Performing Arts
Performing Arts at Pymble Ladies’ College offers a rich program covering Dance, Music, Speech and Drama, Language Arts and Drama.
Across these individual areas, students explore their talents and passions as they delve into a wide array of artistic pursuits, discovering new forms of expression and creativity along the way.
Benefits of Performing Arts
Through collaborative projects and individual exploration, Pymble’s Performing Arts program allows students to uncover hidden talents and nurture existing passions.
The program fosters an environment of experimentation as growth, where students are encouraged to push boundaries and challenge themselves, whether they’re mesmerising an audience with their music, dominating a debate or dancing in front of a full house.
People Of Pymble
Dance
Pymble Dance offers quality dance training in a range of styles and levels, focusing on building strong, confident and artistic dancers who can balance their academic studies with their passions.
The future of Dance at Pymble is very exciting with our new dance facility starting to be built in 2024 and scheduled to be finished in late 2025. This new centre will feature six large dance studios, a performance space, meeting rooms, reception, a dance physiotherapy room and an office. Dance at Pymble incorporates six streams of dance that allow students to specifically tailor their dance experience at the College to their interest areas.
The Onstage Stream offers classes in a wide variety of dance styles, including Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Lyrical, Jazz Cheer and Musical Theatre. Our Onstage classes are accessible to all levels of dance and all classes perform at Dance Showcase.
The sidestage stream offers Technique, Dance Spin and Industry classes that build technique and skills that are designed to enhance the students onstage performance and development.
The Performance Stream offers the troupes, crews and Eisteddfod groups. All groups are selected by audition only and perform at Eisteddfods and community events.
Click here for more details.
The Ballet Stream provides classes in the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus offering Pre-Primary in Dance to Advanced 2. Students will be invited to complete a class award or an examination and have the opportunity to participate in a bi-annual ballet production and perform at the annual dance showcase.
The VET in Dance Stream offers Certificate II in Dance and Certificate III in Assistant Dance Teaching as an extension that students in both Elective Dance and Eisteddfod Groups can participate in. This stream provides an avenue for students to gain a National Qualification and is offered in Years 10 and 11.
The College offers the subject of Dance in Years 8, 10, 11 and 12 where students study dance as an artform across the areas of performance, composition and appreciation.
Drama
Students at Pymble can participate in a variety of Co-curricular Drama options.
During these classes, students hone their stagecraft and dramatic performance skills in Eisteddfod Teams, develop their improvisation skills in theatresports, explore acting, singing and dancing in musical theatre, or learn cinematography, visual special effects and film direction in filmmaking classes.
Many classes provide students with the opportunity to participate in inter-school competitions throughout the year to perform what they have learnt during their classes.
In Term 4, all Co-curricular Drama students participate in the Centre Stage Drama Festival to showcase their year’s work to their fellow students, family and friends.
Improvisation and Theatresports focuses on spontaneous and unscripted theatre, teaching students quick-thinking skills and creativity through competitive improvisation games.
Students learn the art of visual storytelling, covering various aspects such as scriptwriting, directing, cinematography and editing to produce short films.
This program develops foundational acting techniques, voice projection, movement and stage presence, culminating in student devised performance pieces.
Combining acting, singing, and dancing, this program offers foundations for performance in musical theatre, emphasising vocal technique, choreography and character development.
Students learn the skills necessary for bringing scripted and unscripted drama to life on stage, honing their skills in character, movement, accent and articulation. Each semester culminates in students competing in a range of festivals and competitions to represent the College.
Language Arts
Language Arts (LA) is a burgeoning co-curricular offering with four distinct strands – Debating, Public Speaking, Mock Law and Model United Nations. Students are welcome to participate in just one, or in all strands, although Mock Law is currently only open to students in Year 9 and above. We are thankful for our supportive parent group, and students who participate in Language Arts come to see themselves as part of the ‘LA Family’. Our four area captains are very active in nurturing others in LA and promoting our extensive activities to a wider audience.
Debating is thriving with over fifty teams in eight competitions, with entry available only via Term 4 auditions. All teams are paired with a coach and training is compulsory. We offer Social Debating to beginners as well as competition and representative opportunities. We currently have one debater who was selected for the NSW State Squad in 2024 and attended Nationals in May this year.
Language Arts also offers competition opportunities for our public speakers following Term 1 auditions. We see girls regularly progress to regional and state finals, and have had a number of national finalists in recent years. In 2023, we had a national winner and in 2024 we had a national runner up.
The third strand of LA is Mock Law. In this arena we offer Mediation, Mock Trial and, for our senior students, Mooting. Our mediators were recently grand finalists for two consecutive years and won one of those grand finals.
Lastly, we have our own Model United Nations program – Pymble Model United Nations – or PMUN. This student-led activity runs at lunchtime every Monday. We host an annual PMUN Winter Conference and in January 2024, hosted and convened the first NSWMUN for students. A MUN tradition is our biennial international MUN tour which saw students travel to Harvard in past years. We are reinstating LA tours in 2025, with a tour to attend THIMUN, The Hague.
ISDA
The Independent Schools Debating Association competition is Pymble’s premier-level competition. Selection to teams is through auditions and is open to students in Year 6 to 12. The season runs on Friday nights from February to June, with eight Pymble teams in total.
Archdale Shield
This is a high-quality debating competition run through igsa, the Independent Girls’ Schools’ Association. The Archdale season runs from May, during Terms 2 and 3. Debates are held on Tuesday evenings. There are eight teams involved from Year 7-12.
Archdale Invitational
The Archdale Virtual Invitational runs online, from Pymble, in conjunction with Archdale Shield and has junior, intermediate and senior teams.
FED
Friday Evening Debating (FED) is a friendly competition. While it started as a beginner level competition, it has developed and now involves 14 schools, with eight Pymble teams from Year 7 to 12.
Sydney Social Debating
This competition is open to our beginner debaters. Senior debaters and university coaches mentor and train teams that compete in weekly, online debates on Friday afternoons.
History
This competition is run in conjunction with the History Department.
IPSHA
IPSHA is a primary school debating competition which runs in Terms 2 and 3. The aim is for students to develop their skills with all debates held during school hours.
IDC
International Debating runs online, from Pymble, on Friday afternoons and evenings in Term 4 and is open to ISDA, Archdale and FED finalist debaters.
Classes
Social Debating classes are held on Wednesday afternoons during Semester 2 (Terms 3 and 4) and are open to students from Year 5 to 11.
Rostrum
Following Term 1 auditions, four students are selected to progress to Rostrum heats.
Junior Competition The Arts’ Unit
This competition is replacing Legacy and is designed for students in Years 7 to 9. Auditions are held in Term 1.
PESA
This competition is designed for older students with selection through Term 1 auditions.
UN Voice of Youth
This is a unique competition where students are provided topics and must present a pitch and a solution to a pressing world issue. It is run in the second half of the year and is open to all from Year 7.
Dame Enid Lyons
This is a new speaking competition for girls’ schools which is still in the planning stages. It is hoped that it will be offered for the first time in 2025. Pymble is on the planning committee. This prestigious competition has been envisioned through igsa.
Classes
Public Speaking classes are held on a Wednesday afternoon in Semester 1 (Terms 1 and 2). Students learn the basics and have opportunities to develop skills and confidence. Classes are open to students in Years 5 to 11.
Mediation
This is a highly valued competition run by The Law Society of NSW for students in Year 9 and 10. It involves role play in response to given conflict scenarios. Students learn to co-operate and communicate using active listening while developing conflict resolution skills. Selection is through audition.
Mock Trial
Mock Trial serves to introduce students to the law in a practical way and increase understanding of our judicial system. The goal is to understand the meaning of good citizenship and hone listening, reading, writing and critical thinking skills.
Mooting
This competition is run by Bond University for Year 11 and 12 students. It is designed to develop advocacy, public speaking and debating skills in a competitive environment. Students gain an in-depth understanding of the law, the meaning of legal reasoning and its application to real-world situations.
Model United Nations and Conferences
Pymble Model United Nations (PMUN) is a student-led club that meets every Monday lunchtime. PMUN runs an inter-school winter conference and launched NSWMUN in 2024.
MUNA Is a Rotary MUN competition which allows students to learn more about UN mechanisms.
Discover MUN Day is held annually at UNSW.
Evatt is a high level MUN competition, open to all, where pairs of students represent countries.
UN Negotiations, run by UN Youth, is another competition where students work in pairs and learn the value of diplomacy.
State Conference is run by UN Youth in Term 1 each year.
Biennial International Tour
Our MUN tour program commenced in 2013 with a tour to THIMUN, Singapore. It continued in 2015, 2017 and 2019 with tours to Harvard Model UN in Boston, USA, where students also visited Washington and New York. We will be attending THIMUN in The Hague in January 2025 and activities in London, Bruges and Amsterdam have also been included in the tour. We are proud of the fact that Pymble will be the first Australian school to have been accepted into this United Nations endorsed THIMUN Model UN conference.
Music
Pymble has a long tradition of excellence in music and offers an array of bands, choirs, orchestras and ensembles for students to join, as well as private music tuition.
Music Tuition
At Pymble we are fortunate to have more than 40 highly qualified specialist music teachers and performers who provide private instrumental and voice lessons.
Students are also encouraged to present for the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB), Trinity College or ABRSM examinations. Pymble consistently rates in the top five schools in the state by the AMEB for outstanding results.
Scholarships
The College offers full Academic Music Performance Scholarships each year for students entering Year 7, as well as a number of one year private tuition scholarships in Senior and Junior categories, Piano, Pipe Organ and Double Bass to current Pymble students.
Pymble Musicians’ Program
A support, monitoring and mentoring program for the music scholars and other identified musically gifted students, studying and performing on their instrument at a very high level. Entry is by invitation or application.
Harpsichord Development Project
Following the acquisition of a magnificent double manual Ruckers-style Harpsichord in 2013, interested piano students are able to participate in intense study of harpsichord techniques and specialist repertoire to further enrich and expand their keyboard studies.
In addition, a small group of students are afforded the opportunity to form a small Baroque ensemble to explore playing techniques and styles of this period.
Overseas Music Tours
Overseas Music Performance tours are offered every two to three years, operating on a rotational basis between Strings and Choir or Bands.
Year 4 Training Band
A curriculum class program to learn a band instrument (woodwind/brass/percussion) and become part of the Year 4 Training Band.
Stanhope Band
Concert Band: Open to students who have been learning a band instrument (woodwind/brass/percussion) for over a year. This band is a progression from the Year 4 Training Band.
Grainger Band
Concert Band: Open to Year 5 and 6 students who play a band instrument (woodwind/brass/percussion) at a proficient level.
Junior Jazz Band
An auditioned ensemble targeting students to learn the style of jazz music. These students must be part of the larger concert bands.
Middle School Concert Band
Concert Band open to students in Years 7 and 8.
School Concert Band
A large Concert Band open to students from Year 9 to Year 12, with some additions from Years 7 and 8 if they choose to be in two groups.
Symphonic Wind Ensemble
An auditioned group for band instrumentalists (woodwind/brass/percussion) who play at a standard equivalent to AMEB Grade 6. These students must be part of the School Concert Band.
Senior Jazz Ensemble
Open to students in Year 7 to Year 12 12 wishing to play jazz standards. Students must be part of one of the larger concert bands.
Stage Band
Auditioned band catering to jazz genre. Students must be part of one of the larger concert bands.
Piccoline Choir
Singers from Year 1 and Year 2.
Junior School Choir
Singers from Year 3 to Year 6.
Year Choir
Curriculum program offered to all students in the Junior School.
Capella Chamber Choir
Auditioned singers from Year 5 and Year 6. These students must be part of the Junior School Choir.
School Choir
Open to all singers from Year 7 to Year 12.
Pymble Chorale
Auditioned vocal ensemble for students from Year 8 to Year 12. Students must be part of the School Choir.
- College String Quartets
- Flute Trio
- Clarinet Trio
- Flute Ensemble
- Clarinet Ensemble
- Brass Ensemble
- Percussion Ensemble
- Baroque Ensemble
Pizzicato Strings
Open to string players in Years 1 and 2.
Year 3 String Program
A curriculum class program where students can learn a string instrument and become part of the Year 3 String Orchestra.
Brumby String Orchestra
Open to string players in Year 4 to Year 6, and some Year 3 students who have been learning music for a while.
Hindson Chamber Strings
Auditioned string orchestra open to students in Year 4 to Year 6, and some Year 3 students who have been learning music for a while. These students must be part of the Brumby String Orchestra.
Junior String Quartet
Auditioned group of four string players.
Senior Chamber Strings
Auditioned ensemble open to students from Year 7 playing at a level beyond Grade 6 AMEB. These students must be part of the Senior String Orchestra.
Senior String Orchestra
Open to all string players from Year 7.
Symphony Orchestra
Auditioned ensemble for string and band (woodwind/brass/percussion) players. These students must be part of the Senior String Orchestra.
Speech and Drama
Speech and Drama provides the foundation for public speaking and performance. From Year 2 to Year 12, the course teaches students skills to develop creativity, build confidence and establish the techniques of public performance and presentation.
There are two main streams in the course:
- Speech and Performance
- Voice and Communication
There is also an option to adapt Speech and Drama for students who need English-as-a-second-language (ESL) support.
Students are encouraged to present for the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB), as well as many other performance opportunities, with Pymble Speech and Drama students consistently achieving outstanding results.
Speech and Performance
Speech and Performance is a formative syllabus designed to develop interpretative and performance skills across a broad range of styles, genres and eras. Students will achieve secure vocal technique, integrated physical response and imaginative and insightful presentation of texts. They will develop the skills required for interpreting to audiences in a variety of performance spaces. Each grade provides structured and sequenced learning opportunities.
Voice and Communication
Voice and Communication is designed to support students in getting their message across by developing voice and communication skills for both everyday life and the professional sector.
The grades for junior students are designed for the progressive development of integrated performance and communication skills. Students enjoy a wide choice of repertoire and are actively encouraged to develop their own performance programs comprising texts and self-written material.
The core study areas in the Senior grades cover voice, drama, public speaking, interpretation of text, improvisation, speech writing, expressive reading, characterisation, storytelling, poetry performance, story writing and discussion skills.
Advanced students
Advanced students benefit from completing the Certificate CVCA and the Associate Diploma in Professional Communication APCA, a recognised qualification in academic and business spheres.
AMEB examinations in Speech and Performance or Voice and Communication can be taken by students as an integral part of the course. The two AMEB examination syllabuses assess dramatic performance and communication skills. Students will study a program at a level that will extend their competence.
Other performance opportunities, such as participation in eisteddfods, are also offered.
