Music in May

Congratulations ES1
A huge congratulations to ES1 for all their efforts in the College Musical Production! All the rehearsing during Music lessons and after school really paid off!!

ES2 Music- African Rhythm/Drumming
During Music lessons, ES2 have been working hard at creating a African Drumming composition. They had to compose 24 bars of layered rhythm that had to be notated on the manuscript and then performed in front of the class. The results were fantastic- Well done to all of ES2 for your focus and enthusiasm!

~ M.Koelma- College Music Department

Visual Arts in May

Visita a la Fundación  Proa.

Louise Bourgeois: El retorno de lo reprimido.

El viernes 27 de mayo, alumnos de arte de  ES 5 y Polimodal 3, visitaron la muestra de Louise Bourgeois,  una de las artistas más reconocidas del siglo XX. Nació en París en 1911, y viajó y vivió en Estados Unidos desde 1938 hasta sus últimos días, en 2010.

La exhibición comienza con la famosa araña Maman (1999) en la entrada de Proa, y el interior de las salas despliega un conjunto de 86 obras. Sus primeras esculturas, en las que aparecen ya la espiral y varias de las formas y figuras que vertebran toda su obra, rodean elArch of Hysteria, 1993; Spider, 1997, y las emblemáticas instalaciones Red Room (Parents), 1994, y The Destruction of the Father, 1974. Un sólido y numeroso cuerpo de dibujos y escritos dan cuenta de su radical pensamiento ligado a la reflexión sobre el amor: filial, parental, familiar - el amor en sí mismo -. 

Las obras  evidencian cómo el psicoanálisis intervino en el pensamiento de la artista, y cómo el diálogo con  ese discurso creó un universo emocionante sobre la compleja, conflictiva, y sutil vida contemporánea. El mundo interior, el de las relaciones familiares, el lugar del padre, la madre, la hija y la esposa están tratados de manera singular, propia y personal, y convierten a Bourgeois en un ícono de los temas más trascendentales del siglo XX.

La visita guiada, estuvo bien dirigida por Pablo,  quien explicó de manera clara y didáctica los mecanismos de la artista, a la hora de crear su obra. Seguramente algunos estudiantes encontraron en Bourgeois, una fuente de inspiración para futuras obras.

~ D. Gluzmann- Visual Arts Department

IB Film Studies- Projects

Film studies has had a dynamic start to the year with students producing quality work and demonstrating a great understanding for this new subject.
Here is an example of some student's work and research for this subject:

You can find out more about St George's College Film Studies by visiting their blog: 

http://stgeorgesquilmesibfilm.blogspot.com/

~ P. Wise- IB Film Studies

Music- April/May Edition

ES3 Music 

It is amazing the amount of talent that is within the College's Music Department! 

- ES3 Music 

ES5 IB Music and ES3 IGCSE Music have just completed their first official Performance Assessment Task. This is where students had to choose a piece from any style to perform on their instrument individually or as an ensemble.
These students should be very proud of themselves, because they worked very hard in preparing for their performances. Well done to both Elective Music classes.

ES5 IB Music

ES5 CAS Music- 
This class is also to be congratulated for completing their first trimester of CAS Music. These ES5 students had the opportunity to use these Music lessons to CREATE and be inspired. Students explored working together as a rhythmic ensemble and collected 'Junk Percussion'- where they used recycled broken chairs, instruments, tables, metal piping etc... and used these resources as a part of making percussion instruments. Students were inspired by rhythmic ensembles such as 'Stomp Out Loud' and 'Blue Man' . They put these instruments together and created a variety of interesting and organic sounds. Next week we hope to come around to the other CAS groups to perform some of our work. So keep your eyes and ears open!

Poli 3 CAS Music

Poli 3 CAS Music for La Casa de Niño-
This CAS Music group are a very talented group of students who have prepared excellent Music lessons for the niños. They have been teaching these children songs, games, dances and musical instrument workshops including guitar, bass guitar, keyboard and drums. The children are very lucky to have such creative and enthusiastic Poli 3 students are their Music leaders. Excellent work Poli 3!

Poli 3 CAS Music 

Overall, the numerous vocal ensembles have been extending themselves within the College. Gospel Choir is busy preparing for the USA tour at the start of July. Senior Vocal Ensemble are building their repertoire and being challenged by some very difficult pieces. And the St Georgian Community Choir for all parents and staff of St George's have now grown to over 35 members. It is very exciting to see people coming together who are passionate about Music and singing!

A couple of rock band groups have also been rehearsing weekly within the Music department. It is fantastic to see young Musicians growing and developing.
If anyone is interested in booking rooms at lunchtime for Music/Vocal practice or band rehearsal, then please come and see Ms Koelma to put your name on the booking sheet.

Poli 3 CAS Music

PRIVATE INSTRUMENTAL / VOCAL LESSONS- Are now available! Students have started this week! If you are interested, you need to come and collect a note from Ms Koelma in the Music Department. You can have lessons for singing, drumming, guitar, piano, bass, saxophone to even the accordion! Lessons will be held during school hours- Students will be need to come out of their lesson for half an hour (a different lesson each week so they do not miss too much class time) per week.
Or email: creativearts@stgeorge.org.ar

Here is a Music Webisode of the talent we are seeing within the College:

Enjoy!

~ M.Koelma- College Music Department

Visual Arts- April/May Edition

El grito ha sido un tema recurrente  dentro de las Artes Visuales. Con este disparador, los alumnos de ES5 comenzaron a desarrollar su programa de IB en Artes Visuales. Se tomaron como referencia dos obras maestras del S.XX, “El grito” de Edward Munch, pintor noruego (1863- 1944)  realizado en 1893 y el monumental “Guernica” mural realizado por el español Pablo Picasso ( 1881 – 1973 ) durante la Guerra Civil Española en 1937. Luego de analizar y comparar dichas obras, los estudiantes desarrollaron sus propias ideas sobre el tema. 

Obra de Florencia Guevara inspirada en
Guernica de Picasso, ES 5

Magdalena Navajas, Poli 3

Collage de Agustina Bottero inspirada en
Guernica de Picasso. ES 5

Obra de Muriel Fregossi. ES 5

Agustina Bottero realizó un collage donde los  colores turquesas y ocres desdramatizan el potente caballo del Guernica realizado solamente en la gama de grises. Florencia Guevara, hace foco en  un personaje  de la obra de Picasso: sobre un fondo rojo, dispone a la madre con su hijo muerto como únicos protagonistas de su obra. Muriel Fregossi realizó un óleo con figuras superpuestas en distintas actitudes y Victoria Arraiz parte de la combinación de su autorretrato con otro rostro para lograr una interesante combinación formal.

Obra de Victoria Arraiz. ES 5

Si usted está interesado, haga clic en el enlace a continuación para leer acerca de Daniel Gluzmann's (Profesor de Artes Visuales) la experiencia artística en Nueva York- Vista al Moma y Las Guitarras de Picasso!
www.daniel-gluzmann-moma.com


~ D.Gluzmann- Visual Arts Department

Drama- April/May Edition

ES1 Drama students performing their 'Hip/Hop' dance routine for a live audience.

ES2 Drama students in Mozart and Shakespeare continue to work on their scenes from Chekhov’s The Proposal. 

Students in Picasso performed their finished scenes the last days of April. The end results were astonishingly confident and strong, and evinced the consistently hard work the students put into the rehearsing of their scenes.

In addition, ES2 students will have six weeks of dance lessons with Mariana Verón starting on the second full week of May. Sessions will run on Wednesdays periods 4 for Shakespeare, Fridays periods 7 for Picasso, and Fridays periods 8 for Mozart. We are all very much looking forward to seeing their choreography in June.

ES3 students have now begun working on their first piece of IGCSE Drama coursework: a devised piece inspired by U2’s Some Days are Better than Others. Their ideas for the structure of the piece and their approach to the devising process so far show great promise.

ES4 IGCSE candidates continue to work very hard towards PAPER 1. Having read and work-shopped a staging of Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s The Visit, they are now rehearsing a devised piece titled He won a million (the second IGCSE prescripted stimulus). Interestingly, answers to the question “a million what?” have ranged from dollars to kisses to balloons. By our next post ES4 students will have sat PAPER 1 and will return to work on their coursework pieces for PAPER 2.

On Monday 2^nd May, ES5 students presented their first group project in Assembly. The devised piece, titled Elle no es ella, explored the impossible standards of female beauty propagated by women’s magazines. Constructed from slogans, phrases and images culled from 5 issues of Elle magazine, the piece outlined 8 lessons women are invited to take away from such publications. The piece was very well received by both students and teachers, and prompted much post-performance discussion in class.

 Polimodal 3 Theatre Arts candidates are currently busy working on their Independent Projects.

~ Drama & Theatre Arts Department

Creative Arts- April/May Update!

Dance ES1 / ES2

As some of you may be aware, we have now introduced a programme of curriculum based Dance for our college students.

For the last six weeks, every ES1 student has been spending one of their two Drama lessons each week, with our professional dance teacher / choreographer.

Students have been engaged in a programme of movement and dance, incorporating street beats and 'Hip-Hop' and this week showcased their work to parents and teachers.

It has been a wonderful experience for all students involved and has enabled them to build on the movement and special awareness they have already studied as part of their drama lessons.

About 25 parents were treated to breakfast and a wonderful mass performance by ES1 who all deserve a huge congratulation for the hard work they have put into the project.

For ES2 Students, dance starts during the second full week in May and will also run for six full weeks before they present their work to parents, also as part of a dance showcase.

These sessions will run on Wednesdays period 4 (for Shakespeare) and Fridays periods 7 (for Picasso) and 8 (Mozart)

In addition to this a boarders dance class runs every Monday from 7:10pm, all students are welcome. 

Artist in residence

Since the recent exeat, our Artist in residence from the UK Jackie MaCrae has been producing some amazing work with students of all ages ranging from Kindergarten to College examination classes. Jackie has decided to focus on 'Cameraless' Photography as well as stone carving and drawing with some of our boarding students. Examples of the work our students have produced with Jackie will be available for exhibition very soon and Jackie continues to work with us until the winter holiday.

Prep Year 4 Instrumental Programme

As you may already be aware, we have just introduced a new system of Orchestral Instrumental tuition for all students in prep year 4 this year.

For the past twelve months, we have been working hard to prepare the way for a system of teaching that will drive forward our long-term aim, for St George’s College to be the centre of artistic excellence unrivaled within Latin America and beyond. Whilst music for many can be a solo pursuit, there is no better holistic team activity than having the opportunity to play in a large orchestra or ensemble. The educational benefits to cognitive thinking, mathematical and literacy skills are also extremely well documented the world over. One of our first initiatives is to put into place the solid foundations with which to build an enviable College Orchestra.

‘Children exposed to a multi-year programme of music tuition involving training in increasingly complex rhythmic, tonal, and practical skills display superior cognitive performance in reading skills compared with their non-musically trained peers, according to a study published in the journal’

Psychology of Music - Raymond McDonald (Sage Scientific Publishing)

With this in mind, the College has purchased enough resources for every student in year 4 to have an instrument for a period of twelve months, after which the following year 4 students will take over and it is hoped that many of the students commencing year 5 will choose to continue with their tuition.

At the end the year we are hoping that year 4 students will consider the purchase of an instrument in order for them to continue improving throughout their College life. We are confident that having laid the foundations of what we hope will be an extremely exciting project, that in future years we will have an Orchestra to rival any in South America and that all students will benefit both musically and academically from such an initiative.

~ S.Roberts- Creative Arts Faculty