The Arts

Academic Dance

All Downlands students study Dance as part of the compulsory Performing Art unit offered in Year 7. For many students, this is the first time that they have encountered formal dance training and the learning activities undertaken focus on dance styles relevant and of interest to each cohort. Dance is then offered in Years 8, 9 and 10 as an elective subject. 

Dance Troupe

The Downlands College Dance Troupe is a co-curricular activity that is available to all students. Students of all ability levels are welcome in the Dance Troupe and performance choreography is specifically designed to utilise the talents of each member and challenge and extend those students who have considerable dance experience and skills.

The Dance Troupe provides both large and small group performance opportunities at College events, external competitions and in the wider community. 

Over many years, Downlands has developed a comprehensive and strong Drama program that caters for the interests of our students from Years 7 to 12. With our own dedicated Drama studio space and larger performance venues, the College is able to offer a broad Drama curriculum that fosters and develops the talents of our students. Downlands Drama students can be found as cast members of various productions in and around Toowoomba and many have successfully won Empire Theatre Foundation Youth Bursaries to further support their development as young actors.

Downlands College also has a co-curricular Drama Club which operates on a weekly basis during lunch times.

With the growing rise of digital and visual media and the significant role film, television and other media arts play in the daily lives of most humans, Downlands offers its students the opportunity to not only create and innovate across different media platforms but to study its structures, key elements and place in history. 

Our Film, TV and Media students have access to industry-standard resources for high-definition filming and post-production. The College’s hybrid teaching studio is open with studio production facilities (including green & white screens), a sound-isolated recording booth and post-production editing bays.

Media Club

The product of the hard work and dedication of our Media students can been seen in the videos created at major College events each year. These videos allow the whole Downlands community to be a part of the events which happen around our campus, which is especially important to our boarding families who live some distance away from the College and are unable to attend these events.

Downlands Visual Art has a long-standing tradition of innovation, creativity and artistic expression. Visual Art has been an essential part of the College and over many decades our Visual Art program has produced professional artists who work in the industry across Australia and overseas, in addition to producing students who continue their practice alongside their professional career.

In the Middle School, Visual Art is a foundation subject studied by all Year 7 students.  Elective units are available for students to study in Years 8, 9 and 10 which focus on particular techniques, medium, concepts or contexts of interests to our students and in preparation for our Senior program. In Years 11 and 12, Downlands offers two Visual Arts subject choices.

Downlands has a long-established history of excellence in Music education. The College is justifiably proud of its musicians as they are a dedicated, passionate and gifted group of students. 

Our history of excellence in music is reflected in the various achievements of our students and Past Students. Downlands musicians successfully participate in public performances within the community, the Toowoomba Eisteddfod, Queensland Catholic Music Festival, national and international tours, camps, Queensland Conservatorium State Honours Ensemble Program, other competitions as well as playing a vital role in the performing and liturgical life of the College.

Academic Music

Music is taught as part of the compulsory Performing Arts unit to all Year 7 students and is then offered as an elective through to Year 12. In the Middle School, there are many units offered to cater for a wide range of experience and tastes in music.

Music Tuition

Downlands offers an extensive Music Tuition program for all students, under the leadership of qualified, private tutors appointed by the College. Our tutors provide lessons from beginner to advanced performance standards and develop an individual, tailored study program each year for their students.

The College offers Music Tuition on the following instruments:

• Brass: Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Euphonium/Baritone or Tuba
• Woodwind: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Saxophone (Alto/Tenor/Baritone) or Bass Clarinet 
• Percussion: Mallet or Drum Kit
• Guitar
• Voice (male and female voice specialists) 
• Piano
• Strings (Violin, Viola, Cello or Double Bass)

The College also operates an affordable instrument hire program for most instruments.

The choral program at Downlands continues to enjoy a strong reputation for excellence, energy and spirit in all that they do. There is a choral option available for every student and a large percentage of the College’s total student population are members of one or more choirs. 

Choral Groups at Downlands: 

• Kinder Chorus
• DC Singers
• Canticum Choir (girls)
• The Fortesmen (boys)
• Gryphon Chorale (auditioned excellence group)

The College has an extensive Instrumental and Choral ensemble program, catering to the interests and skills of our students. Performing repertoire from a wide cross-section of musical genres, the College ensembles are engaged in a year-long performance season, including key College events, local competitions and events and other opportunities across Queensland and beyond.

• Wind Ensemble (beginner
• woodwind, brass & percussion)
• Symphonic Band (intermediate & advanced woodwind, brass & percussion)
• Big Band (auditioned excellence group)
• String Ensemble (beginner upper & lower strings)
• Downlands String Orchestra (intermediate and advanced upper and lower strings)
• String Quartet/Trio (auditioned excellence group)
• Guitar Ensemble (beginner to advanced guitarists)