Over the recent Cup Weekend, the Carey Middle School Performing Arts Tour visited East Gippsland for the first time, with performances in Bairnsdale, Eagle Point, Paynesville and Stratford.
This means that over the 20 years of these tours, we have covered quite a wide area of Victoria. Performances have been given in Bacchus Marsh, Ballarat, Bendigo, Bright, Chiltern, Cohuna, Echuca, Elmore, Hepburn Springs, Kerang, Kyabram, Lockwood South, Myrtleford, Port Fairy, Warrnambool, Yackandandah, as well as across the border at Corowa, Deniliquin and Moama.
We give performances for schools, aged care homes and for the general public. Venues are very varied – large, small, indoor, outdoor, formal and informal – and this provides one of the great challenges of touring.
Why do we tour?
First of all, by name and definition, the Performing Arts are about performing. By presenting our program in so many locations to such varied audiences, our performers learn so much about becoming a strong and effective performer. They are challenged to communicate the story regardless of the circumstances!
Secondly, it is wonderful to get out into communities young and old and from varied backgrounds. It is great to see our students developing relationships with a range of very different audiences.
And thirdly, touring such a complex program with instruments, sound, costumes, props and lighting demands a huge amount of teamwork. No student is just there to perform! To unload a bus full of gear and have an organised performance area with all of the equipment ready to go demands a great deal of responsibility for every member of the group.
I cannot speak highly enough of the wonderful group of 38 Middle School students who participated in this year’s tour. They were an absolute pleasure to work with and to watch them setting up. Performing and then carefully packing up at the end of each performance was just so impressive. One of the great joys of this program is to witness the demonstrable growth in performance skills through the repeated shows. Each performance grew in strength and expressiveness. I’m sure the students would have left a very positive impression on the East Gippsland communities where they performed.
Martin Arnold
Head of Middle School Music
