6 minute read
The Arts at LN
“The Arts comfort us in grief; they energise us in celebration; they are a catalyst for change. Right now, we are in a world that is acutely uncertain about its future…
No matter what comes next, what you have the power to do is make something where there once was nothing. That is a uniquely special talent.”
ELISE MCCANN ’02
ACTRESS AND MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMER, IN HER OPENING ADDRESS AT THE ONLINE HSC SHOWCASE 2020
THE ARTS
OUR STAFF, STUDENTS AND ALUMNI EXPLORE THE ROLE OF CREATIVITY AND COLLABORATION IN THE LIFE OF OUR COMMUNITY DURING THIS UNPRECEDENTED YEAR.
When I consider the plays that our Drama students have studied, it is evident to me that they have not merely gained insight into the social contexts in which these plays are set. They have also stepped back in time to live out some of the most pivotal moments in human history; including the experience of a Polish orphan living under the Nazi regime and the grief of an Australian woman whose husband has been sent to the Vietnam War. History and the problems we face in the present come alive on stage. Through theatrical storytelling, audiences can comprehend our world from a range of perspectives, to learn from the past and to re-imagine the future.
ARTS AT LN
How will the unbelievable tales of 2020 be presented on stage in the future? What will we learn from the musings of playwrights? How will directors and actors give voice to the stories of communities that have faced crisis after crisis this year? Theatres may have been closed, but our classrooms remained open. Our Drama students made sense of this year through theatre. Year 11 Drama students, for example, created original group performances exploring COVID-19, the 2020 fires, police brutality and the inadequacies of some of our world leaders. At a time when our professional playwrights and actors couldn’t present their work, it could be said that our girls were the ‘first theatrical responders’ to the many crises of 2020.
MS ANNA-LEA RUSSO
HEAD OF DRAMA
NATALIE NICOLAS ’10
COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE 2020, IN HER ADDRESS TO STUDENTS PREPARING FOR THE VIRTUAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
From the very beginning, a deep love of the Arts has linked Normo girls across time. Music concerts were held annually since the School’s establishment in 1897; they were often advertised in local newspapers and showcased a largely classical repertoire of Bach, Chopin and Verdi. In October of 1901, NSW Government Railways organised a special service between Milson’s Point and Hornsby for parents and friends to attend the concert at the Convent.
Now an annual event, the Music Festival has been a joyful celebration since its introduction in 1972. An excerpt from Sr Deirdre Browne IBVM in the Loreto Normanhurst School Magazine 1972 reads: “Everyone who took part in it showed earnestness and thoroughness in preparation, excitement and enthusiasm in performance. It was one of the happiest musical evenings I have ever known.”
Drama performances have been a popular pursuit for many students through time. The performance of My Fair Lady in 1967 is one example of the many student-led productions devised over the years. A delightful programme of the occasion was lovingly crafted to document the wide variety of creative roles the girls assumed in staging the production.* Across the decades, students at Normanhurst have been able to pursue creative arts such as photography, fine arts or pottery with Mother Evangeline Kendall IBVM, design and technology, and textiles. In more recent times, HSC courses such as History Extension, Aboriginal Studies and English Extension have allowed students to think critically as they produce major works that are reflective of their own contexts.
*My sincerest thanks to Patsy Shannon for generously donating this programme to our Archives.
MS RACHEL VAUGHAN
RECORDS MANAGER
NATALIE NICOLAS ’10
COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE 2020
RUIHUAN LIU, CREATIVE ARTS CAPTAIN
2019–2020 Art educators know firsthand the value of being present with students. They have the role of mentor and instructor, physically there to guide students as they learn techniques and wrestle with the complexities of Visual Arts. Never did we expect this learning environment – and the materiality of student artmaking – to be forced online as it was for part of this year. It was serendipitous that the Visual Arts faculty provided each student with the materials that they would need for their Units of Work. These were taken home to be cherished and used once remote learning began. Many students excelled in lockdown. Their intuition ignited. They had space and time to develop their ideas in private, without the perceived judgement that some students feel in a cohort. They were free to explore the materials in their own way and found making art to be a great reprieve from hours of screen time.
Giving formative feedback via our virtual learning platform, FACE Online, proved to have its difficulties, as did discussing the visceral experience of art through digital platforms. Nevertheless, the strength of students’ prior learning informed their new artmaking tasks. The girls had a robust bag of skills that they could draw on and were able to shine.
MS MONICA BOARDMAN
HEAD OF VISUAL ARTS
COVID-19 has fundamentally changed societies across the world. The terms social distancing, contact tracing, and self-isolation have entwined themselves in our daily conversations. Many of the things we take for granted transformed overnight. However, difficult times have often been the catalyst for innovative solutions to problems, and we are currently amid a revolution.
As people started working from home, communication and networking platforms such as Zoom video conferencing became essential. Apps such as ‘House Party’ and ‘Drawful’ enabled people to stay connected during long periods of isolation at home. When ventilators were needed, James Dyson committed his company to providing their expertise in home appliances to design what the National Health Service required. Businesses large and small diversified and turned their focus to producing PPE equipment and hand sanitiser. When restrictions eased, the hospitality industry adopted technologies that minimised risk, such as QR codes and self-check-in software.
The Technological and Applied Studies department at Loreto Normanhurst offers students an opportunity to apply creative problem-solving techniques to complex real-world problems, just as these organisations have. Our students engage in innovative thinking whether they study Textiles and Design, Hospitality, Design and Technology, Food Technology, or Information and Software Technology. The skills acquired in these subjects position our students to be the flexible social innovators we will rely on in the next decades.
MR ANTHONY HORTH
ACTING HEAD OF TAS
