The evening of May 26 was dedicated to the annual prize-giving ceremony of Sir Adrian Dingli Girls' Junior Lyceum, Pembroke. This event celebrated the students' efforts and academic success.
The cultural evening which was held in the school hall gave the opportunity to the students to display their musical and artistic talents through which their creativity emerged. In her speech, Ms M. Bonnici, head of school, demonstrated that the school gives great importance to the students' creativity as well as their academic skills.
The evening's programme opened with various elements from the school orchestra which presented music by Liszt, Ghys and Schubert.
After this, the school band, which is involved in the major musical events held throughout the scholastic year, presented two medleys. One of these consisted of some major hits from the latest charts. Moreover, this year's novelty was a technological adaptation involving the combination of sequenced four-track percussion music with five live tracks. This produced a deeply immersive atmosphere, so as to fully recreate the required atmosphere of the Hans Zimmer soundtracks.
For the last nine years the school has presented a musical on prize day. This year the drama and dance group worked together in performing highlights from the musical Dracula Spectacula by John Gardiner and music by Andrew Parr.
Dracula Spectacula, a bubbling modern extravaganza with a hilarious script, presents a vulnerable school teacher and her pupils who are swung into riotous Transylvanian happenings with the unruly Count and his macabre acolytes.
On the side of the right and opposing evil are noble Nick Necrophiliac, Fathers O'Stake and O'Chip, the enthusiastic duo Frau Hannah and Frau Gretel and their odd friends.
Their task is to challenge the forces of darkness, the hideous Countess Wraith, Genghis the grovelling minion, the Zombies, the Fanged Brides, not to mention the Prince of Vampires, King of the Night himself, Count Dracula.
Under the general direction of Mr Frank Tanti and the musical direction of Mr Mark Cachia, who accompanied the students on the keyboard, the cast displayed excellent theatrical and vocal abilities in a highly polished and enthusiastic live performance.
A special mention goes to Danielle Caruana as Dracula, Holly Newsome as Miss Nadia, Bernice Ebejer as Frau Hannah, Talisa Krauer as Frau Gretel, Grazia Colabufo as Nick, Shalome Balzan as Countess Wraith and Kelly Peplow as Genghis.
The musical would not have been such a success if it weren't for the members of staff who worked as a team and made their contribution.
Miss Alison Micallef trained the dance students and created the choreography while Miss Claire Gauci and Miss Anita Vinci acted as production assistants. Mr George Apap and Mr Lino Sammut created the effective stage set and other teachers gave help and support in various ways.
The prizes were distributed by Mr Alfred Cauchi, Education Officer.
This event has once again created an excellent opportunity for the administration, teachers, parents and students of Sir Adrian Dingli Girls' Junior Lyceum to work together strengthening the student-teacher relationship which according to the Minister of Education, Youth and Employment Dr Louis Galea, who was present for the occasion, is well reflected in the school's motto "Learning together, achieving together, succeeding together".