Performing Arts
Specialist Performing Arts Classes
Year Levels - Prep, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Weekly Sessions - 50 mins
Classroom Performing Arts
Students from Prep to Year 6 enjoy a holistic Performing Arts program encompassing Music, Drama, and Dance. They have a 50 minute lesson each week in a dedicated performance space with a Performing Arts Specialist. Our Performing Arts Centre (PAC) is a well-resourced space with tuned and un-tuned percussion instruments as well as keyboards, drums, ukuleles, marimbas, guitars and a P.A. system. As well as costumes and prop items for dramatic play. Our PAC also has an abundance of space for students to create a variety of performance comfortably.
Our Music program infuses a mixture of the Kodaly and Orff methods of teaching music, providing students with a developmentally structured music literacy program, so that by the end of their primary school years students will have an understanding of how to read and write music as well as play together in a group. Students are provided with ample opportunities to read, write, create and improvise music with a variety of instruments such as Guitar, Piano, tuned and untuned percussion. Students also use the elements of music (texture, pitch, timbre, dynamics)
Our Dance program consolidates the elements of music and melodic or rhythmic elements learn throughout their music lessons. We also teach styles of dance including Jazz, Contemporary, Tap, Indigenous dance drama, African dance and salsa dance. Students who show an aptitude and interest in dance are also welcome to join our dance club. In this student-led program, students have the opportunity to express their enjoyment of dance and develop their fine and fundamental motor skills. They also perform at celebration assembly's and school events to demonstrate the calibre of talent we have here at our school.
Our Drama program places great emphasis on growing the children's confidence and interpersonal skills through an interactive and supportive learning environment. We aim to encourage students to become problem solvers, critical and creative thinkers and culturally literate through exposing them to different forms of drama including Puppeteering, Kabuki, Commedia Del'arte and scripted drama. Our drama program also sees many cross-curricular links with collaborations between Visual arts and Indonesian.
Year 4 Production
Our tradition of musical productions is a unique opportunity for all Year 4 students to participate in a positive theatrical experience. Students develop skills in dance, singing, drama, performance, theatre etiquette and co-operation. All CHPS productions are performed at a professional theatre, to give the children and audience a real theatre experience. Students have access to high quality props, costumes and sets, and show a great deal of enthusiasm for the final performance. Previous productions have included “The Little Mermaid” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. As part of their classroom “music theatre” unit, Middle students are coached in how to prepare for an audition, as well as learning the songs and dances for the various choruses in the show.
Choir
CHPS offers two choirs, Pop Choir and Musical Excellence Choir.
Our Pop Choir is an open entry choir, focusing on contemporary music aimed to foster a love for singing and grow students confidence performing to a variety of audiences. Pop choir performs at Whole School Assemblies and has been invited by the Maroondah Council and Yarrunga Retirees to perform at their events.
Our Musical Excellence Choir (MEC) is an audition entry choir, focusing on authentic choral music and musical theatre repertoire. MEC is an extension to our classroom music program, advancing students musical literacy, vocal technique and performance skills. MEC represents our school at a range of competitions and festivals such as the Boroondara Eisteddfod, Monash Youth Music Festival, Maroondah Festival and Maroondah Carols. In 2025 MEC placed second at the Monash Youth Music Festival.
Rock Band
This ensemble is available to those children that have been learning an instrument long enough to be involved in a rock band. Participation is by recommendation from the instrumental teacher. Vocalists, drummers, guitarists and keyboard players come together during Tuesday lunchtimes and work on a contemporary repertoire. They also perform at the many and varied concerts and assemblies throughout the year.
Annual Community events
CHPS has a community event for every term! There is the Year 2 concert in Term One, A song and dance extravaganza incorporating themes of our students inquiry topics. Stagestruck is our variety concert in Term Two where all students have the opportunity to audition and perform. Performances have included singing, dancing, playing instruments, dramatic acts, comedy and puppetry. Our annual year 4 Production in Term Three and our annual Christmas Concert in Term Four.
Croydon Hills Additional Music Program (CHAMP)
Children at CHPS have the opportunity to learn an instrument in a program provided by outside specialists in music tuition for school children.
The program is run by community member David Tweedie. For the last 12 years David has been working as a highly sought after musician with many different bands and artists around Australia and other parts of the world. Currently, David is a guitarist and backing vocalist with leading Australian pop stars Guy Sebastian and Anthony Callea, and in the past he has worked with many others, including Delta Goodrem, Aloe Blacc, Lupe Fiasco, Samantha Jade and Shannon Noll. David has also been a music teacher for nearly 15 years, privately and at various schools around Melbourne. He has a Bachelor of Applied Music with Honours, and is currently studying his Masters of Arts (Music Performance) at Monash University.
Students will have fun whilst learning to play their chosen instrument, read music and learn theory. Children can choose between individual or shared lessons with students of a similar age and ability and are offered lessons in keyboard, guitar, drums, bass and singing.
Wakakirri
Wakakirri is Australia’s largest Performing Arts event for schools, involving over 20,000 students across every State and Territory each year.
The aim of Wakakirri is to teach students about themselves and others through creating and sharing stories and by this process developing students’ educational outcomes, lifestyle choices and community awareness. A great story can change the way people think about the world around them and Wakakirri gives schools the opportunity to do just that.
CHPS participates annually in Wakakirri. Senior School students are given the opportunity to participate in telling their story through dance and drama. Students take part in rehearsals after school during Terms 2 and 3 and take part in the performance heats in Term 3. It is a great opportunity for senior students to extend on their Year 4 Production experience. In 2025 CHPS won 5 show awards, 2 state awards and the coveted Spirit of Wakakirri award and were invited to perform at the awards night at Frankston Arts centre. CHPS has been recognised for many outstanding performances and embodying the ethos of the festival using recycled materials and telling excellent stories for 26 years!
For more on Wakakirri visit their webpage HERE..
Read about the benefits of learning music:
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