Home > News and Events > 2018 > Catholic students to perform in Top Acts

2 May 2018

On 11 May 2018 at the Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank, the top 20 performers from the Top Class series of concerts will perform in one stunning event. Dance, Drama, Theatre Studies, Music Solo and Group Performance and original musical works are blended together into a dynamic presentation.

Three current Year 12 students from Padua College, Mornington, have been invited to perform. At their Top Class concert Savva Santoreneos, Jack Mannock and Ethan Taylor, were very well received by the large crowd at the Melbourne Recital Centre – sporting 1970s inspired velvet jackets and zebra-striped shirts. Savva led the trio with a beatbox solo followed by a very stylistic ‘Sly Fox’ featuring Ethan Taylor’s terrific melodic and creative keyboard skills. Jack Mannock wrapped up their set laying down a solid funk groove to an appreciative audience.  

Emma Squires, class of 2017 Our Lady of Sion College, Box Hill, has been invited to perform Spiral Lament composed by Ian Clarke.  At the top class concert the presenter said, ‘The examiners were impressed by Emma’s poised and informed interpretation along with her technical control of finger vibrato which uses opening and closing of alternate keys to create an oscillation of tone’. Emma has also received a scholarship to work with the Grainger Wind Symphony, one of Melbourne’s most respected and long running ensembles.

The students from Padua College and Our Lady of Sion College are two of just six musical acts to be invited to perform at the Top Acts concert, and Emma is the only flautist. The concert will be filmed and used as a future teaching/training tool for teachers and students.

Top Acts is curated by an artistic director who carefully selects works from across the 11 Top Class concerts. Selection is based on a number of criteria, including an outstanding Top Class performance standard. VCE Music students are selected by panels who listen to the examination performance recording of students that received a high A+ in their performance examination.