Artistic endeavours are championed at ELTHAM, inviting each student to engage with a range of pursuits to find the ones they love. We speak to Cookie, current Year 11 international student, and Kristen McCluskey, Program Director, about how House Music nurtures passion, appreciation and mastery.
Q: What is the ELTHAM House Music program vision?
Kristen McCluskey >
We aim to provide students with the opportunity to collaborate across various year levels, developing and showcasing their artistic talents. Whether through dance, instrumental performance, choir, or chamber music, each student can display their talents or step out of their comfort zone to contribute to their house.
Q: How does the program foster musical participation?
Kristen McCluskey >
Our program nurtures a supportive environment among students — an essential component of gaining the confidence to perform. We encourage students to work together with their peers in a range of ways, from selecting songs, to choreographing dances, composing instrumental pieces and designing lighting scapes. Each project is a collaborative team effort to achieve the best possible outcome for the house, ensuring every student feels included and supported.
Q: How have you been personally challenged in the House Music program?
Cookie >
As a musician, usually a soloist, teamwork is the most useful skill I learned through the program. This requires everyone to adapt to each other during rehearsals, summarise and solve the problems.
For our instrumental performance this year, we chose a fairly hard piece. It was the first time that we played together, and even though the process wasn’t that smooth, now I'm still really impressed with how well we've done on stage.
Also in choir this year I'm the accompanist, and this is the first time I have had to accompany such a big group of people. I felt a bit nervous because I, as the accompanying, need to have a solid base for our choir to sing above. But everyone is giving me lots of support, making me feel more relaxed and confident.
Q: What do you enjoy most about the House Music program?
Cookie >
I have more chances to show myself in the music aspect, maybe also influence some others who didn’t have any interest in music before. As this is a program across Years 7 – 12, I have the chance to get to know people from different year levels in our house, listen to them and make friends with them. We learn, apply, rehearse and perform as a house, with everyone participating and supporting one another to do their best on stage.