Arts

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An incredible opportunity for students in Years 10 to 12 and Young Creatives (aged 17–25) from Cairns and the region to share their passion for art and collaborate in an exhibition at the TANKS Arts Centre, Cairns. This initiative is made possible through Cairns Regional Council, with funding from the Regional Arts Development Fund and the Peninsula Art Educators Association.

Congratulations to the following Cairns High students who have been selected for this much-loved and prestigious exhibition:

• Skye Colquhoun
• Tehya Phillpot
• Henry Power
• Toby Alkojado
• Oka Beresford
• Emmy Carlon

Exhibition Opening: Tanks Art Centre, Friday 30 May 2025 @ 6:00 pm

The exhibition will remain open to the public until Thursday 26 June 2025. We encourage all friends, family, and community members to visit and celebrate the incredible talent of our students.

Junior COE Dance – Queensland Ballet

We were excited to welcome Queensland Ballet back to Cairns High for a masterclass workshop with our Junior COE Dance class this week. It’s always a privilege to have instructors of this calibre supporting and inspiring our young dancers.

Phluxus2 Dance Collective Workshops – Senior Dance COE

Phluxus2 is a contemporary performance collective based in Queensland, renowned for blending dance, physical theatre, and immersive audience experiences to create bold, boundary-pushing works. The COE Senior Dance class was delighted to collaborate with them in developing choreography for performances at the Cairns Show and upcoming Eisteddfods.

Mamma Mia school Matinee ! Don’t Miss Out

Rehearsals are in full swing for Mamma Mia, coming soon to the Cairns Performing Arts Centre — and it’s already shaping up to be a fabulous show! The Music Department’s rocking band will have everyone humming ABBA hits for weeks.

We’re offering all Cairns High year levels the chance to attend the Friday 30 May matinee at the heavily discounted price of $20 (normally $35). Other performances are $35 (student) and $50 (adult).

How to pay:

• All students will be invoiced to allow easy online payment.
• If your student doesn’t wish to attend, the invoice will be cancelled after the due date.
• Payment deadline: Monday 19 May 2025.

Can parents/friends attend the school matinee?
Yes! Tickets are just $30 and can be paid for at the school office. They’ll be seated with the school group.

Evening performance tickets:
Available through TicketLink.

David Marsden | HOD of Arts | 07 4050 3083

Italian  

Medioevo Interattivo: Bringing the Middle Ages to Life!

Year 8 Immersion students explored the Middle Ages through an interactive project called Medioevo Interattivo (Interactive Middle Ages). After a general introduction, each group chose a topic and created an engaging presentation that involved all senses. They used creativity, research, and technology to design PowerPoint slides, mind maps, and hands-on activities.

Students covered a variety of topics:

• The Black Death: A short interactive film explained how the disease spread, its symptoms, and treatments.
• The Japanese Shogunate: A look at the Onin War and how shoguns ruled during medieval times.
• The Crusades: A discussion on why these wars began and their impact.
• Medieval Fashion: Students displayed homemade perfume, jewels, and fabrics used by royals.
• Renaissance Food and Music: A tasting of meat pies, risotto, and grape juice, along with a study of famous chefs and musicians.
• Knights and Castles: A Lego activity, quiz, and PowerPoint explained castle design and the role of knights.
• Crimes and Punishments: Short films depicted harsh medieval punishments, such as Scaphism, where victims were trapped between boats and force-fed milk and honey.
• Medieval Hygiene: Students recreated soaps, perfumes, and hair treatments from the era.

Through this project, students deepened their knowledge of history while making learning fun and interactive!

Written by Year 8 Italian Immersion students

Studying Italian at CSHS: where it can take you - From Cairns to Italy: Aurelio's Incredible Journey!

We're very excited to share the incredible story of our 2024 graduate, Aurelio, who is truly living the dream in Italy thanks to his passion for Italian and the opportunities it’s opened for him! Winning the prestigious Studitalia Scholarship, Aurelio spent a month in Italy at the beginning of the year, and proceeded to stay with family near Rome, where he earned an English teaching certificate.

Now, he’s starting a new chapter near the stunning Lake Garda, where he’s working as part of the entertainment staff at a famous holiday resort. His ability to speak Italian played a huge role in landing this amazing opportunity! A perfect example of how learning Italian can unlock incredible opportunities – whether it’s travel, work, or living abroad! Bravo Aurelio! Enjoy your adventure!

Mara Ballarinini | Language Teacher | Italian Immersion Programme Coordinator

International Student Program

International Students Have an Amazing Day Out in Port Douglas and Cairns!

Last Term, our international students, along with friends from Hiroshima Japanese Study Tour, had an awesome adventure exploring the best of tropical North Queensland!

The day kicked off with a trip to stunning Port Douglas. Students loved checking out the beautiful beaches and soaking in the relaxed, tropical vibe.

Next stop was Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures in Cairns — and it didn’t disappoint! Everyone got up close to crocodiles and koalas, fed kangaroos, and even cruised through the crocodile lagoon. There were lots of excited faces (and a few nervous laughs!) as we learned all about Australia’s amazing wildlife.

More than anything, the day was a great chance for all the international students to hang out, make new friends, and share a few laughs. It was special to see everyone connecting across cultures and having such a fun time together.

Big thanks to everyone who came along — we’re already looking forward to the next adventure!

A Fond Farewell and a Warm Welcome!

Last term, we said a heartfelt farewell to our wonderful Homestay Coordinator, Makiko McWhinney. To celebrate all the amazing work Makiko has done for our international students, the Year 12 Japanese class threw a surprise party — and it was a huge success!

There were lots of smiles, laughs, and even a few happy tears as students shared memories and thanked Makiko for their support for our international students in homestay and the senior Japanese classes. We are incredibly grateful for everything Makiko has done and wish her all the best in her next adventure!

At the same time, we are excited to warmly welcome Kumiko Brighouse as our new Homestay Coordinator! Kumiko brings lots of energy and a willingness to learn, and we are looking forward to all the wonderful things to come. We’re confident our international students will continue to thrive with Kumiko’s support.

Thank you, Makiko McWhinney and welcome, Kumiko Brighouse.

Rachel Wearmouth | Hod of International Student Program | 07 4050 3062

Music

Masterclass – Young Men’s Choir – Shaun Brown

As part of our commitment to bringing professional performers, high quality musicians and experienced educators to work with our music community at Cairns High, we were delighted to welcome Shaun Brown, Baritone vocalist, to work alongside Lauren Hannay in a rehearsal with our Young Men’s Choir. Shaun conducted, sang and critiqued the choir and worked with them in their vocal lessons.

Australian baritone Shaun Brown has performed and studied in England, Germany, France, Italy and the US, where he completed a Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of North Texas. A former Opera Queensland (OQ) Young Artist, Shaun’s engagements with the company span more than three decades, and he has appeared in over fifty productions, in addition to numerous concerts, festival events, workshops and masterclasses.

Internationally, Shaun has sung for Opéra de Lyon, New Zealand International Arts Festival, Freiburg Opera, L’Atelier du Rhin, and in New York at the Centre for Contemporary Opera in operatic works by Jake Heggie. 

He has performed to critical acclaim as a concert soloist in repertoire including Britten’s War Requiem, Bach’s St Matthew Passion, Handel’s Messiah and Mendelssohn’s Elijah.

Special Guest Performers visit our Concert Band and Symphonic Winds – Yuri Kang and Ben Stein

Towards  the end of Term 1, we were honoured to be joined by two wonderful performers in their own right – Yuri Kang and Ben Stein. Both performed for our groups, and discussed topics from practice, technique, phrasing, breathing and general performance. Both performers are now settled in Cairns and are available for private tuition (if you’re quick). See contact details below if you wish your child to learn in a more private / individual setting with quality educators. 

As a soloist, Yuri Kang performed extensively across Korea and was a key member of the Ensemble Accorde, enriching the local music scene with her artistry. Today, she shares her expertise as a dedicated educator, teaching at prestigious institutions including St. Andrew’s, MacKillop Catholic College, and St. Monica’s, with an exciting new chapter ahead at TAS.

Ben Stein began his musical journey at the age of 10 on trumpet. Quickly switching to Baritone and then Euphonium, he progressed through the St Andrew’s Catholic College music program. He regularly completed AMEB exams and competed in the Cairns Eisteddfod winning most sections he entered including the Brass Championship. He developed a strong foundation in brass performance, achieving his Associate in Music (AMusA) in Euphonium at the age of 16. While doing this, Ben played Euphonium and trombone with the Cairns Brass No.1 Band, competing in National and State Championships. Ben moved to Brisbane in 2021 where he has been an active member of Brisbane Brass 1 Band, where he performed as Principal Euphonium at both state and national Championships. He also was a member of the UQ Big Band on trombone, performing regularly at the Brisbane Jazz club among other venues. Since moving back to Cairns this year, he has re-joined Cairns Brass where he has also taken up the role of Conductor of the Youth Band. In addition to performing, Ben is dedicated to sharing his knowledge with others, teaching brass at Trinity Anglican School and MacKillop Catholic College, where he also works in Performing Arts Administration. His passion for both performance and mentorship continues to shape his contributions to the music community. Interesting fact: - Ben is also a qualified Chef, he does this alongside teaching Brass.

Congratulations Quin Hoshino

Quin travelled to Brisbane after winning a place in the Finals of Griffith University Young Conservatorium, Concerto competition on Tuesday, 1 April. The competition was held in front of a capacity audience in Trinity Auditorium, St Rita’s College and involved finalists on Flute, Oboe and Piano. Quin, the youngest competitor there (by years) gained a creditable 3^rd place. Quin performed the Concerto in B flat for Oboe by Tomaso Albinoni.

Performing from memory, she was exquisite! Performing beyond her years, her technique, phrasing and musicality beautifully mastered. We are proud of her enormous achievement, and look forward to supporting Quin throughout her exciting future as a leading Oboist of her generation. 

Chorale Camp – Genezzano

In Week 10 of Term 1, Cairns High Chorale spent 3 days in workshop, rehearsal, sectional rehearsal and masterclass at the beautiful setting of Genezzano on Lake Tinaroo. Lauren Haney leading the 3-day intensive, was assisted and advised by Sandra Milliken https://www.sandramilliken.com.au/biography/

Thank you also to the staff who gave their time for 3 days and two nights to accompany our students, assist with musical, emotional, physical, health and dietary needs of the group: - Stephanie Grenning, Patrice Hogan, Bryan Hurdley, and a special thank you to our wonderfully talented and committed Ash Cawse who accompanied ALL rehearsals and still found time to run a couple of group games in our evening team building sessions.

Our Chorale rehearsed for more than 6 hours daily, starting with warm-ups and technical exercises, followed by a timetable of smaller ensemble, sectional and individual preparation.

Our Chorale is at their busiest working towards the Eisteddfod (term 2, Week 10) and at the same time, are putting in extra time to prepare for Fanfare, a Bi-Annual, State Wide competition run by Education Queensland. The heats of which are held in week 4, Friday May 16, at Edge Hill State School, followed by Fanfare finals at CPAC, Friday June 13.

Success at both depends of whatever else is happening in Choral terms across our State – this involvement may lead to a trip to Brisbane to compete against the best Choirs in QLD.

Thank you, parents, for your support of this exceptional group of Choristers. All the best for a successful term 2! 

Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Instrumental Music (MOST)

The Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Instrumental Music is a biennial event offering a residential extension program for up to 80 musically outstanding students (MOST) from Queensland state secondary schools.

The MOST program extends musically gifted and talented students in a 10-day program of musical development in large and small ensembles, tutorial groups, aural musicianship and a range of music and cultural activities. Conductors and tutors are eminent musicians who are recognised as leaders in their respective fields.

Congratulations to our successful students, we wish you a rewarding and successful course and look forward to hearing all about it on your return:  -

• Lara Oya – Trumpet
• Jack Saltmere – Trombone
• Quin Hoshino - Oboe
• Iroha Matsui – Viola
• Sana Wright – Violin

Year 12 Musicians : Senior Music and Music Extension – Performance component

Not every child who plays an instrument chooses Music / Music Extension as a curriculum choice for Grade 11 and 12, but those who do, enjoy more time to work on their personal performance technique and skill. All students have recorded their first Internal Assessment instrument, either with a backing track, as a stand alone solo or with an accompaniment. Thank you to all students, teachers and parents for their input in ensuring the highest quality performance for each student.

Hours of personal preparation go in to each single performance, before, during and after school. This combined with the ensemble and choral programmes that Cairns State High offers provides our students with a potent musical education that is second to none. Thank you to the following students for you hard work throughout term 1 (IA1). We look forward to your next individual performance in a few week’s time. Thank you to – Harison Baker, Maya Hadar Pagliari, Gabriel Havini, Beatrice Hossen, Minkyo Jung, Benjamin Kennedy, Anitta Morm, Jackson Mulherin, Lara Oya, Rina Susaki, Joseph Seo, Olivia Stein, Qilliam Treklis, Sonja Vasic.

• Next IA2 completion date is in their diary and on correspondence – draft week 3, final week 5.

Yamaha Australian National Band Championships, Melbourne  April 2025

Congratulations to our amazing brass and percussion students – Kaon Morgan, Jack Saltmere, Koki Yoshidawa, Ben Kennedy, Zach Coates, Jackson Mulherin, Izak Stridh, Olivia Stein and Lara Oya who performed with Cairns Brass no. 1 Band and won the B Grade NATIONAL Championships over the Easter Break! This makes them officially the best B Grade Brass Band in Australia.

Congratulations also to Olivia Stein (trumpet / cornet) who placed 4^th overall in both the Junior Sections and Senior Sections of the NATIONAL Australian Solo Championships and Jack Saltmere, who placed 3^rd overall in the NATIONAL Championships, Junior Trombone section.

ANZAC Day

Our school ANZAC Day ceremony took part on 24th April, giving time and space for our community to remember. The service was indeed touching with memorable and photos shared.

Thank you to Chamber strings and their soloist for the day, Quin Hoshino who performed reverently in their rendition of Gabrielle’s Oboe. Chamber Strings were joined by our Symphonic Orchestra Brass to perform both the Australian and New Zealand National Anthems, sung by Liam McNamara. Normally, the Last Post and Reveille are performed by single bugle player, but this year, a team of buglers performed in unison.

Thank you, Simon McMenamin, for conducting the ensemble and to all the teachers who gave their time to assist with the music. A sincere thank you to all involved.

JCU Eisteddfod 19-25 June

As always, we have entered a plethora of ensembles and choirs in to our annual Cairns Eisteddfod. Click here for groups entered.

Our Bands are timetabled on Monday 23rd June and Choirs are timetabled on Tuesday 24th June

A more comprehensive timetable will be issued in a few weeks.

Thank you for your patience with our Eisteddfod volunteers.

Solos are held in the Cairns Eisteddfod Hall on Greenslopes Street, and all band and choral events are held in CPAC. If your child has entered a solo, their name will appear in the programme (not yet printed). Please ensure you have the rules and regulations to hand, have organised a piano accompanist if you need one.

Good luck to all students, staff and supporters in your rehearsals and preparations leading up to this wonderful community event. We look forward to a rewarding Eisteddfod!

Click here to view Cairns State High School entries for Ensemble / Vocal groups.

Good luck to all students who have entered the solo sections. We look forward to hearing you perform.

Mamma Mia  Musical May 28 -31 May  CPAC

I feel I need to take this opportunity to thank all of the wonderful performers and musicians involved in Mamma Mia this term. As far as (just) the music is concerned, we have been meeting for extra rehearsals, chorus numbers, small ensemble number etc. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday – morning tea and lunch. We also rehearse on a Friday after school, and of course have been working on our full day sessions on Sundays. Our cast is sounding awesome, the songs energetic and precise! The band has now had a couple of rehearsals – all electric / tech spec stuff! 4 Keyboards, 2 Electric Guitars, 1 Bass Guitar, Drum Kit and Percussion!!!! It’s sounding awesome! More news on our cast, leads, chorus, band and organisers at a later date. For now, please keep up the effort in attending all rehearsals, practising your songs / dance routines at home.

SHEP: State Honours Ensemble Programme (nominations)

From SHEP - The Honours programs are educational programs for music students that help extend and encourage their pursuit of musical excellence. Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University’s State Honours Ensemble Program has grown from relatively modest beginnings in 2001. SHEP is now a firmly established aspect of music learning in Queensland, bringing together young people from all over the State, in regional centres and Brisbane to share their passion for making music.

Students are nominated for the Honours Program by their school. Approximately three months prior to each program, music/choral teachers are emailed and asked to nominate the students that meet the specified criteria for each program.

Students represent their school; therefore, nomination forms will only be accepted from a school representative and not parents, however teachers can nominate students that study music (individual tuition) outside of the school providing they have their AMEB grade.

From Cairns State High School – for this SHEP activity - If your child is in grade 7 – 10 and plays an orchestral instrument, and is currently between Grade 2 – 4 AMEB standard, we may well have nominated your child for involvement - held August 8 – 10, in St Mary’s Catholic College.

How it works following nomination -

• Schools / teachers nominate direct to Griffiths University (SHEP)
• SHEP collate and gather information as supplied by schools – age / standard / instrumentation
• SHEP contact parents direct with either “successful Or waiting list” – acceptance is at the discretion of SHEP and nothing to do with CSHS. All factors of information determine the outcome.
• Parents respond directly to SHEP with Yes / No (you are under no contract, there is a cost)

We will not nominate your child if we feel they are not ready, or exceeding the standard of the ensemble.

For more details head to State Honours Ensemble Programme web site - 

Music Calendar for Term 2 

Important Dates to put on your whole year calendar:

Click here for more calendar details

Maureen Cameron | Director of Music OAM | | 07 4050 3049

Science

Visiting speaker

Kelen Marczak Polli CV.pdf

Kelen Marczak Polli CV _pdf 98.45 KB

National Youth Science Forum

The NYSF Year 12 Program applications have opened for January 2026. The NYSF invites students from all across Australia with an enthusiasm for STEM to join us in exploring their STEM future.

Join us in January at The Australian National University or the University of Queensland. You'll go on tours of STEM facilities, learn what comes after year 12, meet hundreds of other students from across Australia, and get hands-on with STEM you didn't know existed.

Applications are currently open for current year 11 students. Visit nysf.edu.au for more information on the NYSF Year 12 Program, including dates, opportunities for financial support, and how to apply to the program. Apply now.

Young Science Ambassador 2025 Visit

On Tuesday 18th March Cairns SHS was visited by Selina Ward as part of the Young Science Ambassador 2025 program and presented to year 10 Science and a range of senior Biology, Psychology students.  Selina spoke about her journey through university, the courses that she had studied and the range of options available. Selina also spoke about her research in the field of infectious diseases, the places that she’d travelled to as part of that research and the organisations that she collaborated with. When asked what the most interesting part of the presentation was for them one senior student commented that they enjoyed hearing about the infectious diseases work while another said she liked getting a better understanding of the options to change the direction of study once at university. The presentation left students with a better understanding of both the pathways available to students at university and current tropical disease research. A big thank you to Selina for her time and willingness to share her journey and current research and to the BLA, UQ and Wonder of Science program for organising and funding the tour.

Cate Gilmore | Acting HOD of Scieence | 07 4050 3052

Senior Pathways 

#GO Health

Senior students had the opportunity to see the diverse range of careers available in the Health sector by seeing the many roles within hospital kitchens, Nurse Training centre and blood collection and phlebotomy centres. This experience was made possible through our Health GISP partner, Check Up. Students were able to further explore the health sector at the #GO Health Career Expo, engaging with industry and education sector.

School Based Traineeships and Apprenticeships

Congratulations to our many students who have recently commenced a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship. In particular, to our four students who started with OSMAC and Infinite Aged Care: Precious Moyo, Mia Baddeley, May Foster and Alisha Mea and to Talitha Tiamani who has almost completed her traineeship with Infinite Care.  

Sarah Daggett | HOD Senior Pathways | 07 4050 3092 

Sports

We were so impressed to see Cairns High SHINE at our Interhouse Cross Country event late last term.  Students were pushing themselves to their absolute limits on the track, we had student volunteers coming from every direction, outstanding displays of sportsmanship and encouragement and what makes us even happier is the number of students who participated in the event on the day!!

Congratulations to Collins, the overall champions on the day; as well as our Age Champions who took out first place in their individual races.

Amy Whelan | HOD of Sport | Sport@cairnsshs.eq.edu.au