Sandy Strait State School

Sandy Strait State School has become renowned for a very successful and acclaimed Performing Arts Program.

Our school has an exciting choir program which includes two Singing Choirs open to both boys and girls from years 2 to 7 as well as an enthusiastic group of boys in a Boys Only Choir. A fourth choir, a Signing Choir, involves children from prep to year 7, signing and singing a range of songs.

The Signing Choir represents a unique opportunity within the Bay Schools District, learning and performing a combination of Auslan and Signed English signs for the hearing impaired, representing our school at events such as the launch of the Disability Action Week in 2007 and, more recently performing at the “Learning and Leadership” Principals’ Conference in Hervey Bay. The Signing Choir members embrace the signing with exuberance and create a supportive and inclusive environment for our deaf students as well as promoting signing as a form of communication to all members of our school and local community.

The school’s Senior Choir is involved in the local Eisteddfod and Choral Fanfare competitions. All four choirs participate in an active performance program across the year, including regular assembly performances, participation in a bi-annual combined schools Choralfest evening, our school’s Performing Arts Showcase at the end of each year and Christmas concerts.

The choirs enjoy an exciting variety of repertoire, drawn from recent movies, classic show tunes, well known canons and rounds and songs drawn from the current popular music. Audiences young and old take pleasure in listening to familiar and new tunes as the choirs not only perform at school and official functions but come in close contact with our school community by visiting senior citizen’s homes on a regular basis.

From Year 3 selected students have the opportunity to participate in our Strings program.

From Year 5 selected students also have the opportunity to participate in our Brass, Woodwind and Percussion program.

Students attend music lessons each week with Instrumental Music Teachers, participate in ensembles and bands and participate in a number of public performances.

Students in the Instrumental Music Program at Sandy Strait attend Music workshops at various times through the school year, working with other students and specialist teachers from across the Bay State Schools.

Every year in November we celebrate the skills and talents of our music and performing arts students through our Music Showcase Evening.

Students entertain audiences with performances from:

· Strings ensemble

· School Brass, Woodwind and Percussion stage band

· Singing, Senior and Boys Choirs

· Signing Choir

· Dance and drama groups

· Wakakirri performances (if relevant)

The evening is hosted by our student leaders, who fulfil the role of Master of Ceremony for the nights programmed performances.

Wakakirri is a National Dance and Drama Competition with heats held around the nation. We have dazzled audiences with colourful and professional performances achieving outstanding results.

Our highly acclaimed Wakakirri productions have been:

· “South American Snapshots” ( 1999)

· “Where’s Federation Wally?” ( 2001)

· “From Bush to Beach” ( 2002)

· “Quest for the Quetzal” ( 2004)

Every Wakakirri entry has won its way from the heat to the Grand Final taking out numerous staging awards. In 2004 “The Quest for the Quetzal” was the Regional Finalist in Bundaberg. They then competed in Brisbane at the State Finals in the Experienced School’s Level and were awarded the Silver Award – second place in the state.