PERFORMING ARTS
The Performing Arts are a powerful form of personal, social and cultural expression. The Arts pass on and renew our heritage and traditions, and help to shape our sense of identity.
Through studying the Performing Arts, students are given skills and ways to create unique ideas and images that reflect their view of the world. Students are challenged and taught to question perception, and understand how the arts enrich our emotional and spiritual lives.
Essential Skills
Creativity, collaboration, co-operation, innovation, critical thinking, adaptability, performance preparation, presentation skills, personal achievement, confidence, perseverance, resilience.
Courses
Māori Performing Arts
Music
Drama
Extension Dance
Career Pathways
There are many Performing Arts related fields of employment that naturally grow from courses in the Performing Arts (e.g. actor, theatre, television, musician, composer, teaching, film making, reviewer) but many people also pursue careers outside the arts using the analytical, creative, co-operative, entrepreneurial and problem-solving skills that have been enhanced through a learning that is grounded in the Performing Arts (e.g. project management, event planning, communications and media, music therapy)
LEVEL 1/2/3
Music Performance: Let's Play!
This music course is highly practical. You will be singing or playing every lesson either in groupwork or as a soloist. The focus is on learning how to pull music apart and how to put it back together in your own way. You will learn to be a confident and skilled musician who has a type of music in which you excel, but also has the courage and knowledge to give all types of music a go.
Using the music that you play/sing, you will learn about the mechanics of different musical styles and genres. You will start to make connections between music that you hear in films, on the stage, in games, on streaming platforms and apply these to your own work.
All Performance Music classes are multi-leveled and will look at music with various degrees of complexity (from introductory to advance levels) in the following contexts:
- Song-writing through the ages and across the world
- Storytelling through music
- Tapestry of sound
- Written sound
You will have the opportunity to choose the music that you perform and study, alongside class set works.
Entry Guidelines: No entry guidelines for Level 1 and 2. Level 2 is required for entrance to Level 3 Music. All students will be required to undertake private tuition in the primary instrument (or voice) of their choice. This will be either through the HGHS Music tuition programme (free of charge) or with an external private tutor of your choice.
Leads to: Levels 2, 3 and Scholarship Music
Teacher in Charge: Ms K Harding
UE Approved
Music Composition: Let's Write!
Whilst everyone will have the opportunity to learn basic composition skills in all Music classes, an additional Music class will be offered for composition specialists (depending on enrolment numbers). The same musical contexts will be studied, however the focus will be on creating original works of music through using improvisation, notation and recording technology.
Entry Guidelines: No entry guidelines, however all students will be required to undertake private tuition in the primary instrument (or voice) of their choice. This will be either through the HGHS Music tuition programme (free of charge) or with an external private tutor of your choice.
Leads to: Levels 2, 3 and Scholarship Music
Teacher in Charge: Ms K Harding
UE Approved
Senior Māori Performing Arts (Te Ao Haka)
(Open to all Senior students)
Our Senior Māori Performing Arts course is an exciting new opportunity for our wāhine to engage in all aspects of Te Ao Haka and performance from a Māori perspective.
Students will explore the idea of Te Ao Haka having local dialects - in movement, style, language, and content. Our wāhine will refine their understanding and use of the unique Tikanga and Reo features through opportunities that will allow them to observe and participate in performances.
This course has 20 credits Achievement Standard Assessments at NCEA Level 1 and 2.
For more information: Te Ao Haka
Entry Guidelines: Students enrolling in Senior Māori Performing Arts must actively participate and perform in the school rōpū Kapa Haka
Teacher in Charge: Ms K Harding
Extension Dance: Multi-level Dance
This course is for advance dance students who have experience in performing at a high level of a specialist dance discipline. Through this course, students will have the opportunity to choreograph solo and ensemble sequences, perform as a soloist and part of ensemble, and study the elements of dance specific to a genre or style of their choice.
Entry Guidelines: All students are required to undertake private dance tuition in their primary discipline. Entry to this course is by audition.
Teacher in Charge: To be advised
UE Approved
LEVEL 1
Drama and Production Skills: On stage and backstage
Our Level 1 Drama and Production Skills course is tailored to the interests and needs of our girls. Whether you want to specialise in a particular area of drama or production, the Drama course provides the skill and knowledge development to allow you to be the best drama practitioner you can be, both to achieve at NCEA Level 1 and to become involved in the world of theatre.
Some of the areas and skills you can choose between are:
- performing solo or group drama performances
- developing rehearsal and performance skills and techniques
- writing scripts, devising your own drama pieces and learning to direct others
- learning about different types of theatre forms
- exploring the different skills and roles that exist in performance, theatre and film
- gaining knowledge and experience of stage makeup
- gaining knowledge and experience of designing and creating costume for theatre and film
- gaining knowledge and experience of stage lighting and sound and how to use them in performance
- gaining knowledge and experience of using and creating props and sets
You will also be exposed to professional performances and have the opportunity to interact with professionals working in their fields.
You will also learn useful life skills like collaboration, creativity, problem solving, communication and expression.
Entry Guidelines: Interest in drama and performing
Leads to: Level 2 Drama, Scholarship Drama, personal enjoyment, numerous careers, university study
Teacher in Charge: Ms K Harding
LEVEL 2
Drama: Playing your Part
Our Level 2 Drama course is tailored to the interests and needs of our girls. The Drama course provides the skill and knowledge development to allow you to be the best drama practitioner you can be, both to achieve at NCEA Level 2 and to become involved in the world of theatre.
Some of the areas and skills you can study are:
- performing solo or group drama performances
- rehearsal and performance skills and techniques
- writing scripts, devising your own drama pieces and learning to direct others
- in-depth understanding of a complex theatre form
- exploring the different skills and roles that exist in performance, theatre and film
You will also be exposed to professional performances and have the opportunity to interact with professionals working in their fields.
You will also learn useful life skills like collaboration, creativity, problem solving, communication and expression.
Entry Guidelines: Level 1 Drama helpful but not essential
Leads to: Level 3 Drama, Scholarship Drama, personal enjoyment, numerous careers, university study
Teacher in Charge: Ms K Harding
LEVEL 3
Drama: All the World’s a Stage
Our Level 3 Drama course is tailored to the interests and needs of our girls. The Drama course provides the skill and knowledge development to allow you to be the best drama practitioner you can be, both to achieve at NCEA Level 3 and to become fully engaged in the world of theatre.
Some of the areas and skills you can study are:
- performing solo or group drama performances
- advanced rehearsal and performance skills and techniques
- devising your own conceptual drama pieces
- interpreting significant plays
- writing one-act play scripts
- learning to direct others
- in-depth and insightful understanding of a complex theatre form or drama practitioner
You will also be exposed to professional performances and have the opportunity to interact with professionals working in their fields.
You will also learn useful life skills like collaboration, creativity, problem solving, communication and expression.
Entry Guidelines: Level 2 recommended but not essential
Leads to: Scholarship Drama (to be taught in conjunction with Level 3), numerous careers, university study, personal enjoyment
Teacher in Charge: Ms K Harding
UE Approved
FUTURE CAREERS
Actor, Arts administrator/management (includes box office, concert series, programming house manager), Conductor, Band/choral director (schools, military, theatre, community, resorts, cruise companies), Performer or Collaborative musician (orchestra, accompanist, repetiteur, musical theatre, recording/session musician), Copyist, transcriber, arranger, Designer (sets, costumes, lighting), Wardrobe designer/manager, Digital score recordist/Media development, DJ, Director (film, theatre, TV), Educator (K-12, college, university, conservatory, religious organizations, private studio), Electronic and Digital production and design (including audio engineering, mastering, mixing, music directing, producing, program directing, programming, recording engineer, studio manager, MIDI technician), Entertainment lawyer; music business lawyer, Entertainment journalist, features writer, Event production, management, planning, direction, Film scoring (Composing, editing, supervising, arranging/adapting, mixing, conducting, orchestrating, synthesis specialist, theme specialist), Fundraiser, grant writer, Instrument builder, designer, tuner, Librarian, Lyricist, Make-up Artist, Marketing/promotion, Music agent/artist representative/talent representation (booking, management), Music critic or reviewer, Music for game development, Music licensing, publishing and clearance, Social worker, Music therapist (injury prevention and intervention), Youth and community worker, Public relations agent or coordinator, Radio/TV – programming, research, management, Songwriter/producer (including composer, lyricist, producer; jingle writing for television, radio and internet; freelance work; librettist), Screen writer (film, TV, advertising), Playwright, Sound mastering/recording (Sound engineer, producer, technician)