go here for news about what’s coming up AT PRESHIL.

LATEST NEWS

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anton gerner

Here is a sneak preview of the box made by Anton Gerner for Australia’s first banknote which was on display at the World Stamp Expo, Royal Exhibition Building Melbourne. Award winning craftsman Anton Gerner was commissioned by Coinworks to produce a presentation box.
Anton made this very special box for Australia’s first Commonwealth banknote, which is going to be offered for sale for around $3.5m.

You can read about the news here at the ‘Age‘ and numberonenote.com
There was a story on at 7pm on the ABC TV News, Wednesday 1 May about the banknote and the box he has made from rare Burl Myrtle and Huon Pine.  We will post a link if it becomes available.

Congratulations Anton!
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rupert guenther

Rupert Guenther, known to many from his Preshil days as Paul Gunter, is the Founder of Integrated Contemporary Performance.

“I am thrilled to share that our Classical Improvisation Teacher Training program has been recognised by the State’s school instrumental music education division, namely the School of Instrumental Music (SIM) in Perth, Western Australia.

We are now training the State’s instrumental teachers in this simple yet highly effective method of classical improvisation. It allows classical music students (and teachers, and all classical musicians in fact) to begin a lifetime enjoying making their own original creative classical music, whether at home, at school, on their own CDs, or on the concert hall stage.

This hugely significant step opens the door at last for classical music to meet the creative/inspirational needs of generations of its musicians to express themselves – to give flight to their own feelings, ideas, and sounds, just as a painter paints their own inspirational pictures onto a canvas. It ends the limit imposed for centuries of being bound to the equivalent of reproducing pictures by Rembrandt over and over, while at the same time it recognises the value and skill-sets of the traditional classical training and brings them to new life.

We welcome and commend the team at SIM for their insightful and innovative vision, and being in the vanguard of fostering a new future for classical music – a bright and exciting future of original classical artists who have found and express their own music in their own voice.”

Rupert is a concert artist, composer & teacher and offers personal & professional development, personal mentoring, sacred sound & new paradigm leadership. For more information please email Rupert at omshanti@rupertguenther.com or visit his website at www.rupertguenther.com

Rupert will be in Melbourne in July for the AUSTA Conference – So keep an eye out for surpise gigs!

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Tess McKenzie (Cohort 2004)

Slade School of Fine Art in London

My name is Tess E. McKenzie and I am a 2004 Preshil graduate. I am a practicing and exhibiting artist based in Melbourne, and I studied towards a Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) majoring in Sculpture and Spatial Practice at the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne. Since graduating in 2009 I have exhibited nationally.

I have recently been accepted to undertake a MFA in Fine Art degree at the prestigious Slade School of Fine Art in London. Past alumni of this school include; Martin Creed, Tacita Dean, Antony Gormley, Rachel Whiteread, Ian Fairweather and Ben Nicholson. This offer to study towards a Masters degree in the United Kingdom is extremely exciting, and a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any artist. I will move to London for the duration of this two-year degree, which commences in September of this year.

However, there are various challenges involved in undertaking this program of study. This is why I am seeking financial assistance to help cover the cost of the substantial (international) tuition fees, living costs, and the establishment of my new studio in London.

I visited Slade in May/June 2012 and instantly felt an affinity with the Sculpture department and the school’s staff. Both the Slade School and University College London (of which Slade is a faculty) have a great deal to offer my future practice as a visual artist in terms of tuition by internationally renowned artists, research facilities and resources, technical and conceptual education and established networks.

Since returning to Melbourne from the UK, I have thoroughly researched potential funding avenues and scholarships that would support my participation in the two-year MFA (Sculpture) program. Unfortunately there are very few scholarships available to me both within Australia and the United Kingdom.

I am continuing to pursue all avenues of funding for duration of my study at the Slade School of Fine Art, and I would greatly appreciate any assistance or suggestions of trusts, companies or individuals that may be able to help me in any way.

If you are interested in my practice you can visit my website which has an archive of works and exhibitions.
www.tessemckenzie.com

I would be very grateful if anyone in the Preshil community has any suggestions relating to my aforementioned circumstances, and if appropriate, could forward my details to anyone who may be able to offer me assistance or support with my tuition fees, relocation, or associated living costs.

I can be contacted on my mobile or by email if you would like any further information.
T: +61 439 463 970
E: tess.mckenzie@gmail.com

Tess E. McKenzie

Katherine Hattam

Landscape of longing: Shoreham 1950–2012
Until 21 April 2013

A Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery exhibition

“Landscape of longing draws together an impressive array of new and rarely seen paintings and drawings by three generations of artists from one Melbourne family –Hal Hattam, Katherine Hattam and William Mackinnon. Produced in response to their rambling house and beach holidays at the small coastal hamlet of Shoreham, each of the artists have revisited, photographed, drawn, painted and pondered this idyllic setting over a sixty two year span.”

For more information about the gallery click here.

Tin Pan Orange (Alumni Jesse Lubitz 1993, Emily Lubitz 1994)

Wed 7 November – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Thu 8 November – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Tinpan Orange are on their National Tour in support of their new album ‘OVER THE SUN’. The highly ambitious new work from recent Triple J Unearthed winners Tinpan Orange was released in September. The band will be taking the new album on the road. For more information or about their concert dates in other states please visit here.

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James Tutton (Alumni)

James attended Preshil during primary school at Arlington and went on to become the founder of Moonlight Cinema. He is now a director of Neometro, a Melbourne based property development group. More recently, inspired by some of his fond memories in the 5s at Arlington, he became Co-founder and director of Smiling Mind. James and Project Manager Lucy Richards, presented Smiling Minds at Arlington earlier this week as an introduction to supporting their pilot program for schools… so more about that soon.

Smiling Mind aims to help young people develop a sense of calm, clarity and contentment. The Smiling Mind program is a tool to lower stress, increase resilience and positively impact mental health and wellbeing. Smiling Mind has created a world first initiative – a free Mindfulness Meditation website and App for young people.

James, along with co-founder Jane Martino, is launching Smiling Mind with a (mindful) bang, and they need your help to make it happen. Some of their Ambassadors also include another Preshil Alumna Clare Bowditch along with Brett Kirk (former Sydney Swans captain), Fuzzy Agolley (Video Hits, The Voice), Jules Lund (Fox FM), Simon McKeon (2011 Australian of the year) and Dr Andrew Rochford (The Project)

Smiling Mind has created a world first initiative – a free Mindfulness Meditation website and App for young people.
To generate media interest and word of mouth around this exciting launch, they are on the hunt for a large group of people to join them in Melbourne’s first ever “med mob”. That’s right, they are staging a five minute mass meditation at Federation Square.
To be part of this very special event, all you need to do is show up, take a seat, close your eyes and be taken through a Smiling Mind guided meditation.

Can your Smiling Mind take five and take part?

Date: Tuesday, 2 October

Time: 10.00am for 10.30am start (concludes by 11am)
Location: Federation Square | Swanston Street Forecourt | Flinders Street, Melbourne

Contact lucy@smilingmind.com.au to confirm your attendance. We will be in touch with further details on Wednesday, 26 September so watch your Inbox!

You are welcome to bring along friends and share this message with anyone you think might be interested.

Thanks in advance,
The Smiling Mind team

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Clare Bowditch (Cohort 1993)

Clare launches (September 14) her awesome new album ‘The Winter I Chose Happiness’ Her next series of concerts in Melbourne are:

October 25 – The Regal Ballroon, Melbourne
October 26 – The Regal Ballroon, Melbourne
October 27 – Drama Theatre at GPAC, Geelong
December 08 – Arts Centre, Melbourne

For tickets and more information click on here but hurry cause they sell out fast!! You can also visit her website here for more news and some great interviews. Clare recently completed a series of interviews on happiness with guests Missy Higgins, Goyte, Stephanie Dowrick and and Dr Rober Holden.

Clare is also an Ambassador for ‘Smiling Mind’, James Tutton’s recent world first initiative creating a free Mindfulness Meditation website and App for young people, which launches in Federation Square on October 2. (Details Above)

Follow Clare on Twitter, Facebook or Youtube

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Teresa Duddy (Cohort 2004)

Tess is a freelance Soprano and has a Master of Music. Vocal Performance from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.

PRESHIL NURSERY MUSIC AND CHOIR
We had the recent pleasure of welcoming Tess back to Preshil to take our Nursery Music class and our 8s, 9s, 10s and 11s Friday Choir Elective.

Tess writes …

“I have been taking “music class” in the Nursery school twice a week for the past couple of months. The children are wonderful listeners and very quick learners. We have been working on a variety of musical concepts, and they can all now demonstrate to me such ideas as Rhythm, Melody, Harmony, Dynamics, and Duration. Along with musical games we have learned some new songs such as Edelweiss and Do a Dear, and I have discovered some very enthusiastic singers! It has been an incredibly joyful couple of months, and the children seem to be excelling with their musical skills as well as having some fun.

I have had the pleasure of taking the Choir Elective this semester. The girls and I have worked on many new songs including Hallelujah, Lean on me, I can see clearly now, One heart beating, Ipharadisi, and Yonder come day. All songs have had various vocal parts, and I have been very impressed with the ensembles musical skills in harmonisation, and speed at which they can pick up new pieces. Their passion for performance was also demonstrated when we talked about putting on a show – a plan for next time I hope! This week the choir will perform for the Nursery school some of the songs that they have learned”.
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DYLAN BRADY (Cohort 1988)

Dylan’s latest project is an iconic and enchanting new art facade for the newly opened Wintergarden Shopping Centre in central Brisbane. The facade covers three sides of a city block and is a complex study of wintergardens, biology, geometry and layering. The Wintergarden Facade has been shortlisted for the 2012 Melbourne Design Awards.

As one of the founding members and directors of the architectural firm studio505, Dylan is known for his cutting-edge design capabilities with recent projects including the innovative naturally ventilated ward design for the 980 bed Ng Teen Fong (NTF)General Hospital in Singapore and design of the Wujin Grand Theatre and Youth Palace in China.

Through his leadership in the design of Grocon’s carbon-neutral Pixel Building in Melbourne, the first carbon neutral office building in Australia, the project was awarded Winner: Built Environment at the 2011 Premier’s Sustainability Awards. The Pixel Building is also now short-listed for the Premier’s Design Awards.

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GERALDINE FRATER (Cohort – 1995)

Fashion Runway – Holiday Course Launch for 15 – 17 yr olds

Monday 1 to Friday 5 October, 9am to 4.30pm
The Textile & Fashion Hub Kangan Institute
Building F 85 Cremorne Street, Richmond

Geraldine attended Preshil for Years 7-10, leaving due to a lot of overseas travel, she continued her VCE studies by correspondence but with some of her exams held at Preshil in 1994/95. She has worked with many project managers and producers who have also attended Preshil.

Geraldine has an event production company in East Melbourne and her main client is L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival. The company delivers their entire Festival each year and also produces designer shows for Australian Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week. Currently she is promoting the Runway Production School which was created because they are firmly committed to helping the next generation of industry talent and understand that to work and become successful in runway production, practical knowledge and experience is vital.

She also believes it is a great stepping stone for students who may be interested in fashion but not have a great understanding of the different roles available and how to further their study after VCE. The course moderator, Daniel Pizzato, has worked for 5 seasons as the BOH Production Manager for London Fashion Week. you can read more about the course and Event Gallery either here in this link or in the neighbourhood section of the eBulletin.

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JANE SAWYER (Cohort – 1977)

SLOW CLAY CENTRE – SPECIAL HOLIDAY CLASS!

Tuesday 2 and 3 October, 10am – noon

13 Keele St, Collingwood

Slow Cay Centre will be running a special holiday class. Kids will get a pottery wheel to use and also the opportunity to work off the wheel if they prefer. They will learn about the different qualities of the stages of the process from making, joining, painting and finishing and all within a gently guided atmosphere of open exploration of the material, clay. Limited to 12 places.
Cost: $140 for the two sessions. 
Tutor: Jane Sawyer

AFTER SCHOOL CLASS

Thursdays from 4.15 – 5.45pm (Starting October 11)

13 Keele St, Collingwood

We will also run an after school class inTerm 4 
Tutor: Louise Morrison.
Please email info@slowclay.com for details or to enrol or phone 0418 106 039.
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Lisa Gorton

LAUNCH OF BITTERSWEET – free event with poetry readings at The Melbourne Writers Festival

Friday 24 August, 7.00 pm
Yarra Room

Lisa Gorton lives in Melbourne. Her first poetry collection, Press Release, was shortlisted for the Melbourne Prize Best Writing Award and the Mary Gilmore Prize, and won the Victorian Permier’s Prize for Poetry. Lisa has also been awarded the Vincent Buckley Poetry Prize. Her children’s novel, Cloudland, was one of the Age Critics’ Choice Books of the Year in 2008. Lisa completed a Doctorate on John Donne at Oxford University and received the John Donne Society Award for Distinguished Publication in Donne Studies. Her second poetry collection, Hotel Hyperion, is forthcoming from Giramondo. Her novel, Heritage, is forthcoming from Scribe.

About this event
Your regular coffee now comes with an added legal stimulant – poetry. During the festival, inside sugar sachets at cafés across Melbourne, you’ll find a poetry scroll from one of Melbourne’s finest wordsmiths, including the late Dorothy Porter, Chris Wallace-Crabbe, Jessica Raschke, Angela Costi, Ali Alizadeh, Lisa Gorton, Cameron Lowe, Jeltje, David McCooey, Emilie Zoey Baker and Kevin Brophy. Come sweeten your coffee and your mind at the launch with the project’s coordinator, Jessica Raschke, and host berni m janssen. Proudly supported by Arts Victoria.

AT THE MELBOURNE WRITERS FESTIVAL
27 – 30 Aug 2012 .
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EMMA BORLAND (Cohort – 1984)

Click on the thumbnails for larger image.

Growing up at Preshil in the 70s and 80s was a unique experience.

Often I am reminded of the significance Preshil has in my life. In my arts practise I have built on the basic principles taught to me in clay classes in the 10s and 11s.

Preshil has had a profound influence on my creative outlook both as a person and as an artist. I am very grateful for the foundation I received in this unique environment.

Emma Borland is opening a professional Hand Made Glass studio in the Dandenong Mountains with her partner Mark Ammermann. She completed her Master of Fine Art candidature at Monash University in 2011. Emma and Mark are full time professional glass artists. Their work is highly acclaimed and they have received many prestigious awards. The work ranges from Architectural installations, sculpture, hand blown art glass and fused glass panels. They are also available for commissions. You can view some of her fused kiln formed glass work here.

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Cressida Batterham-Wilson (Cohort 1988)

This week we would like to warmly welcome our new Registrar Cressida Batterham-Wilson.

Cressida has a long history with the school; she is the daughter of Mondie Wilson former student and former chairman of the school council. Cressida attended Preshil for all of her schooling, and although Mug banned her from Arlington during her teenage years as her sense of style was thought to scare the littlies, and perhaps their parents, she returned to Arlington after completing year 12 and taught there for a time.She started Preshil in the 4s in 1975 and finished year 12 in 1988.
For any enrolment enquiries you can telephone her on 9816 7901 or
 email registrar@preshil.vic.edu.au

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ANTON GERNER (Cohort – 1987) EXHIBIT

ANTON GERNER AT DESIGN: MADE: TRADE

Design Made Trade This weekend!

19-22 July 10-5pm (Public 21-22 July)

Royal Exhibition Building

9 Nicholson St, Carlton

Get along this weekend and visit Anton and see some of his beautifully crafted pieces. DESIGN:MADE:TRADE is a diverse and inspiring trade exhibition space, including some of Australia’s leading furniture, fashion, textile, graphic and industrial design brands. For more information visit their website here or check out Anton’s website here.

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Kelvin Officer (Cohort – 1979)

Dr Kelvin Officer (Preshil Class of 1979) is a Director of Navin Officer Heritage Consultants, a cultural heritage consultancy, specialising in digging up, recording, and collecting old stuff, and getting paid to do it. His doctorate investigated the archaeological analysis of Aboriginal rock art by reinventing the concept of style (no, really). Kelvin has worked in the field of consulting archaeology for 24 years and has been involved in over 800 projects. It is a constant fascination how the past (which only exists as a concept), remains a powerful and always emergent social dynamic.

We hope to see you all there!

The Margaret E. Lyttle Foundation warmly invites you to the 5th ANNUAL ORATION Presented by Dr Kelvin Officer ‘Predicting the Past – making stories out of left-overs’.

Tuesday, August 28, 8.00pm
Kevin Borland Hall
Rear, 395 Barkers Road, Kew
RSVP: August Thursday 23

We hope to see you all there!

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JANE SAWYER (Cohort – 1977)

SLOW CLAY CENTRE – FORMAL OPENING!

Friday, 22 June, from 6.00pm

13 Keele St, Collingwood

Join Jane Sawyer an Alumna and Art teacher of Preshil has established a new ceramics school, the Slow Clay Centre, in Collingwood, which is being formally opened tonight.

It is now open for bookings for adult and children’s classes for Term 3. There is a children’s Clay Club (for 8 year olds up) on Thursdays after school or Saturday mornings and plenty of adults classes to choose from too.

Slow Clay Centre specialises in ceramics education of all descriptions and is a centre for excellence run by practising professionals. In true Preshil style, all classes are open-ended, developmentally instructive and not product-prescriptive!

For more information please click on the website link www.slowclay.com or email Jane on info@slowclay.com

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JAMES ADLER

COSI – ONE PUBLIC SHOW ONLY!

Sunday, 13 June, 8.00pm

Revolt, 12 Elizabeth Street, Kensington

Tickets on sale Thursday, 17 May from 1.00pm click here to book

Directed by James Adler

Stage Management by Andi Snelling

Set By Colin Craig

Costumes by Brooke Smith harris

Music by Ashleigh Southam

Cosi has the potential to be a beautiful and insightful play about the painful isolation of mental illness and the therapeutic value of artistic collaboration. Unfortunately many productions end up being an awkward blend of stereotypes and farce.

I think with this versi…on we’ve licked the problem. The actors have thrown so much of themselves into it that when the characters of Cosi trip and stumble – we fall with them and when they finally rise to the challenge of performing their opera their victory is ours.

The most beautiful and yet painful thing about the play is that there is no illusion about art being a cure for mental illness – the patients of this play are not cured but what they do get is at least a moment of joy and a chance to share their stories.

Set against the backdrop of the greatest political movement of living history, the Vietnam Moratorium, the play is a stunning reminder that humanism and politics exist in every relationship and interaction we have with our fellow beings.”

Nick Hall

SCHOOLS OUT! – END OF SEMESTER PARTY

Saturday, 30 June, from 9.00pm

1st Floor, 393 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy

Nick Hall (Cohort 2010) is the singer of Midi Widow, a Syn-Rock band.

Midi Widow + Guests are celebrating the ‘End of Semester, End of Exams’

Join them for a great night!

Check out their website for more details here.

CLARE BOWDITCH

Clare Bowditch made her TV acting and singing debut on Offspring (Channel 10 – Australia) this week, as Rosanna Harding.

Clare wrote ‘You make me Happy’ especially for the TV show Offspring and it is her new single. The release date for the single is Friday, 25 May.

Click here to have a sneak peak of the song or click here to go directly to Clare’s facebook page and ‘like’ her song

CAMERON LEE (Cohort – 1993)

GREEN HAT WORKSHOP

Deepdene Scout Hall

Sunday, 20 May, 11.00am – 4.00pm

Cameron Lee an Alumni of Preshil is running one of his free ‘PLANKS’ Building Events.

‘PLANKS’ is a dynamic, open ended, multi aged, creative building activity for Junior School aged children.

Please come along and have some fun creating, designing all manner of constructions with Green Hat’s collection of precision cut building PLANKS.

For more information, click here to read more…..

Gwen Ford (13/02/1941 – 26/03/2012)

PAST STAFF (1987 – 1994 )

(Gwen)”Ford attended La Trobe University in the 1970s and graduated with a BA in English and a diploma of education. She taught at Preshil, drawn by the school’s focus on social awareness and creativity. Several students remained her friends and saw her as a lifelong mentor.” Article from Monday’s Age….. Read more

CUSH PHILLIPS (Cohort 1978)

After completing her entire education at Preshil, Cush graduated as a member of the first Year 12 class to complete their secondary education at Preshil. Cush travelled extensively after her secondary schooling and studied at a variety of international locations including Laban Summer school in London and completed a Graduate Diploma in movement and dance at Melbourne University. Since that time she has maintained a close professional and personal connection with the school through her work with Arlington children following her passion of creative dance.

In addition to her work at Preshil, Cush also teaches creative dance and ballroom dance classes in her own studio in Canterbury – Dalmaine Dance Studio. Her creative dance classes for children from 5 years of age allow imagination and confidence to develop without the constrictions of competition or technical standards. In contrast, these classes emphasize self-expression, creativity and dramatic interpretation through dance.

The Ballroom and Social Dancing courses for teenagers cover a variety of dance styles and incorporate instruction in social etiquette and formal conventions and run for two school terms.

For further details about after school classes or to book a place, please contact Cush on 0428 210 660.

JANE SAWYER (Cohort 1977)

Art teacher, Jane Sawyer, who is on a sabbatical year, wishes to welcome Preshil people to her new studio classes. Her popular classes run under the name ‘Slow Clay’ and she is taking the move to expand them out of her little studio at home and into a bigger space in Collingwood.

Starting off in Term 2, Jane will offer day and evening classes for adults and a Thursday after school and Saturday morning class for kids. All levels catered for.

Jane is an alumna of Preshil and started her journey with clay at Preshil. Later it led her around the world, training as a traditional apprentice in Japan and setting up her first studio in Edinburgh. She exhibits widely and has represented Australia at Collect at the V & A Museum in London. She specialises in teaching Japanese techniques on the potter’s wheel to adults and with kids she brings a distinctly Preshilian approach which is open and exploratory.

Jane will be joined by Louise Morrison, another Preshil alumna, who has trained with Jane and also in Japan.

Register your interest and ask for the Term 2 timetable email here or visit her website slow clay or further details.

JAMES ADLER (Cohort 1994)

April 27.

1 AUSTRALIAN & 2 WORLD THEATRICAL PREMIERS

Eagle’s Nest Theatre presents Böll, Lorca & Neulist.

Since 2011, with the support of the Ministry of Science, Research and Art for the state of Baden-Württemberg (Germany), Eagle´s Nest Theatre and theater in der westentasche, have been involved in an international cultural exchange.

As a result of this exchange Eagle’s Nest will be presenting the Australian Premier – Ansichten Eines Clowns by Heinrich Böll on

April 28

Then on the following night they will present the world premiers Dialog with Buñuel by Federico Garcia Lorca & Chernobyl by Annette Neulist.

EMMA AND MELANIE FASHAM (Cohort 1989 and Cohort 1991)

Fasham – The Family.

Sisters Emma and Melanie Fasham “both attribute their independence to their days at Preshil” Where they were encouraged to follow their own path and develop as individuals. They recently appeared in an article feature for the Weekly Review titled “The Family Way” They now design and build individual homes for individual clients at their family business – Fasham” Read more here.

ANTON GERNER (Cohort 1987)

Dovetailing into demand for quality

“A craftsman goes against the grain, creating timeless furniture a world away from the superstore flat-pack.” Read more

 Article from The Age – 10 March, 2012

STEPHEN BRAM (Cohort 1979)

STEPHEN BRAM’S PARALLEL COLLISIONS EXHIBITION

2 MARCH TO 29 APRIL 2012

Guided Tours, 2 March – 18 March daily, 11 am & 2 pm

From 19 March daily, 12 noon

Gallery of South Australia 2012 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art –  Free Admission - Stephen Bram – The work is a shelter!

See Stephen Bram’s latest exhibition of his work.Stephen’s work is classified as abstract. “It is not a representation of anything”.Its form is determined by the principles underlying a practice, by an idea of a kind of space, and by the limitations of circumstance.

Stephen used ordinary materials such as: wood, steel and painted plasterboard for his latest exhibition.

Curated by Natasha Bullock and Alexie Glass-Kantor.

FRANK PAM (Cohort 1944)

Please help support our Alumni Frank Pam and the Melbourne Musicians new Facebook page. Please like them and get along to their concert.

The Melbourne Musicians

Wow! Huge internet day for The Melbourne Musicians – not only have we updated our website with the concert details for this year, we finally have a Facebook page! Hope to see you at our first concert on 28 March at Melba Hall.

Eli Dance Ali (Cohort 2008)

“Eli is a member of the Preshil alumni and currently studying music at Monash University. It would be great if you could please support his soul ensemble by ‘liking’ them on facebook and get down and see them play!”

SOULFEAT is: Olaf Scott – Keys Stu West – Bass Pam Zaharias – Drums Anthony Tropea – Trumpet Simon Carter – Trombone Eli Dance Ali – Sax and Judith Perl – Vocals

KArli colosimo-Dinardo (Cohort 2011)

Congratulations to Karli on her successful application to AMDA.

AMDA is the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. AMDA is a world-renowned conservatory and college located in New York and Los Angeles. The Academy only accepts 1,000 students from the US and around the world per year. Karli has been offered and accepted a part scholarship in Dance Acting and Musical Theatre at the New York college.

We wish her well!

CLARE BOWDITCH

Tuesday 7 – Sunday 19 February, 2012

Athenaeum Theatre

Clare Bowditch will be back in Melbourne in February commemorating Eva Cassidy.

A two week season only and following the sell out early this year demand will be high so book now! An ideal Christmas present!

Nick Hall (Cohort 2010)

MIDI WIDOW

More of our wonderful and talented Preshil Alumni. Word is they are releasing their first Album early next year and have some gigs lined up too, so i will keep you in the loop.

In the meanwhile check out their website here: or find them on facebook here: Well done guys!

Was nice to see the lovely and talented Nick Hall today at Arlington, armed with stickers for midi widow.

JAMES ADLER – DON’T MISS OUT – LAST 3 NIGHTS!

A Christmas Carol – At the Athenaeum Theatre 8 – 11 December

Directed by James Adler – X-Press student (cohort of 1994)

Reconnect with family and friends and fall in love with this most loved Christmas story as you’ve never experienced it before.

Catch this stunning recreation.

www.charlesdickensperforms.com

STEPH TOUT

Photographer, Steph Tout best known for her pinhole photography work and featured alumni marries Nathan Croft, filmmaker.

Congratulations to Step Tout and Nathan Croft on their wedding day.

STEPHEN BRAM

Stephen is part of the 2012 Adelaide Biennial.

Planning a trip to Adelaide in March for WOMAD and the Adelaide Festival? The 2012 Adelaide Biennial is also on so make sure you include a visit to the exhibition Parallel Collisions at the Art Gallery of South Australia. Preshil alumnus and current Preshil dad Stephen Bram is taking part with a large installation. Details here.

Quentin Hanich (Cohort 1990)

Fisheries Governance Programme Leader - Senior Research Fellow – Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS)

After stumbling through the last years of high school and my first degree, I finally got the hang of school again in my late twenties when I studied Antarctic stuff in Hobart. I enjoyed it so much that I did reasonably well and got a real job – even cut my hair (though by that stage, it was falling out anyway so no real sell-out there).

Cin and I had spent much our twenties climbing and sailing and just generally getting the hang of things. Sailed to Moruroa to tell the French to take their nukes elsewhere. Lost weight in Nepal. Climbed most of the moderate traditional routes at Arapiles. Down-climbed various mountains in New Zealand. Very occasionally found a summit.

We then spent much of our thirties working and building these career things. I’m still not sure what my career is, but it seems to involve a lot of meeting people, reading and writing stuff, and travelling – generally in extremely tiny developing countries. For a while there, I worked for the Australian Environment Department. After a while there, I learnt that I don’t really have the temperament for bureaucracy. I’ve got lots of respect for many public servants, but I haven’t got the patience for the rules and glacial timescales that go with any large organisation. So, I resigned my permanent position and re-joined Greenpeace where I led their oceans campaign for the Antarctic and Pacific regions. I spent the next few years humbugging people in various ways to do the right thing and look after the marine environment. Sometimes I did this from the ocean. Sailing around the pacific islands region on the Rainbow Warrior to campaign for sustainable tuna fishing practices. Night watches on the equator. Tunaboats at dawn. Swimming in 4000 metres of ocean with nothing below but blue pillars of light fading into the depths. Or sailing across the sub-Antarctic on a rundown old yacht to campaign against fishing practices that were killing albatrosses. Handsteering on deck for 6,000 nautical miles. Surfing monster waves by the light of the aurora. Seven weeks of watches. Bonecold for five weeks. Strange days.

Much of the time however was spent sitting in international treaty meetings. Often in a dreaded suit. Sometimes even with a tie. Talking to lawyers and government officials. I kind of got the hang of this. Not very Greenpeace, but that’s where the decisions are made. After the inevitable burn-out, I started a Phd and took up consulting. Two beautiful children quickly followed and we were a family.

Governments, regional organisations and the odd American foundation now hire me to tell them what I think. For the past 6 years, I’ve been based in a small semi-independent oceans institute at the University of Wollongong were I lead their Fisheries Governance Programme. I work throughout the Asia Pacific region on various fisheries governance projects, mostly as a consultant, sometimes as a research academic. I guess I’m sort of a consulting academic, although I rarely teach and most of my salary is covered by my consulting work. Most of my research is on the equitable distribution of conservation, particularly as it impacts on small island developing States. For example, wealthy developed States have overfished the oceans for decades and serious conservation reductions are required. The wealthy developed States argue that developing States should not be allowed to develop their fishing industries because the wealthy developed States have buggered it all up and there aren’t enough fish left (kind of like polluter pays in reverse).  The small island developing States think otherwise.

Lots of interesting stuff there to work on. The tricky bit is not working too hard and spending as much time as physically possible at home with my beautiful family.

Christmas Concertos directed by Frank Pam (Alumni Cohort 1944)

Wednesday, November 30: Time 8.00 pm

St Johns Southgate

The Melbourne Musicians perform Christmas Concertos directed by Frank Pam at St Johns Southgate.
Playing popular concertos by Corelli, Manfredini, Torelli. Geoff Payne (Principal Trumpet MSO) and his wife Julie play Vivaldi’s brilliant Concerto for Two Trumpets.
 Tickets available at M-tix 9685 5111 or Malthouse or at the door.

JANE SAWYER’S ART WORK ON SHOW (Alumni Cohort 1971)

Thursday, November  24: Time 6 – 8pm until January 15

The Chinese Museum, 22 Cohen Pl, Melbourne.

Jane’s work will be on show at an RMIT-curated exhibition called Tooth and Nail, opening this Thursday. The exhibition runs until 15 January. It is subtitled ‘Cross Cultural Influences in Contemporary Ceramics’. The ceramic piece that is included in the exhibition has been influenced by my training in Japan when I was young and how this translates to Australian materials. It is also part of an ongoing exploration to do with connections between the body, materials and processes.

It is a non-selling, touring exhibition but if people like what they see I will have a piece for sale in the silent auction at the fair!

LAST REUNION:

On Sunday November 13 was the first reunion for graduating years 2006, 2007 and 2008. As we mentioned in the invite, Preshil has always done things a bit differently and our reunion program is upholding that tradition!!

Graduates from 2006, 2007 enjoyed a lovely afternoon of catch-up with some lovely wine and cheese. Past teachers Marisa Lawlor and Kay Hann were there along with our Principal Marilyn Smith, Business Manager Irene Nikolaidis and Communications & Development Director Bronte Howell to hear what everyone was up to.

Thank you to all those who attended. Our reunions are in an early stage so if you have any suggestions or able to help in this regard, we would love to hear from you.

ORATION:

Last week we hosted the annual Margaret E Lyttle Foundation Oration. Dr Rachel Nordlinger spoke about her work as a linguist focusing on indigenous languages and the prospect of the significant cultural loss to us all, if these rich and incredibly diverse languages disappear. Rachel was able to identify those influences and events from her time as a student at Preshil which had set her on this path to her eminent career and it was encouraging to reflect on the way the school has generated such diversity among our alumni. Margaret E Lyttle saw the school as a centre for …… click here for more.

JAMES ADLER  (Cohort 1994)

James Adler, former Preshil student, has just received the exciting news that his theatre production ‘Charles Dickens performs A Christmas Carol’ will be heading off for its European premier in Germany this coming new years eve 2012.

The production, which is returning to Melbourne at Athenaeum Theatre from Dec 8-11 this year has been a pet project of James’ for almost the last ten years.

Since leaving Preshil in 1994, James completed a Bachelor of Arts and diplomas in Modern Languages (German) and Creative Arts at Melbourne. He was lucky enough to receive a scholarship to undertake semesters of study in both Germany and Russia.

Apart from being a good student James was, during his time at uni, prolific in the student theatre scene. Since leaving Uni in 2001 James has worked full time in the community and professional arts sector (in fact he blames Preshil entirely for his obsessive need to try to build communities that foster inclusivity and the right of all individuals to an artistic voice)

In the last ten years james has cofounded three community Arts organisations and is currently the founder and artistic Director a 4th – Eagle’s Nest Theatre – When asked why he choose the eagle he says “The Eagle is a symbol of Courage – the courage to be yourself and the courage to support other’s rights to be themselves.” Eagle is also the English word for James name Adler.

This trip to Europe will not be James’ international theatrical debut – In 2009 he was fortunate enough to be able to have his play An Actor Prepares performed in New York and in Massachusetts – BUT THIS WILL BE JAMES EUROPEAN PREMIER and at this stage it looks like the show will be touring not only to Germany but also possible to Bosnia other EU countries.

We wish him and his blossoming career all the best – And if your looking for a beautiful way experience some of the sentiment of christmas without the materialist hype you may want to consider getting yourself a seat at the Athenaeum this Xmas – Who knows if things go well enough in Europe this might be the last chance you get to see this show for a while.

Reconnect with family and friends and fall in love with this most loved Christmas story as you’ve never experienced it before

More information, reviews videos etc about this critically acclaimed production can be found here. Tickets are available through ticketek 1300 795 012 ($40-$25) Charles Dickens Performs A Christmas Carol

alumni team up again for latest music video

Kess Broekman-Dattner (Class of 1996) teams up again with Clare Bowditch (Class of 1993)

The shoot for Are You Ready Yet, the new single written by Clare Bowditch and Gotye was a day that quite aptly punned that title entirely out of the stadium. As a skeleton crew did an incredible job of thinking on their feet over a huge last minute change, read more here:

Hepburn Wind Launch a huge success

Thanks to the 750 supporters who shared the day with us, we are well launched! Watch the report here and visit our Flickr gallery here.

Photo by Karl von Moller

Alumni, Dan and Scott, joined forces with Preshil parent, Simon Holmes a Court, and others, as directors of the Hepburn Wind Project. Having built Australia’s first community owned, cooperative wind farm, Hepburn Wind will not only provide renewable energy to the Hepburn region but will also provide benefits to the community and take constructive action towards energy transition. For their contribution to the development of a sustainable future, Hepburn Wind was awarded the 2011 Winner: Community at the Premier’s Sustainability Awards and just recently the Banksia Award 2011 for the Built Environment.

IDEAL CHRISTMAS GIFTS! LAURENS COOK BOOK & ECOFRIENDLY ZIP BAGS

Don’t miss out! We still have copies of Lauren Burns’ (Class of 1991) new vegetarian cook book along with her ecofriendly zip bags.

Costs of the books are $29.95; Zip Bags are $14.95

Come to our Arlington Office and have a peek, some great recipe ideas!

Proceeds of the cook book and zip bags go to purchasing seedlings for our children’s veggie garden here at Preshil.

To read more about Lauren, visit her website here.

To purchase your copy email communications@preshil.vic.edu.au or T: 9817 6135.

GRUNT – James Adler (Alumni)

Wednesday, November 2 at 8:00pm – November 12 at 11:00pm

Chapel Off Chapel

A short play presented by Pickled Productions as part of the SHORT and SWEET THEATRE festival of Melbourne 2011.

Kate Renae Kelly, (ALUMNI) James Nicholas Leslie Adler, Andi Snelling

Check out the event on Facebook here.

A christmas carol  James Nicholas Leslie Adler (Class of 1993)

Athenaeum, December 8 – 11

Preshillians – Call for help from James Nicholas Leslie Adler – Charles Dickens Performs A Christmas Carol, December 8  - 11. Please click here for more details:

“If your willing and able please re-post or re-tweet this if you can. We want to see if we can get a million people to see Mr Dickens new video. I hear that if you get a million views on YouTube you get an automatic audience with the queen.

And on a less silly note i would just love to get as many people as possible to see the new promo video – so we can get some feedback on it for the wonderful folks at wind and skye who made it for us”.

CLARE BOWDITCH at BELLA UNION

Sunday November 20: 4.00pm at the Bella Union

Get in, sit down and hang on. 

Brilliant, brave and hilarious Melbourne girls Marieke Hardy and Clare Bowditch talk about their vivid, messy, unconventional and exhilarating lives with Catherine Deveny. How they do it and the times they almost didn’t!

An afternoon of laughs, insight, broken hearts, guilty secrets, deadlines, failures, unexpected joys, great loves and heaps of swearing. 

Is there a question you’d like asked? Email catherine.deveny@gmail.com and she’ll do her best. 

Have a sleep in and wander down to Bella Union on a golden Melbourne Sunday afternoon. Grab a wine at the bar and strap yourself in for an afternoon taking a look under the bonnet of local dollies you know and love. We’ll finish around 6pm then grab an early dinner on the way home. 

Game on moles! 

DOORS AT 3PM FOR A 4PM START BOOK HERE:

TRANSFER TO RENEWABLE ENERGY

Join alumni Dan Cass (Class of 1988) and Scott Kinnear (Class of 1975) and their fellow directors and staff at Hepburn Wind, in making the transfer to renewable energy and the reduction of carbon emissions.

Victorian residents are invited to switch their electricity to Red Energy on their Community Saver plan. Red Energy is 100% owned by the Australian company, Snowy Hydro Limited. They will be buying 100% of the electricity generated by Hepburn Wind in addition to promising that Snowy Hydro Limited will match every unit of electricity you buy from Red by generating one unit of electricity from a renewable source.

Offering 10% discount off your entire bill when you pay your bills on time, Red will also contribute $12.50 for every bill that you pay on time to the Hepburn Wind Community Fund.

To find out more about this offer call 131 806 and quote ‘Hepburn Wind’ or join up online at redenergy.com.au/hepburnwind.

PAST STAFF WWOOF

Jen Clarke (past staff member at Blackhall/Kalimna) has been in touch about her amazing journey overseas this year. For those interested in a different sort of trip, she has recommended Wwoofing! Wwoofing stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms and is a scheme where you work for a few hours each day in return for full board with the host family. It is a great way to experience a taste of farming life across the world. Jen’s experiences in the UK, Ireland and France sound idyllic.

Learn more about Wwoofing here.

TAKE ACTION WITH ALUMNI AT HEPBURN WIND

Join alumni Ben Cass and Scott Kinnear and their colleagues at Hepburn Wind in taking action in A Community Campaign for Clean Energy.

For updates about renewable energy, you can sign up to their newsletter here.

INTERVIEWING OUR ALUMNI

We have had a few of our alumni in the press this year.

In this Monday’s education section in The Age newspaper, Lauren Burns from the Class of 1991 talks about her educational experience and current views on education.

To read about what she had to say you can read the article online here.

But what about you too? Please feel free start the ball rolling and tell others about your:

• favourite subject at school
• a teacher who changed your life
• what you wanted to be when you were 12
• who you sat next to at school
• the best lesson ever learnt
• and why you took the educational journey that you did?

If you’ve got a memory to share please join other alumni in the Preshil group on Facebook or email alumni@preshil.vic.edu.au

4+/-1 YEAR REUNION: 2006 – 2008 UPDATE Invites HAVE BEEN POSTED

Sunday November 13: 2.00 – 5.00 pm

Artspace, Blackhall/Kalimna

BYO alcohol and a plate to share.

Preshil has always done things a bit differently and our reunion program is upholding that tradition.

As friends are made across years and numbers are small, our 5 year reunion is actually a 3, 4 & 5 year reunion all rolled into one.

It is with great pleasure that we invite graduates from 2006, 2007 and 2008 and their teachers to catch up at a reunion in mid November.

Personal invites will be going out next term to those for whom we have current contact details. If you or someone you know hasn’t received one that means we do not have your latest contact details. Please pass on the message or have the go click here to update their details with us.

RSVP via Facebook at this closed group link to let everyone know you are coming or to post a message.

So far 14 attending and 16 maybes.

Please let everyone know!

2012 REUNIONS

New plans to be advised

If you would like to be involved in organising reunions, please feel free to contact Bronte at alumni@preshil.vic.edu.au or T: 9816 7916.

MARGARET E LYTTLE ORATION

Wednesday November 16: 8.00pm  Click here for more details..

CLASSICAL MUSIC GOES FUNK Tristan Lee (Class of 2004)

Hosted by fortyfivedownstairs, a not for profit organisation offering a funky urban performance space in Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Tristan delighted audiences at his solo piano recital last week featuring works by Mozart, Brahms, Liszt and Beethoven. Described as one of Australia’s most exciting classical exports, Tristan is now pursuing a successful career as a concert pianist  in Europe.

Following his presentation of a Masterclass earlier this month at The University of Melbourne, this one and only Melbourne concert was a prelude to his musical trio’s concert featuring piano, violin and cello at London’s Wigmore Hall on October 8.

Although this was his one and only concert performance during his visit back to Melbourne from his, now, UK based home, you can still catch him adjudicating at the LaTrobe Valley Piano Competition until September 13 .

To stay abreast with what he is now up to see his website

INSTRUMENT MAKER RECOGNISED -  Joanne Saunders (Class of 1978)

Our great instrumentalists may take years to find their voice and during that quest, they form the closest of partnerships with their instrument. ABC Classic FM

To hear about the amazing work of Joanne Saunders, another of our very talented alumni and one of the first graduates of the Preshil secondary school in 1978, tune in to the ABC Classic FM interview conducted with her in June this year.

Joanne is Australia ‘s sole instrument maker of beautifully crafted baroque recorders. More recently her designs have been informed by her research undertaken whilst on a Churchill Fellowship in which she studied tenor recorders and historical models used across the world in their design.

Joanne’s workshop at the Abbotsford Convent is where she applies her talent to produce these instruments using native Australian mulga timbers. To read more about her work click here.

PHOTO SCANNING: PRESHIL ARCHIVES

As part of this year’s 80th Birthday Fair, a display of ephemera, anecdotes and pictures from the past is being planned. Any memorabilia or stories from the past that you may have would be most appreciated.

Help is also needed to scan original photographs for creating a digital record and preserving photographs.

If you can help, could you please contact alumni@preshil.vic.edu.au

Some stories or memories have already been posted via Facebook. To view other posts or to post your own, go to the Preshil Facebook or email alumni@preshil.vic.edu.au.

TInpan orange

We have a brand new song up on JJJ Unearthed – it’s called Barcelona… You are welcome to go and have a listen and even grab a free download… We’d love for you to ‘rate’ it… here.

Tripple J Unearthed program here

ALUMNAE HELPS BUILD KITCHEN GARDEN – update

Lauren Burns (Class of 1991) has extended her kind offer to help invigorate not just the kitchen garden in the 5s but the kitchen gardens across Arlington.

As a qualified naturopath, nutritionist and herbalist, and mother of two small children, Lauren has always been passionate about food having become a vegetarian at the age of three. Her passion is now being shared with the children through her kind donation of a proportion of the proceeds from the sale of her vegetarian cookbook, Food from a Loving Home, and eco friendly zip bags to this project.

To help our spring plantings and develop your own approach to healthy eating, purchase a copy of Lauren’s cookbook to extend your vegetarian culinary skills and knowledge of natural remedies or purchase one of her eco friendly zip bags. For each book sold, $11.95 will go toward our gardens plus $7 from each bag sold.

To purchase your copy email communications@preshil.vic.edu.au or T: 9817 6135.

CONCERT FOR MUG

Wednesday September 7: 2.00 pm

As part of Music Week, children from the Primary School will be performing a concert for Mug at the Victoria Gardens Aged Care Facility. All are warmly invited to join them.

For further details please contact Susan Neilson (Arlington Music Co-ordinator) on 9817 6135 or email susanne@preshil.vic.edu.au

TERM 4 ELECTIVES

If you would like to volunteer for the Arlington elective program in Term 4, or if you have been thinking about doing this, please contact Karyn in the Arlington Office or email Kerri, our Head of Campus at Arlington at kerrim@preshil.vic.edu.au as soon as possible so she can begin planning next term’s program.

To read more about the program, see the relevant posts on our Learning at Arlington blog.

MUG AND PEOPLESCAPE

Many thanks to Lloyd Jones, past member of staff, and past parent and friend, Felicity Renowden for sharing information about the Centenary of Federation Peoplescape project and its tribute to Mug.

This project was the final event for The Centenary Of Federation celebrations involving an outdoor installation of 5000 figures on the slopes of Parliament House and Federation Mall, each figure representing individuals who had significantly impacted the lives of others, their communities or the nation. Running over a two week period in late 2001, the exhibition consisted of life size cut outs of individuals who had been selected from those nominated across the country by family, friends and colleagues. One of these cut outs was of Mug.

Those nominated came from every imaginable walk of life, both famous and unknown and included local sports coaches, a town’s historian, bushrangers, diggers, community workers, entertainers, scientists and actors, amongst others.

A blockbuster concert featuring a range of well known celebrities opened the exhibition in celebration of the lives of these Australians due public recognition, presenting their stories through song, dance, music, performance and a series of tributes hosted by Hugh Jackman.

If you have any memories or photgraphs of this project or your involvement in it, we would love to hear and document them for our archival record: E: alumni@preshil.vic.edu.au or T: 9816 7916.

STUDIO SPACE NEEDED

As many of you know and have experienced, the children in the 10s and 11s design and create the stage curtains for the Kevin Borland Hall. Since the inception of the secondary school, these curtains are rehung as part of the rituals for the valedictory dinner for these children and their colleagues on their completion of Year 12. These curtains are of tremendous significance for the school and the students who made them and the school is keen to ensure their preservation.

We are currently investigating options for digitising the curtain designs and for their storage to ensure their care. The first step of this project is to take photographic images of each of the curtains that are still in existence. This is quite a task requiring a large studio space that can accommodate the hanging of full stage curtains. We have had a few suggestions of studios that may be suitable but the costs are significant. We are looking for some support in this project and would be extremely grateful if anyone was able to assist us in providing a suitable space or supporting this stage of the project in other ways.

If you are able to assist or if you would like more information please contact Jenny and Bronte in the Communications and Development Office: E: communications@preshil.vic.edu.au or T: 9817 6135. Thank you!

IF WALLS COULD TALK

If Walls Could Talk – Preshil’s 80th Birthday Celebrations

The following extract from Penelope Bartlau, Preshil’s Artist in Residence for this year, explains the fascinating journey of the children in the 8s and 9s as they explored history in the context of the school’s 80th birthday and shared stories of Preshil and Mug through a range of artistic mediums.

The idea for the project ‘If Walls Could Talk’ was to focus on the history of Preshil, as part of the 80th Birthday celebrations. This focus was to take the form of a series of installations, based on objects, histories (oral & other) and or stories from Preshil’s past.

Our first few weeks focused on…Read more about the project ‘If Walls Could Talk’ here.

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

Thanks to Georgia Zomer for responding to our call out on the Preshil Facebook page for the lyrics to the Preshil version of the Carol, ’12 Days of Christmas’. For those who had forgotten, here they are:

Twelve twitchy tradesmen

Eleven lengthy lectures

Ten touchy teachers

Nine nasty neighbours

Eight plays an evening

Seven septic toilets

Six sexy singers

Five digit fees (five digit feeees)

Four frantic fathers

Three worried mums

Two fighting dogs

And a child stuck up in a high tree

Sounds like the last line referred to a few past students!

If you have any stories about getting stuck up a tree, literally or figuratively, please share it with us on Facebook or join us on twitter.

next FAIR PLANNING MEETING

Monday August 29: 7.30 pm

Location: Staffroom, Blackhall/Kalimna

Everyone is invited to bring wine and cake and join others at the next planning meeting for this year’s 80th Birthday Fair.

For the latest updates visit our fair planning page here.

If you can help please either come to the next meeting or email vickoz84@yahoo.com.au

FOLLOWING MISCHA

Wriitng for The Age newspaper, Mischa Merz (Class of 1981) vivdiy recounts the rebirth of Fitzroy Stars, officially known as  Melbourne Aboriginal Youth Sport and Recreation and Victoria’s only Aboriginal-run boxing gym. Read more here or read her recent commentary on bringing women’s sport into the limelight in last weekend’s Sunday Life Magazine.

Don’t forget to check our her latest book, The Sweetest Thing: A Boxer’s Memoir, $30, Seven Stories Press at your local book store or online or go to www.mischamerz.com.

Check out the music week schedule

September 5 – 9

For 80 years, music has been an integral part of a Preshil education. Come and join us this week as the students become immersed in a feast of music and song. Hear our studerns perform with the help of some of our alumni. Everyone welcome!

Full program now available here.

LEARNING ABOUT PRESHIL

Open Day

Saturday October 22: 11 – 2 pm

Please join us and bring your friends to our next Open Day so they can learn about our school.

Read about what the children say about the school here.

ORIENTATION DAYS: 5S FOR 2012

For more information visit here

LOST & FOUND MARKET – Kate Borland (Class of 1977)

Open 7 days (10am – 6pm)

Go visit Kate at her stall (number 28) at the Lost and Found Market and say hi.

Located at 12 Smith St, Collingwood, the market houses 40 market stalls crammed with all things vintage and retro including shoes, shoes, shoes…..check it out.

tales from the life of EVA CASSIDY – Clare Bowditch (Class of 1993)

August 9 – 21

Athaneum Theatre

Book your tickets now to hear Claire Bowditch (Class 1993) pay tribute to the musical genius of Eva Cassidy in the production co-written by herself and Jim McPherson, author of other biographical productions honouring John Denver, Dudley Moore and Cat Stevens.

To read about how Eva’s work inspired Claire, click here.

Read more about the show or book your tickets here.

THE MELBOURNE MUSICIANS – Frank Pam

Wednesday August 10: 8.00 pm

Alumnus from the early years and past parent, Frank Pam is conductor of The Melbourne Musicians.

To see their 2011 concert program and to book tickets go to their website.

PRESHIL THROUGH THE AGES

As part of this year’s 80th Birthday Fair, a display of ephemera, anecdotes and pictures from the past is being planned. Any memorabilia or stories from the past that you may have would be most appreciated. If you can help could you please contact alumni@preshil.vic.edu.au

Some stories or memories have already been posted on the preshil via Facebook. To view other posts or to post your own, go to the Preshil Facebook or email alumni@preshil.vic.edu.au.

CURTAINS AT PRESHIL

The making of curtains, whether it be for plays or for valedictory dinners, has been an integral part of Preshil since its early years and is associated with many fond memories. If you have nay photographs of these times or stories you could share with us we would be most grateful. This information is important to the school for many, many reasons, including the preservation and commemoration of the past but also for its significance and ability to inform the future and will form part of our archival material.

If you can help please email alumni@preshil.vic.edu.au or contact Jenny on 9816 7916 or Bronte on 9816 7904.

HAUNTED HEART - Tania Donald (Class of 1989)

Hearty congratulations on the publication of her first novel, ‘Haunted Heart’.

Haunted Heart is Tania’s first novel, and stems from a life-long love of horror and the supernatural. Inspired by the works of H P Lovecraft, J Sheridan Le Fanu, and M R James, Tania’s work is an homage to the tradition of classic supernatural fiction. Haunted Heart aspires to inject some fresh blood into the genre with a new kind of supernatural predator, and a passion for exciting and erotically-charged psychological horror. To read more click here

Tania Donald is a Melbourne-based writer and artist. She holds a Ph.D in English Literature and has worked as a freelance writer, as well as writing plays and sketches for theatre, radio and cabaret. Haunted Heart is her first novel. To learn more about Tania and her other multiple talents, click here.

The literate, fighting female - Mischa Merz (Class of 1981)

Mischa is well known in the sporting arena as an accomplished female boxer, becoming Australian Amateur champion in 2002 and winning the National Women’s Golden Gloves 138lb title, the Georgia Games championship and the Ringside World championship in the US. Having established herself as a worthy competitor in a traditionally male dominated sport in which many did not think women would be able to hold their own, she is a strong advocate for pushing the boundaries surrounding women’s boxing. As an accomplished artist and also writer of two books chronicling her experiences in the sport, her recent article in The Age evokes a vivid picture of the world of boxing and the lengths to which a writer must go to sell their book.

Tio find out more about Mischa and her work click here.

RHYTHM TREE: ALUMNI DISCOUNT

A 10% fee discount is now available for Preshil alumni enrolling their children at our Preshil venue on Thursdays. Sessions run at both 9.30 and 10.30 am. Places are still available for this term in the 10.30 am class. Feel free to pass on this information to any Preshil Alumni family who may be interested. Families are very welcome to come for a free trial class before enrolling

For families who have already paid this term’s fees, reimbursement can be made either in cash at the start of term or by bank transfer. Please send through your bank details if you would prefer the latter.

To find out more click here

EXHIBITION: GET TOGETHER - Tess Mckenzie (Class of 2004)

July 22 – August 13: Wed-Sat, 12.00 – 6.00 pm

Screen Space

Join alumnae Tess Mckenzie (Class of 2004) in her latest installation, Get Together at Screen Space in Guildford Lane, Melbourne.

Tess completed her Bachelor of Fine Art [Honours] degree, majoring in Sculpture and Spatial Practice, at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2009. Recent shows include Goodbye Yellow Brick Road at Michael Koro Galleries, Knowledge W 414 at window99 and HATCHED 09 at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art.

Tess was the recipient of the inaugural Hooker Cockram Melbourne Chicago Exchange Award in 2007 and in 2011 was awarded an Australia Council Artstart grant. She has self-published a number of publications including paper on nothing /nothing on paper in 2009. Her practice is informed by investigations into the balance between emptiness and poeticism within a single artwork.

A huge thanks also to Tess for her recent mentorship of Preshil senior school students in the preparation of their portfolios of work for their tertiary study submissions.

Thanks Lauren

A huge thank you to alumnae Lauren Burns. We now have a supply of her signature zip shopping bags available at the office and with the sale of each bag we will be giving $7 to assist catering for the Student Voice: The Student Education Conference. This initiative of the senior school Preshil students will take place on August 16 in the Hawthorn Town Hall so get in quick to buy your bag. The bags fold to a wallet size for easy carrying. RRP $14.95 (remember $7 per bag will go to the students).

If you are on the look out for a copy of her new vegetarian recipe book, Food From a Loving Home RRP $29.95, copies are available from the Communications and Development Office at the school or view and buy it online from Lauren’s website.

For more information about Lauren and her work, click here.

BAGS AND BOOKS STILL AVAILABLE

We still have some of Lauren Burns’ signature zip shopping bags available for sale. The bags fold to a wallet size for easy carrying. (RRP $14.95). For each bag sold, Lauren is donating $7 to go towards catering for the Student Voice: The Student Education Conference. This initiative of the senior school Preshil students will take place on August 16 in the Hawthorn Town Hall so get in quick to buy your bag.

If you are on the look out for a copy of her new vegetarian recipe book, Food From a Loving Home RRP $29.95, copies are available from the Communications and Development Office at the school or view and buy it online from Lauren’s website.

For more information about Lauren and her work, click here.

To learn more about the scrumptious photographs in the book photographer by another of our alumni, Steven Pam (Class of 1989) click here.

PRESHIL MEMOIRS

The Preshil Facebook is gathering posts about the past from many of its members in response to Jane Sawyer’s post requesting memories for this year’s special event being planned to honour Mug.

Here is some excerpts from Lisa Sinha in response to Jane’s invitation for stories about Mug:

“Mug was a progressive and a radical and yet she was the pinnacle of respectability.”

“Some say Mug ran a benevolent dictatorship. Perhaps this is so and if true, how privileged am I to have spent my entire schooling years in a school headed up by someone whose principles were to consult, to listen, to respect, to care, to learn, to think, to play, to value the individual, and above all, to have courage.”

To view other posts or to post your own, go to the Preshil Facebook or email alumni@preshil.vic.edu.au or janes@preshil.vic.edu.au

NEWS ABOUT MUG

In our last update we weren’t able to provide any photos of Mug so are pleased to include one in this week’s edition taken at the last visit made by some of the children at the school.

For more information about Mug or information about visiting, please feel free to contact the school on 9817 6135.

An event honouring Mug is being planned for closer to her 98th birthday in November this year. We will keep you posted as details become available.

SINGER DEBATES

Our last edition noted a story about alumnus Peter Singer in The Melbourne Magazine. For those interested in his views, read here for commentary on his latest debate ‘Is there a God?’ last Wednesday night at The Melbourne Town Hall or to hear some of his previous debates click here.

For information about his upcoming engagements see his website.

MORE ON PLANKS

In a previous edition we shared information about Cameron Lee’s (Class of 1993) new business ‘Planks’. Having spent the first week of the holidays at Warrnambool’s Kids Festival, Fun4Kids, his business is burgeoning with a gig at the Hawthorn Market last weekend and success at The Mornington Racecourse at another children’s festival, KidsGoExpo.

With the idea inspired from the work of children in the 10s and 11s at Arlington stacking parquetry planks, the idea is gaining momentum. Keep an eye out in this month’s Educational Experience Education resource catalogue for more information, visit the website or follow PLANKS on facebook via the link on his website.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEPBURN WIND

Happy Birthday to Hepburn Wind on turning four this week!

Preshil is proud to keep you up to date on the innovative work being done by this organisation in the development of wind power that currently includes the work of a number of alumni/friends of the school amongst its membership.

The Age Speaks To Peter Singer

For those who missed the cover story of July’s issue of The Melbourne Magazine featuring influential thinker and alumnus Peter Singer, you may read it online here. Join millions of readers who choose to read their favorite publications online to help protect our forests.

Miriam’s House

Coincidentally, July’s issue of The Melbourne Magazine also included a piece about another of our alumni, Miriam Bereson (Class of 1981). The article, highlighting the design of a beautiful house recently built by Miriam and her partner Adam Nissen, held faint echoes of the treed environment and child inspired design at Arlington.

To find out more about their beautiful house and access the article online, click here. Join millions of readers who choose to read their favorite publications online to help protect our forests.

Preshil Dances With The Wolf

Friday July 15: 11.30 am

Elisabeth Murdoch Hall

Melbourne Recital Centre

Bring the kids and the grandkids along for a morning of family entertainment at this production of the much loved children’s classic, Peter and the Wolf, as it comes to life with a wonderful new dance piece featuring Karli Colosimo-Dinardo (Yr 12) who continues to gain accolades following her award winning performance as part of this year’s VCE Season of Excellence. In this production she is joined by her other beautiful sister Luca (Yr 10).

Well done girls.

Tickets: $25 ($15 concession)

Exhibition: Nillumbik Prize 

Thursday June 16 – Sunday July 31

Monsalvat

Join artist and alumnae, Steph Tout, at this exhibition showcasing her work and that of other finalists in the 2011 Nillumbik Prize. Presented by the Nillumbik Shire Council in association with Montsalvat, this art prize celebrates the diversity of art in Nillumbik.

Innovative Space And Pedagogy: New Subject

July 29/30; August 5/6; September 2/3; October 14/15

Ben Cleveland (Class of 1993) is currently enrolled as a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning at The University of Melbourne. With an academic background in education and science and as an experienced primary and secondary school teacher, Ben’s research focus is on the design of learning environments which can support contemporary educational philosophies and pedagogies. He has a particular interest in supporting processes of educational innovation.

In his capacity as Research Fellow for the Learning Environment Applied Research Network (LEaRN) at The University of Melbourne, he has helped spearhead the development of an innovative new multidisciplinary subject that brings together the learnings across the Faculties of Education and of Architecture, Building and Planning to develop new knowledge for the design of educational spaces that support student learning and teacher satisfaction. Individuals are invited to complete this subject as part of the Master of Education program or as a one-off subject within the university’s Community Access Program.

For more information about this subject click here.

Firebird Trio

Sunday September 4: 3.00 pm

Monsalvat, Barn Gallery

Wednesday November 2: 6.00 & 8.00 pm

Melbourne Recital Centre

Don’t miss the last two of this year’s inaugural four concerts performed by the Firebird Trio. These three acclaimed performers include Preshil alumnus and pianist, Benjamin Martin.

Firebird Trio concerts regularly sell out so book early to avoid disappointment.

Brown and Breen Concert

Saturday August 6

Matinee 2.00 pm; Evening 8.00 pm

South Melbourne Town Hall

Featuring Bernstein’s enthralling favourite West Side Story and Ravel’s virtuosic La Valse and presented by internationally acclaimed and multi award winning pianists, Bonnie Brown and Louisa Breen (both Preshil alumni), this program of classical and popular music will delight young and old.

To read about Bonnie and Louisa and their amazing talent, click here.

For bookings and details go to www.BrownandBreen.com

A SHINING FUTURE BY PRESHIL ALUMNI

Our hearty congratulations to Preshil alumni Dylan Brady, Dan Cass and Scott Kinnear on their involvement in winning projects at the 2011 Premier’s Sustainability Awards.

Through their abilities and their commitment to creating a better future, Dylan, Dan and Scott, along with their coworkers, provide ongoing examples of the enormous possibilities generated by creativity and collaboration.

Dylan Brady

As one of the founding members and directors of the architectural firm studio505, Dylan is known for his cutting-edge design capabilities with current projects including the innovative naturally ventilated ward design for the 980 bed Jurong General Hospital in Singapore and design of the Wujin Grand Theatre and Youth Palace in China.

Through his leadership in the design of Grocon’s carbon-neutral Pixel Building in Melbourne, the first carbon neutral office building in Australia, the project has been awarded 2011 Winner: Built Environment at this year’s Premier’s Sustainability Awards.

Dan Cass and Scott Kinnear

Alumni, Dan and Scott, have joined forces with Preshil parent, Simon Holmes a Court, and others, as directors of the Hepburn Wind Project. Having built Australia’s first community owned, cooperative wind farm, Hepburn Wind will not only provide renewable energy to the Hepburn region but will also provide benefits to the community and take constructive action towards energy transition. For their contribution to the development of a sustainable future, Hepburn Wind was awarded the 2011 Winner: Community at the Premier’s Sustainability Awards.

PRESHIL MEMOIRS

This week, we are pleased to share the memories of Jenny Grierson with you. Jenny is a fellow classmate of Peto Beal (nee Fitzpatrick), one of Preshil’s graduates from the 1940s, who provided the e-XPres memoir in the June 10 edition.

Dateline: July 15, 1989, Nostalgia Day

Last year [1988] was the year for many reunions, tying in personal lives with the big birthday party. My primary school,being deliberately eccentric, or perhaps making a statement, is having one today. I will not be there physically, but through the magic of the human mind I am as much there now as I was forty years ago.These days I may sometimes lose my car in the council car park and do other forgetful things, but I can clearly remember the smell of the school cloakroom to this day, a not unpleasant configuration of left behind tomato sandwiches and oranges I think. Do schools no longer have this pungent odour because the food is sealed in plastic or because the tomatoes are no longer sun-ripened, warm and aromatic, just picked from the garden near the compost heap?

If I were there today I would be overwhelmed both by the numbers and by the empty ranks. I am trying to visualize fifty eight years of unique individuals each one with an umbilical cord cut, torn or still plaited invisibly to this second family. When I was there it was my place, together with my friends’. There were Barbie and Emily, both talented artists even at ten years old, so different to each other, so recognizable in their work, such sensitive friends. And the terror, Nigel, whose hair was sometimes the butt of Miss Margaret’s threats to be tied up in ribbons, when it reached his collar. They will not be there.

I am glad that in memory I can still climb the big pine tree near the front gate. Did others do this too? It was a quiet, private area where personal challenges could be met without supervision, and where, having once in a life-time struggled to the very top, I was confronted jointly by the sight of my alarmed mother, a part-time teacher, stepping on the bus to go home, and the dim coastline of Port Phillip Bay, with the added glory of a 360′ horizon if I dared to move my head all around. The curvature of the earth was almost visible, certainly imaginable from that vantage point, and the desire to travel born then. I don’t remember any repercussions from this apparently dangerous adventure but perhaps I was given full marks for courage as well as for knowing my own limitations.

Climbing trees was a big part of our lives. The cypress close by the pine tree had a totally different aura. Instead of inviting one to reach ever higher it said ‘balance on the wings of my outstretched arms and rock with me’. In earlier years ladies in white dresses may have sheltered in mid-summer beneath its horizontal branches whilst watching the tennis, for this was a comfortable home set in two acres of garden. But when I knew it, the tennis court had reverted to open space and was a wonderfully level rectangle for our own (competitive) games such as the one now known as ‘Red Rove’. The expansive lawns encouraged handstands and self-motivated gymnastics, and the surrounding shrubberies were hidey-holes for wrapped sweets for the Easter Hunt, a time of temporary indulgence in those post war days.

SUPPORTING PRESHIL

This is a friendly reminder for those who may be considering making a donation to the Preshil Foundation that the end of the financial year will be upon us next week.

As mentioned in the recent note from the Preshil Foundation, all donations to the ancillary fund, the building and maintenance fund and the bursary fund are fully tax deductible. These monies directly contribute to improving the school’s infrastructure, facilities and accessibility for the benefit of both current and future students.

The Foundation also warmly welcomes non-monetary donations, recognising the invaluable role played by in-kind donations, volunteer time and assistance in promoting our activities for both maintaining and growing our school. Your feedback on the activities of the Foundation and ideas are welcome at any time.

For more information on our tax-deductible giving options, or other programs and opportunities, please contact Bronte or Jenny in the Communications and Development Office T: 9817 6135 or E: communications@preshil.vic.edu.au or any member of the Foundation Board (details below).

We look forward to your ongoing support over the coming year.

Preshil Foundation board members:

Peter George                              Peter.George@minterellison.com

Brett Kunkel                                brett@kunkel.org.au

Philip Marzella                            phillipmarzella@gmail.com

Zahava Elenberg                       zahava@move-in.com.au

Katrina Holmes a Court             katrina@holmesacourt.com

Phil Winbanks                             philipwinbanks@gmail.com

Natalie Toohey                            natalie@natalietoohey.com

Preshil Alumni Awarded Queen’s Birthday Honours

Warm and hearty congratulations to Preshil alumnae, Professor Sue Richardson, a Preshil primary school graduate, who, this year, has been awarded Member of the Order of Australia as part of the Queen’s Birthday honours awards for her services to the social sciences, particularly in the field of labour market economics, as an academic and researcher, and through contributions to the development of socially inclusive public policy.

Sue’s award this year follow on from that of her identical twin sister, Associate Professor Jo Wainer, also a Preshil primary school graduate, who received the same honour in 2010 for service to the community as an academic and researcher in the area of women’s reproductive health rights, and through leadership roles promoting women in medicine, particularly in rural and remote areas.

Many thanks to Zoe, also a Preshil graduate and daughter to Jo and niece to Sue, for letting us know.

PREMIER’S PRIZE

The Premier’s VCE Awards pay tribute to young Victorians who have completed their studies with particular distinction.

Congratulations to Jack Brown (Class of 2010) who received a Premier’s Award in Studio Arts. This was presented to him at a ceremony held at The Melbourne Convention Centre on Monday May 30.

Jack has always been interested in art throughout his secondary education and took up photography in Year 11. He is currently studying photography at the Victorian College of the Arts.

80th Birthday Auction – Goods and services needed

An auction is being arranged for the Preshil Fair in November.

If you have any items to donate or know of businesses that might be willing to donate goods, services or other items such as holiday home rentals, free entertainment, equipment hire etc, or if you know of an auctioneer who might be able to help, please contact Kerri McCulloch E: kerrim@preshil.vic.edu.au or T: 9817 6135..

Electives

The elective program at Arlington is an initiative that recognises the valuable contribution that families and friends make to the learning of the children. It involves family members, alumni and/or friends sharing their expertise with the children over the period of a term.

We are now looking for volounters to run sessions in the Electives program for third term.

If you feel that you may have something to share with the children that may be of interest or would just like to find out a bit more about the program please contact Kerri McCulloch, our Head of Campus at Arlington, via email on kerrim@preshil.vic.edu.au or phone 9817 6135.

Programs run for eight weeks with a celebration of learning at the end of term. Some parents and alumni have paired up and run a program together which can work well. All volounteers are required to have a Working With Children Check (WWC). This is easily obtained and forms are available from Karyn at the Arlington Office or from your closest Australia Post outlet. For more information about the WWC click here.

TOP ACTS: PRESHIL SHINES

For those of us who couldn’t get to the Top Acts performance on Friday May 13, Rodney Waterman, a member of our music staff, shares the evening with us below.

Preshil students featured prominently at the prestigious VCE Top Acts Concert at the Palais Theatre, St Kilda on Friday evening May 13. Year 12 student Karli Dinardo (Dance Technique Solo) and Nick Hall, Ben Zagroon and Chris Bates (Tim Dargaville’s 2010 Year 12 Group Music Performance students) dazzled a huge audience with memorable performances.

The final 44 performers for the night (4 from Preshil) were selected as the ‘best of the best’ from a series of 12 VCE Top Class concerts held earlier in the year. Dance, Drama, Theatre Studies, Music Solo and Group Performance and original musical works were blended together into a dynamic presentation. Incredibly, Preshil students featured in 2 out of 22 performances!

The depth of artistic diversity displayed at the concert was breathtaking – there was an exhilarating atmosphere with a lively, warm and enthusiastic audience. It was a joyful and life-affirming celebration of hard work, commitment and extra-ordinary talent. A large, admiring and vocal Preshil audience contingent cheered our students on. Karli’s dance was outstanding and many of us were moved to tears at the beauty and poise of her sublime movement and subtle interpretation. The rock band boys were also excellent – their best performance to date of their compelling original rock/jazz composition, Epilogue. Hugh Rabinovich, an ex-Preshil student recently graduated from the VCA, joined them ably on drum kit.

We were all so proud of the Preshil students’ performances and they were over the moon to have had the opportunity to be part of such an amazing event. A DVD of the event will be available (check the VCAA website).

Rodney Waterman

Read what they said here.

SONGWRITING WITH CHARLIE THORPE

Classes are now available with Preshil alumnae, Charlie Thorpe (Class of 2007) from Melbourne based pop duet ‘Dash & Will, and as seen on television shows Spicks and Specks and Rockwiz, as host of Nickelodian’s music program The Go Show, as well as on Video Hits, Rage, Channel V, MTV and more.

Classes are provided at her home studio but home visits are available. Pick up from school is also an option if this is preferred.

To discuss session times and rates, contact Charlie on M: 0438 895 402 or E: thorpe.charlie@gmail.com

To view her band go to www.myspace.com/dashandwill OR www.facebook.com/dashandwillofficial

Read more here

JAZZ NIGHT AT DIZZY’S

Tuesday June 14: 8.00 – 12.00 pm

Following last years’ sell out performances, Dizzy’s Jazz Club in Burnley St Richmond, is again hosting an evening of entertainment presented by our very own Preshil music students.

Come and join us in this evening of great music, food and refreshments. Book in early if you would like to secure a table. Dizzys is a licensed venue.

For dinner bookings contact Dizzy’s Jazz Club. T: 9428 1233; E: dizzys@dizzys.com.au. Tickets available at the door.

EXHIBITION: NILLUMBIK PRIZE

Thursday June 16: 6.00 pm.

Monsalvat

Join artist and alumnae, Steph Tout, at the opening of the exhibition showcasing her work and that of other finalists in the 2011 Nillumbik Prize. Presented by the Nillumbik Shire Council in association with Montsalvat, this art prize celebrates the diversity of art in Nillumbik.

Exhibition Dates: Thursday June 16 – Sunday July 31

PRESHIL PRESENTS

DRAMA, DRAMA, DRAMA

Reminisce at these affordable nights out in this series of ONE NIGHT ONLY performances.

2011 Year 7 – 12 DRAMA REVUE:

Celebrating 80 years with 8 plays

Wednesday June 22: 7.00 pm

Blackhall/Kalimna campus

To celebrate Preshil’s 80th birthday, the Drama department is performing a selection of excerpts from 8 productions that have been performed at Preshil is the past. These include both the recent past – The Wedding Singer and Masquerade, and the distant past – My Fair Lady and The Importance of Being Earnest.

This is a one night only special. Due to limited seating tickets are capped at 160 so get yours fast!.

Tickets on sale Monday June 6. $10 adult; $5 children; Tickets available from The Cottage or by telephoning 9817 6135.

Year 9 Drama Performance of FairyTale High by Marlene Magee

Monday June 27: 7.00 pm

Gym School, Blackhall/Kalimna

Lots of Fun as all your favourite fairytale characters battle the Evil Queen in her quest to become “Teacher of The Year!”

Admission: Donation at the Door.

Year 10 Drama performance of Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party

Tuesday June 28: 7.00 pm

Gym School, Blackhall/Kalimna

This is the culmination of detailed study and experience of Absurd Abstract Theatre.

Tickets $5 at the door

LEARNING ABOUT PRESHIL

Tuesday June 28: 9.30 – 10.30 am

Monthly Tour (bookings essential)

A warm invitation is extended to all alumni and friends to join us on our final monthly tour for this term and learn more about the current educational program at Preshil.

For more information about our Open days and Monthly Tours for 2011, click here.

OBITUARY: KEITH MILNE

Keith Milne, who taught woodwork at Yallambee in the 1980s and 1990s, died suddenly, aged 78, on 28 April. Although in theory retired from both teaching and building, Keith had been busy as usual with maintenance for the Box Hill Baptist church and the Barcelona Street community he founded, and with helping his grandson build a shed, woodturning and playing golf.

Keith will be remembered fondly by many at Preshil as a good colleague and a generous, patient teacher, who shared his love of wood and carpentry skills, as well as his enthusiasm for bushwalks and cross country skiing. He worked in the secondary school, but spent time at Arlington whenever Mug thought they needed another man about the place

Text by Jean Rumbold. Photo by Glennys Williams

A MESSSAGE FROM ALUMNA LOUISE DAVIDSON

Sunday May 8

Alexandra Gardens

As many of you know, I was motivated to start the Mother’s Day Classic in memory of my Mum who died of breast cancer. From modest beginnings in 1998, the event has grown into Australia’s largest charity event. This year it will take place in capital cities and regional centres all around Australia, attracting around 120,000 people to walk or run for breast cancer research. The event has raised over $7.8 million for breast cancer research since it started.

The last few years Preshil has fielded a team in the event, and we have been the largest team from a small school and won a trophy as a result! Let’s try to do this again this year. You can register for the event at www.mothersdayclassic.com.au. Make sure you select the Preshil team so that you will be included in our tally – everyone can join our team – kids, teachers (current and past), parents, friends, past students and family. It is a great day, lots of fun with plenty of kids activities. You can choose to walk or run 4km or 8km – most of the team does the 4km walk. The assembly point for the event is Alexandra Gardens, and the walk goes around the Tan Track.

I am planning to run the 4km around the Tan Track again this year, hopefully with a better time that last year’s fairly poor effort! If you can’t come along on the day but would like to sponsor me I’m sure it will help me sprint up that steep Anderson Street hill even faster – here is the link to my sponsorship page.

Many thanks Louise

FOOD FROM A LOVING HOME

Congratulations to Lauren Burns (class of 1991) on the launch of her new book, Food From a Loving Home.

See her website for a sneak peek of the book and to order online.

Also available at Readings, I dream a highway, Key Ingredients, Luft, Avenue Bookshop or Books for Cooks.

MORAN PRIZE: ALUMNI NOMINATED

Hearty congratulations to both Steph Tout (Class of 1998) and Ilana Rose (class of 1979) on becoming finalists in the Moran Contemporary Photographic competition. To see their work click here.

ARE YOU A CURRENT PARENT?

If you are a current parent at the school and also an alumni, could you please go to the Preshil website to confirm your status as alumni via the update form. Unfortunately some of this data was lost in the transfer of data to our new administration system. Thank you for your assistance.

PRESHIL MEMOIRS

Memories of school can be some of the most significant in our lives and in this section we invite our alumni and past parents and members of staff to share their special and/or humourous memories with our readers. Memories about the plays that were put on, the stories behind the valedictory curtains, the teachers, recollections of Mug, cubbies, the creations and inspirations or just funny times: all would be welcome.

Here’s one we discovered from the original eX-Pres:

We recognised one of our (airborne) science experiments pictured in the local paper, accompanied by an article about a sudden rash of UFO sightings in Kew and Hawthorn.

If you have a special recollection from your years at Preshil that you think would be of interest, please email  alumni@preshil.vic.edu.au or ask for Jenny or Bronte on 9817 6135. We would love to hear from you.

PRESHIL BUSINESS/INTEREST NETWORK

In this section we invite Preshil alumni to share information about their work and/or business or special interests with our readers and to connect with others who may have similar or complimentary interests.

If you have ideas and would be able to assist in further developing this concept we would love to hear from you. Please email alumni@preshil.vic.edu.au or telephone 9816 7916.

PLEASE UPDATE YOUR DETAILS AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS

As some of you may be aware, we are working towards developing a vibrant alumni relations program incorporating not only reunions but other opportunities for alumni to connect and share with each other and the wider community. This work requires that we have up to date contact details for our alumni and other friends. The increased resources made available with the creation of a dedicated Communications and Development Office now provides a means for the school to establish and maintain this database.

A big thank you to all those alumni who have already updated their details via our website. There are, however, thousands of contacts yet to be confirmed. In an effort to address this, we will be undertaking an intensive program over the next few weeks calling all our alumni and other friends of the school for whom we have telephone numbers and asking them to confirm the contact details that we have. As part of this process those who have recently updated their details may be contacted again. We do apologise if this is the case and would appreciate your understanding as we establish our internal administrative systems.

As we do not have telephone numbers for everybody on the database, many alumni will not be contacted. If you or other alumni who you know have not been contacted by the end of the month, it is likely that we do not have your current details. If that is the case we would be most grateful if you could update your details via the website.

GETTING TO KNOW OUR ALUMNI

Kess Broekman-Dattner (Class of 1996)

Over time we aim to bring you news about our alumni and what they are doing. This week Kess Broekman-Dattner (Class of 1996) kindly offered us some insight into his work.

Kess lives, breathes and occasionally eats films. His emerging career as a commercials and music video director has seen him garner various awards including Music Video of the Year at MusicOz in 2010 for Preshil alumnae Kate Vigo’s The Way You Are. He’s been fortunate enough to create work for a growing number of talented people, including but not limited to: Clare Bowditch, the National Gallery of Victoria, EMI, Pez, The Australian Government and Universal Music as well as agencies from all around Australia. He’s currently developing a new sci-fi fantasy short to shoot in 2012, and is represented by The Directors Group , a production company formed in 2002, as well as assisting Preshil with some of its design needs at different times. He’s also a freelance writer, designer and considerably taller person than film critic, Margaret Pomeranz.

To find out more about his work click here.

If you have any news to share contact Jenny at jenniferal@preshil.vic.edu.au.

JOIN THE PRESHIL FOOTY TIPPING COMPETITION

If you have an interest in footy why not join this competition and take your chances against other Preshil footy lovers!

Even though the season has started it’s not too late to join. Register your details at www.footy tips.com to make an ‘account’ then go to ‘Join a Competition’. Enter ‘Preshil’ as the name of the comp, use the password “frank” to get in, and you’re IN.

Although the cost is $25, we’d be happy to take you in for free, just as a player, without eligibility for prizes. Also, sign up your wife/hubby/partner, children, friends and others.

First round is Thursday night (tomorrow) so do it quickly.

To arrange payment or for futher information contact David Cobb on 9817 6135 or email davidc@preshil.vic.edu.au

Good luck!

PRE-ORDER 2011-2012 ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS

The new 2011 | 2012 Greater Melbourne Entertainment™ Books will be available from late March, and we’ll be selling these as a fund-raiser – order your copy today!.

The new Book is only $65 and you’ll receive $15,000 worth of valuable offers, valid until 1 June 2012. Entertainment™ Books feature valuable offers from many popular local businesses. The 2011 | 2012 edition has great new inclusions like The Palace by Luke Mangan, Mezzo Bar and Grill, Falls Creek, Left Bank Melbourne, Kmart…

And plenty of your favourites such as Comme Kitchen, Sushi Sushi, Taxi Dining Room, Red Spice Road, Nando’s, Zoos Victoria, Coles, The Point, Melbourne Aquarium, Richmond Hill Cafe and Larder, plus many more!

Browse the book online here.

Order and pay for your new Greater Melbourne Entertainment™ Book before 6 April 2011 and you’ll receive additional offers, valued at over $175, which you can use immediately!

To preorder, contact Jenny on 98167916.

AUSSIE WINS BERLIN FILM FESTIVAL PRIZE

Australian film, Minnie Loves Junior,  has made its mark at the Berlin Film festival, with a special mention in the Generation K Plus section recognising movies for or about children. This story of love set in a seaside fishing village was written and produced by one of our alumni, Tom Birch (Class of 1994), and his colleagues Doug Maskiell and Andy and Matt Mullins at Sandhill Road Pictures. Tom’s move into film production with his partners has been another step n this highly successful collaboration with the establishment of a flourishing business within the Australian hospitality industry. Click here to read more about their film or here to find out more about Sandhill Road. Congratulations Tom, Andy, Matt and Doug!

There is also a wonderful backstory about four friends on Screen Hub.

IN REMEMBRANCE

It is with deep sadness that we pass on news of the death of one of our alumni, Gregory Hjorth (1963 – 2011). Internationally respected as both a mathematician and Master chess player he passed away suddenly at the age of 47 in January this year. We share with you the following tributes to him.

Professor Greg Hjorth died of a heart attack in his birth city of Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 13. He was 47. Hjorth was recognized as a young chess whiz in his primary school years. He quickly advanced to tournament chess, becoming joint Commonwealth Champion in 1983 and earning his International Master title in 1984. He played Garry Kasparov, among other accomplished chess rivals, but took his own later advice that “if you’re not in the top 100 by 21, get out.” Hjorth’s passion for chess played over to mathematical logic…Read More

Greg Hjorth was an international master and represented Australia in 3 Olympiads, ’82 to ’86. He was also, of course, a mathematician and was a professor at both UCLA as well as at the University of Melbourne. In an interview last year with Melbourne Chess Club’s Grant Szuveges, Hjorth had this piece of advice for young hopefuls:…Read More

PHOTOGRAPHY AT PRESHIL

We know that many past and present members of the Preshil community have photography expertise. At various times the school has a need of photographers for recording memories of people and events and we are keen to utilise the skills available in the community on a fee-for-service (regular or casual) basis. If you think you may be able to assist us or know of others who might be interested, Jenny and Bronte in the Communications and Development Office would love to hear from you. They can be contacted via email at communications@preshil.vic.edu.au or by phoning 9817 6135.

ALUMNI STORIES

STAYING IN TOUCH

2011 & 2012 REUNION PROGRAM

JOIN THE PRESHIL FACEBOOK

web archive 2011 download Here