arts classroom. The repertoire is comprised of a variety of songs including pop, ballads, modern, songs from the past, silly, indigenous, other language and action songs. A range of skills are taught including pitch, rhythm, part singing, harmony, choreography, breath technique and performance presentation. Junior Choir enriches a student’s ability to build confidence, enhances their literacy and develops collaboration skills. All Junior Choir students perform at our annual Marryatville Melodies concert, assemblies, school music week, special events and end of year performances. We also participate as a foyer artist at the Adelaide Festival of Music, a state heritage icon festival, that is held annually each September.
Senior Choir
The Senior Choir is a choral program opportunity for students in years 5 and 6. Students start with a “Come and Try” session before committing to the choir. Our current Senior Choir of 42 students practice one lesson a week with their teacher and is supported by a piano accompanist. A range of skills are taught including pitch, dynamics, musical literacy, harmony, choreography, breath technique and performance presentation.
Marryatville Primary School has a long choral tradition and has been a participant in the South Australian Public Primary Schools Festival of Music for over 40 years. The performance at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre is a highlight each year. This program allows further musical opportunities through the Festival orchestra and troupe, as well as being able to audition for roles as a soloist, choreography leader, host and downstage performances including street percussion and AUSLAN signing.
In addition to the Festival of Music, the senior choir perform at our annual Marryatville Melodies concert, assemblies, special school events, school music week and end of year concerts. The positive benefits of maintaining a culture of choir at Marryatville Primary School fosters social connection, belonging, confidence and teamwork as well as enhancing the curriculum areas of literacy, history, health and of course, the arts.
Percussion Ensemble
The percussion ensemble is an extra-curricular opportunity available to students in years 4-6. The ensemble learns a variety of percussion genres including bucket drumming, junk percussion (chairs, bins, pool noodles, etc) and melodic percussion (xylophones, glockenspiels and boomwhackers). In addition to beat and rhythm, the percussion ensemble learns music notation, performance skills, mallet technique, composition and choreography. Student agency is at the forefront of our program with drumming routines created collaboratively by both students and the teacher. The percussion ensemble performs at our annual Marryatville Melodies concert, school music week, special events and end of year performances. We also join with the choirs to compliment some of their repertoire.
Dance Ensemble
The dance ensemble is an extra-curricular opportunity available to students in years 5 and 6. The dance ensemble is in its inaugural year and focuses on the element of dance including body, shape, spatial awareness, levels, formation, rhythms and pathways. Student agency is employed in all lessons with choreography and music selection being chosen collaboratively by the students and teacher. The students have already choreographed a dance to the KPop song ‘Debut’ and are now working on an 80s medley and are collaborating with the Senior Choir for a combined performance. The dance ensemble are excited to be performing for the first time at our annual Marryatville Melodies concert in Term 3, school music week in Term 4 and at special school events.
