These Wyndham students have the music in them.
Manor Lakes College is attracting students from other schools in the area to take part in a VET Music Performance course that the school has offered for the past four years.
Students are able to complete the specialised course alongside their VCE or VCAL subjects.
Year 12 students Kayleigh (guitar), Susana (vocals), Liam (drums), Katya (keyboard) and Mackenzie (bass and vocals) have joined forces in the past 18 months to create pop-rock-alternative band Permanent Break.
Kayleigh, who attends Hoppers Crossing Secondary College, said the group met on orientation day and “instantly clicked” during a jam session, where they played This Love by Maroon Five.
“It was really natural how quickly we got the song together … we gelled.”
The band is currently rehearsing ahead of a Battle of the Bands competition this month.
Mackenzie said the group had been working hard to perfect its 20-minute set.
“When the audience like it, especially when they remember our compositions from ages ago and they start singing along – that’s the best feeling.”
Meanwhile, fellow year 12 guitarist and vocal artist Saskia said she’s spent this year focusing on her stage presence and vocalisation.
Earlier this year, Saskia won the W Factor competition at the Weerama festival with her rendition of the Chris Isaak song, Wicked Games.
Teacher Ashley Craven said students from Manor Lakes, Hoppers Crossing, Wyndham Central, The Grange, Thomas Carr and Werribee College had taken part in the course.
