Success for HSC – ARTEXPRESS, ENCORE and SHAPE!
We are thrilled to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Jessie-Marie Rifkin, Elena Cavdarovski, Jennifer LoGuidice, and Melissa Danelutti on their recent nomination for ARTEXPRESS in HSC Visual Arts.
ARTEXPRESS showcases exemplary artwork that reflects the creativity, skill, and dedication of students who have excelled in their Higher School Certificate Visual Arts practical examination and highlights outstanding Bodies of Work from talented students across New South Wales. Each nominated piece has been identified through a rigorous examination process.
Each of our nominees has brought a unique perspective to their work:
Seeing Beyond the Visage: After Berger
Elena Cavdarovski’s oil painting series delves into the historical relevance of mirrors in art, portraying women in moments of self-confrontation and introspection. Her work draws inspiration from art historian John Berger, exploring themes of identity and self-perception.
Metanoia Academy
Jessie-Marie Rifkin created a dynamic blend of digital and hand-drawn illustrations that transports viewers into a high school setting filled with intriguing characters and vivid adventures, blending storytelling with artistic expression.
From The Fire We Emerge
Melissa Danelutti’s series is a moving tribute to familial resilience, inspired by her family’s journey through recovery after a house fire during her childhood. Her series of oil paintings captures themes of strength and unity in the face of adversity.
Serenity In Roots,
Jennifer LoGiudice’s piece beautifully integrates graphite drawings and video to celebrate her grandfather’s Italian heritage and his garden. Through this multifaceted approach, Jennifer captures the quiet strength and rich legacy of her family, paying homage to her roots and capturing her grandfather’s connection to his bountiful garden.
Selection for the 2025 ARTEXPRESS exhibition will take place later this month. We are incredibly proud of our nominees and wish them the very best in the selection process. This achievement reflects the hard work and creativity each of these students has invested in their artistic journeys, and we look forward to seeing their potential unfold.
Congratulations once again to Jessie-Marie, Elena, Jennifer, and Melissa!
Gemma Baldwin
CAPA Coordinator
St Ursula’s Music program achieved an incredible milestone with a record-breaking six students nominated for Encore! This prestigious recognition celebrates students who rank in the top 1% of the state for their outstanding practical examination performances in HSC Music. The students nominated in Music 1 are: Olivia Barsoum, Angelina Castelli, Daniella Haklane, Ying Shi He and Bernice Yem. Zoe Deng who completed Music 2 and Music Extension at Southern Cross Catholic College was also nominated.
These talented musicians are now in the running to perform at the Sydney Opera House early next year—a true testament to their hard work, dedication, and musical excellence.
In the week leading to their video submissions, Mr Jamie Valente and the Year 11 Entertainment Industries class dedicated their lessons to professionally record and edit each student’s music program. This process provided an invaluable learning experience for the Entertainment class, who had the opportunity to work closely with professional musicians to record, mix, and edit high-quality video and audio. Collaborating on such a prestigious project allowed students to apply their technical skills in a real-world setting, enhancing their understanding of event production and audio engineering while gaining insights into the standards of professional performance and recording.
The Music Department’s success didn’t stop there. Two students, Angelina Eid and Daniella Hakelne, were also recognised in the Sydney Catholic Schools 2024 HSC Performing Arts Showcase. Angelina’s composition Retro Dilemma and Daniella’s captivating performance of Desert Rose earned them spots in the showcase and a feature on the CASPA podcast Spotlight on the Arts. On the podcast, they shared insights into their elective selection process and emphasised the value of pursuing performing arts subjects for the HSC. Daniella’s cultural piece Desert Rose, accompanied by her brother on piano, was selected for a live performance on Friday, 8 November.
Congratulations to all our exceptional students and to the Music Department for continuing to inspire creativity and excellence!
Stephanie Josifovski
Music Teacher
St Ursula’s Design and Technology students and Textiles and Design students have also done remarkably well, with seven students being nominated for possible inclusion in SHAPE exhibition. SHAPE is a selection of outstanding works from HSC Design and Technology, Industrial Technology and Textiles and Design students and will be held at the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct from March 2025. Congratulations to Natasha Alexander, Melissa Danelutti, Helayna Krallis, Bethnay Lui, Isabella Ursino and Mikaela Vassilimis, who have been nominated for their Design and Technology major work, and Elena Cavdarovski who has been nominated for her Textiles major work.
This nomination reflects the excellent quality of work produced and displayed for your Major Design Project. Being nominated for SHAPE is an incredible achievement and one you should be very proud of. The nomination reflects your dedication and excellence in Design and Technology. We are very glad you have been recognised for your success.
