Wow! What a BIG WEEK!  

Arts Week was a blast! On Monday, the Wurundjeri Women Dance Group, Djirri Djirri, visited the Junior School for a full-day workshop with students. The day opened with two dances, Welcome and Country (Biik), illustrating the six layers of Country:  

• Biik Ut – Below Country 
• Biik-Du – On Country 
• Baanj Biik – Water Country 
• Murnmut Biik – Wind Country 
• Wurru Wurru – Sky Country 
• Tharangalk Biik – Star Country, Bunjil’s home 

After the performances, Barbreck students ventured into the Junior School Auditorium for a cultural education workshop where Auntie Mandy shared stories about local Wurundjeri culture, values, seasons, songs, language, and her family heritage. 

The rest of the day saw students collaborating in mixed groups during a dance workshop. They learned about the emu feather belts and possum belts, their significance, and the responsibilities tied to earning them. The workshop also covered important ceremonies, the embroidering of skin belts, totems, and an ancient dance with clapsticks mimicking animals such as the platypus, emu, and the eel. Students also discovered that “Djirri Djirri” means “Willy Wagtail” in Wurundjeri, and they learned the Djirri Djirri dance. Students were quizzed on their recall of the local aboriginal language learned throughout the sessions, and they had the chance to feel Mikayla and Kira’s possum skin belts. 

On Tuesday, Year 6 students performed their monologues from their Character Study Unit in Term 3, where they developed unique characters and wrote their own monologues for their character. The afternoon featured Year 3 making music in the Auditorium, with solo and ensemble items guided by Mrs Lisa Cook, Mr Lyndon Chester, and Ms Kristen Dhono Isworo. The Year 3 Cohort performed beautifully.

Adam Arnold, composer of Pirates Revenge, also visited the Year 5 Band rehearsal to conduct a workshop in preparation for their Bands Blast performance in the evening. Bands Blast was sensational, with high-level performances from School ensembles. Junior School students were involved in both Junior and Senior ensembles, including the Year 5 Concert Band, Barbreck Concert Band, Barbreck Flutes, Junior School Percussion Ensemble, and the Years 6, 7 and 8 Concert Band. The chance to watch Senior School ensembles perform was a valuable learning experience for our young musicians.  

On Wednesday, the whole Junior School and teachers participated in a mass choir rehearsal for the Arts Week Assembly, singing Kakadu by Sherelle Eyles. Barbreck sang in rounds, creating a wonderful morning of music. Later, Years 4 and 5 students joined a fun dance and drama workshop with Ms Kristen Dhono Isworo and Ms Lucy Mason. This collaboration broke the ice between the Years 4 and 5 students, as they prepare for the Years 5 and 6 production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid JR. in Term 2, 2025. 

On Thursday, students enjoyed Barbreck’s Got Talent after lunch, with Charity Day adding to the excitement. Congratulations to all the talented performers and winners — you were fantastic! The Junior School talent is truly remarkable. 

We closed Term 3 today with the Arts Week Assembly. It featured performances from Barbreck Strings, Petite Strings, Barbreck Strings Quartet, Langley Choir, Heyington Choir, Epstein Choir, and a Massed Whole School Choir to end the Assembly.  

Students also reflected on artwork created with artist-in-residence Bayley Mifsud (Merinda Gunya). This Arts Week Assembly also marked a farewell to Mrs Cook, our Head of Strings, who is retiring after an incredible 30 years of teaching at St Catherine’s. Lisa’s passion, expertise, and dedication have been instrumental in shaping the School’s exceptional Strings Program, leaving a lasting legacy for generations of students. We are deeply grateful for her unwavering commitment to Music education and wish her all the very best in future endeavours.  

On that note, we wrap up this chapter and look ahead to an exciting and busy Term 4, with the Junior School Concert in November.  

Happy Holidays!