Music & Arts at St Mary's
An overview of music, drama and visual arts at St Mary's College: classroom programs from Prep to VCE, ensembles, instrumental lessons, clubs and the major performances and exhibitions of 2026.
Music, drama and visual arts are part of every student's week at St Mary's College, from Prep singing games in the Junior Music Room to VCE folios in the Art Studios. Around 480 students take part in an ensemble, club or instrumental lesson on top of their classroom arts program. This page gives you the lie of the land; the linked pages have the day-to-day detail (times, rooms, costs and how to sign up).
Who to contact
| Area | Staff member | |
|---|---|---|
| Music (ensembles, lessons, concerts) | Ms Grace Whitlam, Director of Music | music@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au |
| Music Office (bookings, billing, forms) | Mrs Julie Sanders, Music Administrator | music@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au, (03) 9555 0130 |
| Drama & Theatre | Mr Julian Ashby, Head of Drama | drama@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au |
| Visual Arts | Ms Ingrid Larsen, Head of Visual Arts | art@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au |
Our spaces
- Music Centre (opened 2019): Junior Music Room (M1), Band Room (M2), Strings Room (M3), the 120-seat Recital Room (M4), Rock Room (M5) and six practice rooms. The Music Office is at the Music Centre entrance.
- Mary MacKillop Hall: our 450-seat performance venue for concerts, the College Musical and the Art Show.
- Drama Studio: a black-box theatre in Building D, used for classes, Drama Clubs and the Term 2 Senior production.
- Art Studios 1 & 2 (Building C), with kiln, print press and a dedicated VCE folio space.
Classroom programs
- Prep–Year 6: weekly classroom Music, Drama and Visual Arts with specialist teachers. Year 3 students learn recorder and Year 4 students take part in a term-long band instrument taster.
- Years 7–8: Music, Drama and Art are compulsory in a semester rotation.
- Years 9–10: electives in Music Performance, Drama, Art, Visual Communication Design, Media and Music Technology.
- VCE: Music (Performance and Inquiry), Drama, Theatre Studies, Art Making & Exhibiting, Visual Communication Design and Media.
Ensembles at a glance
Seven ensembles rehearse weekly, from the Junior Choir (Years 2–6, Tuesday lunchtime) through to the auditioned Stage Band (Tuesday 7:30am) and the Senior Chamber Choir (Wednesday 3:30pm). Most are open to any student who plays the relevant instrument. Full details, including a table of days, times and venues, are on the Ensembles page.
Instrumental and vocal lessons
Private lessons are available on piano, guitar, violin, cello, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, drums and voice with our team of eleven visiting tutors. Lessons cost $38 per 30-minute lesson, billed per term, and instrument hire is $220 per year. See Instrumental Lessons for how to enrol, what to expect and the withdrawal rules.
Clubs
Beyond music, students can join Chess Club, Debating, Robotics/STEM, Art Club, Drama Club, the Environment Team and more. The Clubs & Activities page has a master table of every club with its day, time, venue and teacher.
Arts calendar 2026
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 19 – Saturday 22 August 2026 | College Musical Oliver! (completed, sold out) | Hall |
| Wednesday 16 September 2026, 7:00pm | Spring Concert | Hall |
| Thursday 22 October 2026, 6:00pm | Art Show opening (exhibition continues Friday 23 October 2026) | Hall |
| Wednesday 4 & Thursday 5 November 2026, 3:30pm | Stage Band auditions for 2027 | Band Room (M2) |
| Friday 4 December 2026, 6:00pm | Carols on the Green | College Green |
| Thursday 10 December 2026, 6:00pm | Junior Christmas Concert | Hall |
Thank you to everyone who supported Oliver! — read the wrap-up and news about the 2027 musical on the College Musical page. Details of the December events are on Christmas Concerts & Carols.
House Arts
Every student belongs to a House (MacKillop, Chisholm, Polding or Romero) and House Arts is one of the four ways Houses earn points. The House Arts festival ran on Friday 19 June 2026 and included choir, dance, drama and a visual arts challenge. Congratulations to Romero, this year's House Arts winners. More on Houses at Our Houses.
Quick answers
- Does my child need to audition? Only for Stage Band and the Senior Chamber Choir (a short, friendly voice check). Everything else is open.
- Can a Prep student learn an instrument? Piano, violin and cello can start from Year 1, and from Prep by discussion with the tutor.
- Is there a cost for ensembles or clubs? Ensembles and most clubs are free. Robotics/STEM has a $40 per year materials levy.
- Where do I find performance dates? On this page, on the Term Dates page and in the fortnightly newsletter.