Great Sydney School Holiday Workshops: September 2015
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by Suzanne Milne on 20/09/2015

If you live in (or near) Sydney and have a child with a penchant for robotics, magic, rock music, scientific exploration music video making, intergalactic battle or stop-motion movies, these inspiring workshops and bootcamps will see them walk away with a showcase of their talent!

Held at some of Australia’s most prestigious institutions, it is a veritable treasure trove of bite sized brilliance. Can we please be kids again?

September 21 & 22
Sydney Learning Festival
With the subtitle, ‘think, make, share’ this inaugural festival at St Andrews Cathedral School has workshops that include a piano master class led by Simon Tedeschi, magic led by Harry Milas, staging Shakespeare, cupcake creations, theatresports, robot artists, rhythmic gymnastics, create your own tech deck, design thinking, clay creations, upcycled art, and the news in 2030. Can we have one of these festivals for adults too, please?
Ages 10–14 years
Where St Andrew’s Cathedral School
Time 08.30–17.3o
Cost $160 (2 Day Pass) | $85 (1 Day Pass)
BOOK HERE

September 22, 23, 24, 25
Rock School
Prepare for a performance in front of your family and friends as part of The Big Music Rock Orchestra – by the end of the week you’ll be showing off your ability to play not one, not two, but five different instruments! How cool is that!? Play sets from artists such as Queen, Dave Grohl, The Beatles, Katy Perry and Metallica, while our expert coaches guide you in musicianship, teamwork, communication and the intimate workings of playing in a band. Don’t waste another holiday on the couch, get on stage this coming break and show your family and friends what a rockstar you are!
Ages 9+
Where Big Music Studios, Crows Nest
Time 09.30–15.30
Alternative Dates September 29–October 2
Cost $440
BOOK HERE

September 24 or 25
Music Video Making
Kids get to perform for the camera, as well as direct, learn camera techniques and sound design using GarageBand to create an awesome song. There is no musical experience required, simply step behind the scenes and learn how music videos are put together in the editing suite. Using Adobe Premiere Pro video editing software as well as green screen technology, kids get to work with their crew to create a music video and the next pop sensation.
Ages 9–14
Where Museum of Applied Arts & Science
Time 10.00–16.00
Cost $100
BOOK HERE

September 23, 24 or 25
Scientist For A Day: Lose your Senses
Is your sense of smell better than a T. Rex’s? Kids discover how human senses stack up against those of other animals as they delve into the brain to learn how we smell, hear, see, taste and feel. A day of exploring and experimenting with the senses, learning how animals navigate their environment and investigating the inner workings of the brain!
Ages 8–12
Where The Australian Museum
Time 09.00–15.00
Cost $135
BOOK HERE or call +61 2 9320 6389

Saturday and Sunday, September 24 & 25
Planet Wars: Battle for the Republic
Star Wars was a classic, Battlestar Galactica was brilliant, but it’s time for a new generation of space warriors. In this workshop, kids get to create their own intergalactic character and join forces with a legion of other space travellers. They battle against the dark forces in the universe to save their home planet, building scenes around their heroic travels and adventures before presenting their work to family and friends at the end of the course.
Ages Years 3–6 (ages 8–12)
Where NIDA Kensington Campus
Time 10.00–17.00
Alternatives There are many holiday courses for ages from 2+. See details here
Cost $310
BOOK HERE

September 30, October 1 & 2
Make A Stop Motion Movie
Here children learn techniques of model making, storyboarding and stop-motion – think Wallace and Gromit and Shawn the Sheep – before making a stop motion movie of their own. Working in small groups, kids design their own backdrop, plan the story and create characters, then experiment with live action stop motion using their own bodies as props. Taught by professional animators, kids get to create their own claymation or toy animation in this workshop.
Ages 9+
Where Australian Film Television & Radio School
Time 10.00 and 12.00
Cost $22/$18/$72 family of four
BOOK HERE