Trinity students’ major works recognised

As final exams loom closer for Year 12 students across the state, those who engage in subjects with a practical element are already celebrating their achievements with many of their major works submitted, performed, and finalised. 

Like other HSC exams, these practical exams are marked by experienced HSC teachers and, during this process, the markers look to identify exemplary works that reflect the syllabus outcomes and high achievement of the marking criteria. The identification of these works is known as ‘nomination’. 

Works that are nominated are under consideration for possible inclusion in their subject’s respective HSC Showcase exhibition presented by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). A nomination does not correlate to a certain HSC mark or reflect achievement in a certain performance band.

Trinity has now been informed of the nomination of several students’ work for HSC Showcases across Visual Arts, Industrial Technology, Music, and Drama. It’s a huge achievement for these students and we congratulate them on their hard work and the recognition they’re receiving. 

For their teachers, the recognition is affirmation of years of hard work – not just through their final year, but in all the years leading up to this moment that laid the foundation for such a result. The learning journey is never one taken alone, for students or teachers.

ARTEXPRESS | Visual Arts 

Featuring outstanding bodies of work by HSC Visual Arts students in NSW, ARTEXPRESS exhibits in galleries across the state from February 2025. 

Jatan Singh’s nominated work, ‘Brass Colony’ communicates connection to family, a personal and culturally evocative work. Meanwhile, ‘Whispers in the Wind’, an emotional and nuanced photomedia piece from Marcus Dawson was also nominated, as was Matthew Vickery’s spectacular, intergenerational work ‘Brave New World’.

Each of these works are a testimony to the students’ skill and commitment to quality work and were displayed earlier this year at the Delmar Gallery in the Year 12 Visual Arts exhibition.  

SHAPE | Industrial Technology

The SHAPE exhibition is a showcase of some of the very best work across Industrial Technology and Textiles and Design major projects. 

Nominee Max Meagher’s major work up for possible inclusion in SHAPE is a stunning hallway table that highlights both design innovation and fine craftsmanship. The table’s standout feature is its bent laminated legs, showcasing advanced woodworking techniques that create smooth, flowing curves, lending the piece a sleek, modern aesthetic. The drawer construction reflects a high level of skill and attention to detail, ensuring both function and durability while maintaining an elegant appearance. The intricate veneered top adds a layer of sophistication, with carefully selected and arranged veneers that create a visually striking pattern. Together, these elements combine to form a functional yet artful piece of furniture.

Fellow Industrial Technology nominee, Peter Khoury-Harb’s fishing cabinet is an intricate showcase of fine woodworking skills and a clear reflection of Peter’s passion for fishing. The cabinet features dovetail drawer construction, a hallmark of precise joinery, ensuring durability and a classic aesthetic. Each drawer is crafted with meticulous attention to detail, providing ample storage for fishing gear while highlighting the woodworker’s mastery of traditional techniques. A unique maker-designed locking mechanism secures the fishing rods, reflecting the student’s deep connection to the sport and a custom design approach to the project. This project exemplifies the marriage of artisanal woodworking with practical design, creating a functional yet beautifully crafted piece for fishing enthusiasts.

ENCORE | Music 

The ENCORE Concert is held at the Sydney Opera House each year with a program of performances and compositions by students as singers, instrumentalists and composers. 

Levi Shin has been nominated for possible inclusion in the ENCORE program. In Music 1 and focusing on his instrument of the Drum Kit, the pieces Levi has been nominated with are: 

• Sea Journey: Chick Corea
• Chick’s pain: Fiset
• Skopsko Oro: Balken Traditional
• What about me?: Snarky Puppy

In Music 2 and focused on his instrument of the Marimba is Peter Dawson. The pieces Peter has been nominated with are:

• Violet’s Etude: Elena Kats-Chernin
• Concertino for Xylophone, Movt 1: Mayazumi
• Land: Muramatsu
• Losa: Sejourne
• Libertango: Piazzola, Arr. Sammuh
• Michi: Abe

OnSTAGE | Drama 

The OnSTAGE showcase presents outstanding major works by HSC Drama students, including individual and group performances. 

Three individual performances have been nominated for possible inclusion in the OnSTAGE showcase. 

Lochlan Demark has been nominated for his heart-wrenching performance as Bojack Horseman from the monologue ‘Free Churro’ by Raphael Bob-Waksberg. The monologue explores a struggling actor giving a eulogy at his mother’s funeral who struggles to find a nice thing to say about her as he tries to work out the meaning behind her final words ‘I see you’. 

Fellow nominee, Aidan Gaitanis has been recognised for his rendition of Tom Stoppard’s famous absurdist play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, chich explore Guildenstern’s reflections as he contemplates life, death, and everything in between as the walls literally begin to crowd around him. 

Completing Trinity’s nominated individual performances is Filip Kordic with his monologue of Boris the Rottweiler, which was taken from the CJ Johnson play The Dog Logs. The monologue looks at the tragic-comedy of a loyal and prideful Rottweiler trying to deal with the constant barking of his new neighbours which leads to disastrous results. 

Lochlan, Aidan and Filip are joined by their classmate, Callum Campbell for the nominated group performance: ‘Thunderboys are Go!’ which was devised by the students themselves. The story explores a group of childhood friends reuniting their old spy group after one of their identities is stolen. They traverse through the underbelly of their high school as they learn about their strengths, how to handle life with absent and neglectful fathers and how it is inevitable that everyone grows up.

A huge congratulations to all the students nominated for these showcases – a nomination is a significant recognition of your hard work.