SGQ Creative Arts: March update 2012

Well, it doesn't seem even a few days since I began to update the SGQ Creative Arts blog but March is nearly done and we are beginning to get into overdrive. Already, we have enjoyed a busy but productive month and both classes and rehearsals have set the tone for the year. In Kindergarten, Miss Ruth is working on practical classroom based music making and also, in line with the whole college vocal strategy doing much vocal work with our youngest students in K1, 2 and 3. Our dancer in residence, Alice, is also in the first part of the year heavily involved with both dance and vocal work in kinder, we are very much looking forward to our students input in upcoming events and assemblies.

Prep Year 5 Students ready for action

In the Prep school we have our new super team of Mr Chris and Miss Elizabeth teaching music to all from years 1 through to 6. The prep school is enjoying a wonderful musical 'buzz' as choirs spring into life and rehearsals begin on the first prep production of the year. In addition to this, we enter the second year of our new instrumental programme for year 4 students - all of which are about to take their own school instrument for a period of twelve months. Students are very excited about the prospect of being able to work on their instruments away from college. Some of the current year five are also working closely with instrumental teachers to form the very first St George's Orchestra. The project was conceived to have the maximum impact and it is hoped in five years we will have a flourishing college orchestra.

In college, rehearsals are underway for the IB play as well as the College Production in May and June.
Other ensembles already restarted are Chapel Choir (which this year is part of a special reward system) Senior Vocal group and various other bands and smaller ensembles.
Gospel Choir this year has been attracting 80 plus students each week and is in such demand that after the Easter break will go to two rehearsals each week. ES 4,5 and 6 as usual on a Wednesday lunchtime and ES1, 2 and 3 on a Friday. The groups will learn the same material and hopefully form a bigger even more impressive choir when performing together.

Gospel Choir eating lunch before rehearsing today......

Whilst enjoying every opportunity to rehearse and be creative outside of lessons, let us not forget the academic importance of creatives to cognitive thinking, confidence team building and the power for creative deep thinking linked to education of our students. In college students in ES1 have enjoyed their Art, Drama, Music and Dance lessons and already we are seeing a huge wealth of talent emerging. In Drama ES 2 have been engaged in a project purely based on body language and no facial expression. 'The Hamelin' project has been enjoyed by all ES 2 students and below are some pictures from their recent practical assessment task:-

The Hamelin Project

In addition to lower school classes, examination level students are currently preparing for IGCSE's in Art, Drama and Music and IB Music, Theatre Studies, Film and Art are extremely busy working towards important examinations later in the year.
A busy time for all indeed.................................................................
Finally........last week we students and staff had the pleasure of hosting thirteen visitors from St Paul's Girls School in Baltimore USA. The ten students and three staff were on a Spanish language tour of Buenos Aires and also came to college for five days to enjoy classes and the atmosphere of being at SGQ. Very strong bonds and friendships were made and we certainly hope to be able to return the visit in the not to distant future.......please see picture below of our host students and their new American friends......