Arts AT DOWNLANDS College
the arts at downlands
At Downlands College, students are encouraged to explore their interests with confidence and curiosity, whether through academic study or a rich array of co-curricular opportunities. From dance and drama to music, visual art, and media production, every student can find a space where their creativity is supported and celebrated.
Our facilities are crafted to enhance a student’s artistic journey. Students can utilise a state-of-the-art dance studio and a soundproof media production suite, providing access to modern equipment and cutting-edge techniques that reflect real-world creative settings.
Each Arts program — both academic and co-curricular — is guided by passionate, highly qualified staff who remain active in their own artistic fields. Their ongoing professional practice enriches their teaching, offering students authentic insight, mentorship, and inspiration drawn directly from the Arts and Performing Arts industries.
This commitment to excellence sees our co-curricular Arts programs, particularly Performing Arts, regularly participating in eisteddfods, competitions, and showcases across a wide range of disciplines, both locally and nationally.
DANCE
Dance in the Curriculum
All Downlands students study Dance as part of The Arts rotation 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 Troupes
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.
Dance Troupes (all offered at beginner, development and elite levels for Prep to Year 12 students). Styles include:
- Up tempo
- Modern
DRAMA
Drama in the Curriculum
All Downlands students study Drama as part of The Arts rotation offered in Year 7. 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.
Drama Club
Downlands College also has a co-curricular Drama Club which operates on a weekly basis during lunch times in Semester 2.
MEDIA
Media in the Curriculum
With the growing rise of digital and visual media and the significant role film, television and other media arts play in our daily lives, 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 be 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 that 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.
MUSIC
Music in the Curriculum
All Downlands students study Music as part of The Arts rotation offered in Year 7.
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.
In the Middle School, there are many units offered to cater for a wide range of experiences and tastes in music.
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.
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)
CO-CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES
There are many opportunities for students to extend themselves in their muscial endeavours through our co-curricular activities.
Choral
The choral program at Downlands continues to enjoy a strong reputation for excellence, energy and spirit in all that they do. Choral Groups at Downlands:
- Kinder Chorus
- DC Singers
- Canticum Choir (girls)
- The Fortesmen (boys)
- Gryphon Chorale (auditioned excellence group)
Instrumental Ensemble
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)
VISUAL ARTS
Visual Arts in the Curriculum
All Downlands students study Visual Art as part of The Arts rotation offered in Year 7. 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.
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.
