In creative arts, students discover a variety of art forms through a study of dance, drama, music and visual arts.
Studying the creative arts, students learn to appreciate, compose, listen, make and perform. Each art form has its own unique knowledge and skills, elements or concepts as well as a capacity to inspire and enrich lives.
Students must study 100 hours of both music and visual arts during Years 7 to 10. They also have an opportunity to further develop their knowledge and skills in other art forms through elective subjects including drama, dance, photography and visual design. Students can then select from a range of courses in Years 11 to 12.
Stage 4 CAPA - Years 7-8
Visual Arts
In Year 7 at Mount Austin High School students study two semesters of Visual Arts. Students engage with Visual Arts through art making and art studying practices. Students develop visual literacy skills that allow them to communicate their own ideas, feelings, experiences, to understand and appreciate the work of other artists and cultures. Students learn to interpret their visual world. Students work in a range of media areas including painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics and sculpture, and develop skills in creative problem solving and design.
Students may choose to elect Visual Arts in years 9, 10, 11 & 12 and/or Fine Arts (Photography/Ceramics) in years 11 & 12.
Music
In year 8 students will study the concepts of Music through performing, composing and listening within a variety of styles, periods and genres. The course is based on skill development with a repertoire chosen from popular music, jazz, art music, music for radio, film and television, music for theatre, traditional music, environmental music and electronic music.
Students may also be involved in the school choir or learn to play an instrument for the school band.
Music is a medium of personal expression enabling the sharing of ideas, feelings and experiences. For all students, the physical, aesthetic, emotional, intellectual and social development gained through making music individually and in groups, will enrich them as performers, composers and listeners. Some students may choose to work in music-related fields or as professional musicians.
Stage 5 CAPA - Years 9-10
Drama
The Drama elective is an exciting practical subject that offers many opportunities for students to be actively involved in acting, stagecraft and theatre viewing. Students improvise, perform scripts and undertake sound and lighting tasks. Students are expected to participate willingly and on occasions attend after school and evening performances. The three key areas for learning and assessment in Drama are:
- Making drama – participating n the creation of drama and theatre work through activities like playbuilding, scriptwriting and theatresports.
- Performing – students engage in acting and performing drama and theatre for different audiences.
- Appreciating drama – students engage in the viewing and investigating many drama and theatre experiences.
Some of the performance opportunities include The Biting Dog Festival, Shakespeare Festival, Regional and State Drama Camps, Film Festivals and State Drama Festival. Drama is a very useful subject as it develops communication skills and confidence. It is also available for study in Years 11 and 12 for the HSC.
Music
Stage 5 Music is a practical subject that offers many opportunities for students to be actively involved in performing, composing and listening to music. One mandatory topic plus at least four other topics will be studied over the two years.
The Mandatory topic is Australian music where students study a range of repertoire from different Australian Artists. Other topics can include: Music of a Culture, Classical Music, Popular Music, Music for Radio, Film, TV and Multimedia, Baroque Music, 19th Century music.
Students are expected to learn an instrument/sing if they are not already doing so and are expected to participate willingly and on occasions attend after school and evening performances. Students will also have the opportunity to perform in class.
Music is designed for students who sincerely want to become involved in music and for those who want to further their musical skills.
Visual Arts
There are 3 strands of study in Stage 5 Visual Arts:
- Artmaking Weighting 40%
Students will explore the expressive properties of particular forms, materials and techniques to give form to a variety of subject matter in artworks. Students will produce artworks in subject matter representing a variety of insights into aspects of the world. - Critical and Historical Study Weighting 40%
Students will engage in both written and oral work that explores the significance of subject matter in artworks from an historical viewpoint. Students will learn the value of artworks made in different times and places.
Students will write about and discuss the interpretations and evaluations of the subject matter of artworks from a diversity of viewpoints. - The remaining 20% of time is used to maximise the interest of students and teachers in any aspects of content.
Stage 6 CAPA - Years 11-12
Music
In the Preliminary and HSC courses, students will study the concepts of music through the learning experiences of performance, composition, musicology and aural within the context of a range of styles, periods and genres.
Drama
Students in Drama study the practices of Making, Performing and Critically Studying. Students engage with these components through collaborative and individual experiences.
Visual Arts
Visual Arts involves students in artmaking, art criticism and art history. Students develop their own artworks, culminating in a ‘body of work’ in the HSC course. Students critically and historically investigate artworks, critics, historians and artists from Australia as well as those from other cultures, traditions and times.
Visual design
This content endorsed course provides students with opportunities to exploit the links between art and design by designing and making images and objects in which aesthetic qualities and symbolic meanings are as important as utilitarian function. It encourages students to explore the practices of graphic, wearable, product and interior/exterior designers in contemporary societies and promotes imaginative and innovative approaches to design within the context of the Australian environment and culture.