Summer school on song

By Kath Gannaway
AS THE sublime voices of a new choir wafted from the library at Healesville Primary School last week, and various symphonies escaped from the wind, ukele and jazz sessions nearby, an explosion of drums and cymbals erupted the kids’ art program at St Brigid’s across the road.
The 14th Summer School of Arts and Music was in full voice!
In other classrooms impressive art works were being created in workshops and courses including large landscape, still life, pastel, watercolour and more.
The Yarra Valley Arts Council’s annual celebration and fostering of creative talent attracted 150 adults from all around the Yarra Valley and Melbourne and as far away as Corowa, Castlemaine and Geelong. Forty children and young people also enjoyed the opportunity to return to school to dabble in a range of art, craft, circus, gymnastic and music activities. Rita van Ooi, one of the YVAC summer school co-ordinators, said the program had been a huge success with the concert on the Thursday night at the RACV club declared “the best ever” and more than 80 people attending the Summer School dinner.
The 2011 Summer School of Art and Music will be held on the week starting 10 January.