From the Head of Culture

Cultural Celebration Evening

Last week the St Patrick's College community gathered for the inaugural Cultural Celebration Evening, a fitting culmination to another outstanding year of achievement in Cultural Activities. The evening celebrated the remarkable talents, commitment and perseverance of our students across music, debating, chess, theatresports, dance, musicals, dramatic productions, tech crew, film crew and many other cultural pursuits.

The celebrations commenced with Celebration By The Sea, held in the Christian Brothers Building. This special concert showcased the achievements of our Junior ensembles and highlighted the dedication and growth displayed throughout the year. Performances by our Percussion Ensembles, Big Bands, Rock Bands and Concert Bands entertained a packed audience and provided a vibrant and uplifting prelude to the evening's awards ceremony.

Following the concert, the College recognised students whose achievements have been outstanding throughout 2026 at the Cultural Awards Ceremony. The event celebrated the dedication, talent and contributions of students across the College's cultural programs, alongside the commitment of the Cultural Coordinators who have guided, supported and inspired them throughout the year:

• Art Club – Mrs Kim Murray
• Chess – Mrs Veronica Tomkins
• Debating – Mr Neill Smith and Ms Kate Mulvihill
• Dance – Mrs Kristin Cadoo-Dagley
• Dramatic Production – Mrs Bianca den Hollander
• Film Crew – Mr Steve Copping
• Music Department – Mr Laurent Dubois
• Musical – Mrs Kristin Cadoo-Dagley
• Theatresports – Mrs Janet Garside
• Tech Crew – Mr Kevin Camrass

We extend our sincere thanks to all staff, families and students who contributed to the success of the evening and to the strength of our cultural programs throughout 2026. In particular, we acknowledge the Cultural Administration Team of Mrs Tiffany Visser and Mrs Mel Bell for their significant contribution to Cultural Activities this year and for the exceptional manner in which they helped honour and celebrate the achievements of our young men on the night.

The celebrations then concluded with the much-loved Senior Musicians' Farewell Concert. Parents, families and friends enjoyed outstanding performances from ensembles featuring our Year 12 musicians as the College celebrated their contribution to music at SPC. Staff paid tribute to the graduating students, recognising the dedication, leadership and enthusiasm they have brought to the Music Department throughout their time at the College. We thank our graduating musicians for their invaluable contribution and wish the Class of 2026 every success and happiness in the years ahead.

The Cultural Celebration Evening was a powerful reminder of the talent, character and enthusiasm of our students, and of the vibrant culture of participation, excellence and community that continues to thrive at St Patrick's College.

Battle of the Rock Bands

For the second consecutive year, SPC's own Pier Pressure was selected through a highly competitive audition process to perform at the Clairvaux MacKillop Battle of the Rock Bands, Brisbane's premier school rock music festival.

Supported by an enthusiastic contingent of SPC students who travelled to Mt Gravatt to cheer them on, Pier Pressure delivered an electrifying performance showcasing exceptional musicianship, confidence and stage presence. Their efforts were rewarded with Second Place Overall and the Audience Choice Award, earning the band the opportunity to perform a spectacular encore complete with pyrotechnics.

Congratulations to Year 12 student Alex Townsley, who was named Most Outstanding Musician, and to fellow band members Oscar Brown, Ben Whiteside, Cael Armitage, Jesse Burgess and Zac Bugler on this outstanding achievement. The entire SPC community is incredibly proud of your success and the way you represented the College on one of the biggest school music stages in Queensland.