We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the unceded land on which we work and present the VCE Season of Excellence; the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation. We acknowledge all traditional and ongoing custodians of the lands across Victoria, where students have investigated new creative possibilities and developed their bold artistic works.
About Top Class
Top Class presents 10+ concerts by outstanding performing arts students who have completed VCE Dance, Drama, Theatre Studies, Music Composition, Music Contemporary Performance, Music Inquiry and Music Repertoire Performance, and VCE VET Dance, Music (Performance) and Music (Sound Production). These concerts include:
- Top Class Dance
- Top Class Drama
- Top Class Theatre Studies
- Top Class Music and Sound
2025 Top Class Sound Applications
Applications for Top Class Sound 2025 are now open for students who created or performed an original composition for a graded assessment task in Units 3 and 4 in:
- VCE Music Contemporary Performance
- VCE Music Repertoire Performance
- VCE VET Music (Performance) and/or
- VCE VET Music (Sound Production)
Students completing Units 3 and 4 in VCE Music Composition and VCE Music Inquiry will be selected basd on the Externally-assess Task and should not complete an application.
Top Class Sound 2025 Application Form
Applications will close at 11:59 pm Monday 11 November 2024.
For more information on the selection process, please see the Selection Process tab at the bottom of this page.
Application Support
We recognise that the experience of disability and accessibility is diverse and unique to individuals, and people still face barriers.
If you have access requirements that mean completing a registration form or application via word document, video, audio or another method would work best, please get in touch with us prior to the deadline to discuss.
Email seasonofexcellence@education.vic.gov.au or call (03) 9059 5278.
Top Class Regional
In April 2024, the VCE Season of Excellence presented its innaugural Top Class Regional concerts. The concerts took place at the Gippsland Performing Arts Centre (GPAC), a purpose-built, state-of-the-art venue in Traralgon, and featured a selection of students from the metro Top Class concerts. Each concert was accompanied by a GPAC-presented educational forum featuring guest artists and a Q&A panel including VCE Top Class alumni and a curriculum expert.
Top Class performers are selected from students that have achieved an A or an A+ on their VCE performance examination or Externally-assessed Task.
During the selection process, students are identified only by their VCAA student number to remove bias in the selection process. Every effort is made to equally represent school sectors during the selection process and within the Top Class concerts.
Top Class Dance, Drama and Theatre Studies
VCE Drama, Theatre Studies, Dance and VCE VET Dance students are invited to audition for Top Class based on their performance examination score. Invitations to audition will be sent in mid-December 2024. Auditions will be held in January 2025.
Top Class Music
VCE Music Repertoire Performance, Music Contemporary Performance, Music Inquiry, Music Composition, VCE VET Music (Performance), and VCE VET Music (Sound Production) students are selected from recordings of their end of year performance examination. Students will be notified of their selection in January 2025.
Top Class Sound
VCE Music Composition and VCE Music Inquiry students are selected from original compositions that received an A or A+ on the Externally-assessed Task. VCE Music Contemporary Performance, VCE Music Repertoire Performance, and VCE VET Music (Performance) and Music (Sound Production) students who created or performed an original composition for a graded assessment task in 2024 may submit an application for selection.
A selection panel will review and shortlist all eligible exam recordings and applications. The VCAA will contact shortlisted students to confirm a high-quality recording or live performance of an appropriate standard can be organised for Top Class Music and Sound in March 2025. All applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application by late-December 2024.
Top Class Sound Selection Criteria
Applicants must be enrolled in Units 3 and 4 of any of the following studies:
- VCE Music Composition
- VCE Music Inquiry
- VCE Music Contemporary Performance
- VCE Music Repertoire Performance
- VCE VET Music (Performance)
- VCE VET Music (Sound Production)
Selected works must:
- be an original composition created or performed for a graded assessment task in 2024
- be able to be presented in concert at an appropriate standard, either as a live performance or high-quality recording
- include copyright clearance if they include third-party content
Optional:
- prerecorded material and/or sound effects may be used with live performance
Select Top Class concert recordings from 2021-2023 are available as free resources for schools. Please note, recordings are not availalbe for 2024 Top Class concerts. To access available videos, please email seasonofexcellence@education.vic.gov.au and specify which resources you would like from the below:
Top Class Dance
- Top Class Dance 2021 - Program 1 & 2 (VCE Dance and VCE VET Dance)
- Top Class Dance 2022 - Program 1 & 2 (VCE Dance and VCE VET Dance)
Top Class Drama and Theatre Studies
- Top Class Drama 2021 (Program 1 & 2) and 2023 (Program 1, 2 & 3) (VCE Drama)
- Top Class Theatre Studies 2021 (Program 1 & 2) and 2023 (Program 1, 2 & 3) (VCE Theatre Studies)
Top Class Music and Top Class Sound
- Top Class Music 2021 - Program 1 (VCE Music Performance, VCE Music Investigation, VCE VET Music Industry (Performance) – solo and group acoustic)
- Top Class Music 2021 - Program 2 (VCE Music Performance, VCE Music Investigation, VCE VET Music Industry (Performance) – solo and group acoustic and plugged)
- Top Class Music 2021 - Program 3 (VCE Music Performance, VCE Music Investigation, VCE VET Music Industry (Performance) – solo and group plugged)
- Top Class Sound 2021 - Program 1 (VCE Music Style and Composition, VCE Music Investigation)
- Top Class Music 2022 - Program 1 (VCE Music Performance and VCE Music Investigation - solo acoustic)
- Top Class Music 2022 - Program 2 (VCE Music Performance, VCE Music Investigation and VCE VET Music Industry (Performance) - solo and group acoustic)
- Top Class Sound and Music 2022 - Program 3 (VCE Music Style and Composition, VCE Music Investigation and VCE VET Music Industry (Performance) original compositions, followed by VCE Music Performance, VCE Music Investigation and VCE VET Music Industry (Performance) solo and group performances)
Further educational resources can be viewed on the Top Acts page.