Arts

Performing Arts

Performance examination season and 27 Lyrebird Award nominations

It is performance examination season, and our Theatre Studies and Drama students have been diligently preparing their solo performances and monologues. Many spent the holidays rehearsing to ensure their work was polished and performance ready. The stakes are high, with the seven-minute Drama examination contributing 35% to their study score. In Theatre Studies, students undertake both a monologue performance and an oral presentation within a ten-minute assessment.

As seen in the photos, the students’ energy, creativity and depth of characterisation were exceptional. Their commitment to their craft was evident in every rehearsal and performance.

Beyond VCE, Haileybury’s Performing Arts program continues to excel, receiving a record 27 Lyrebird Award nominations, including Best Production for both Mamma Mia! and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Congratulations to all staff and students on these incredible achievements. Your passion, teamwork and artistry make our community proud.

Nicole Smith
Head of Drama and Theatre Studies

Music

Chamber in the Chapel showcases Senior small ensembles

As the new term began, the Music Department opened the season in style with a superb evening of orchestral chamber music at the Chamber in the Chapel concert.

With the weather graciously mild, an admiring audience of 200 guests filled the David Bradshaw Chapel, where our finest small ensemble musicians performed alongside the String Sinfonia, Guitar Ensemble, Brass Ensemble and Viva Voce choir.

The evening was a true celebration of the depth and breadth of Haileybury’s music program, showcasing the skill, dedication and artistry of students across a range of classical repertoire disciplines.

Guests were welcomed with a glass of champagne and a sweet treat before taking their seats in the beautifully prepared Chapel. Inside, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and each performance was delivered with distinction and musical sensitivity.

A special note of thanks goes to Mr Thomas Heywood, who compered the evening with his trademark wit, insight and deep love of classical music. These qualities clearly resonated with the appreciative audience.

Events such as Chamber in the Chapel continue to inspire and uplift our community, students, staff and families alike. I encourage everyone to keep an eye on the school calendar for future musical performances.

Rod Marshall
Director of Performing Arts & Head of Haileybury Music

Visual Arts

Chasing the Vision – 2025 Graduate Art Exhibition  

The 2025 Graduate Art Exhibition, Chasing the Vision, was a vibrant celebration of the creativity, perseverance and sophistication of our senior Visual Arts students.  

Held for the first time in our new Visual Arts building, the event brought together works from Units 3 and 4 Art Making and Exhibiting, Media, and Visual Communication Design, alongside exhibitions by Year 9 and Units 1 and 2 students. The new building quickly proved itself to be not just a venue, but a home for creative thinking and collaboration, a place where students, teachers and families could come together to experience the power of visual expression.  

Across the exhibition, visitors encountered artworks that revealed the depth and diversity of our students’ ideas as they  explored themes of identity, wellbeing, memory, environmental and social awareness, optimism and critical reflection on contemporary culture. From the refined conceptual folios of Units 3 and 4 students to the exploratory works of emerging Year 9 artists, each piece reflected the courage and commitment required to truly ‘chase a vision.’  

It was a pleasure to announce the 2025 Subject Ambassadors, Ethan (Art Making and Exhibiting), Lulu (Visual Communication Design) and Emmet (Media), who will represent the department at the forthcoming Encore of Excellence event.  

Sincere thanks go to our incredible Visual Arts teaching and technician teams, whose expertise, creativity and tireless work made the exhibition possible, and to the Facilities, Marketing, Events and Music teams for their support.  

Chasing the Vision was a reminder of the importance of giving young people the space, time and encouragement to explore their ideas deeply and express them authentically. It was a celebration not just of finished artworks, but of the journeys behind them.

Rachelle Rae
Head of Visual Arts Senior School

Pipes & Drums

On 14 September, several of our drummers competed in the Haileybury Solo Drumming Championships held at the Newlands Campus. This highly competitive event attracted drummers from across Victoria and NSW, with over 50 solo drumming performances throughout the day. Our Haileybury drummers delivered some outstanding performances, with several students achieving top three results. We are incredibly proud of their dedication and skill.

On the final weekend of the holidays, two of our Haileybury drummers, Sofia (Year 12, B Grade Snare) and Sasha (Year 5, Novice Snare), travelled to Albury, NSW to compete in the Australian Solo Drumming Championships. Both delivered outstanding and highly competitive performances, each earning second place in their respective grades. A fantastic achievement.

Each year, our A Band pipers and drummers can apply for leadership positions within the Pipes & Drums. This year’s applications were exceptionally competitive, showcasing passion and commitment to the future of the ensemble. We are fortunate to have such talented and dedicated musicians within our program.

The Pipes & Drums team would like to sincerely thank each student who submitted a leadership application.

Please join us in congratulating our 2026 Band Leaders:

Leadership Positions - Drums

• Captain of Drums: Johnathan W
• Vice-Captain of Drums: Zoe P
• Drum Sergeant: Isaac M
• Drum Corporal: Eshan H
• Leading Tenor: Alice T
• Drum Majors: Jeanette W, Daniel H, Maximus R

Leadership Positions - Pipes

• Captain of Pipes & Pipe Major: Brandon L
• Vice-Captain of Pipes and Pipe Sergeant: Hamish P
• Pipes Corporal: Jonah W

I would also like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank our outgoing Year 12 students for their dedicated service and commitment to the Haileybury Pipes & Drums over the years. Their passion, leadership and musicianship have made a lasting impact on our community.

We wish them every success with their graduation, upcoming exams and future endeavours. It has been a true pleasure to know each of them, and they will be greatly missed within our Pipes & Drums family.

Daniel Staley
Director of Pipes & Drums