PERFORMING ARTS
Every child is exposed to music and drama, and we believe both are crucial to forming a rounded, ‘Real World Ready’ education.
Whether it be playing a musical instrument, involvement in one of our many ensembles and choirs, or taking part in our ambitious drama programme, we firmly believe in the skills obtained through involvement in performing arts.
Music
From the school’s foundation in 1348, music has been at its core and today this is still very much the case. With the majority of students having instrumental lessons at school, students are able to join a variety of instrumental ensembles and choirs, all of which perform regularly in St George’s Chapel.
There are informal instrumental concerts in the Pre-Prep and Prep School, and a number of instrumental ensembles for more senior students which provide further opportunities to practise and perform for an audience. Evening concerts are a wonderful opportunity for students to gain confidence and for parents and friends to enjoy the results of their hard work and practice.
Our state of the art recording and musical IT suite enables children to explore and incorporate composition and recording into their musical skills.
Musical Choirs
Supers’ Choir
Numbering around 70 girls and boys from across the Prep School and Senior Prep, this large choir offers the chance to sing exciting repertoire, often in many parts. As well as singing regularly in Chapel, the choir sings for many concerts, including often as outside engagements. The choir is open to all children in Years 4–8 who wish to join, and rehearses on Thursday mornings.
Chamber Choir
Singing for Chapel services and concerts alike, this smaller choir of around 25 children works at a more intense pace. The children rehearse twice weekly, all learning to read from musical scores to enable them to prepare music with a greater frequency. All members of the Chamber Choir also sing as part of the Supers’ Choir.
Training Choirs
Boys and girls in Years 3, 4 and 5 all participate in the training choirs programme. They come together before assembly once a week. Throughout rehearsals children learn the foundations of good vocal technique as they prepare performances for Chapel, assemblies and other school engagements.
Speech and Drama
All students have the opportunity to take part in one or more of our drama productions during the course of the year.
There are annual Harvest and Christmas performances in the Pre-Prep which always receive warm applause. Students in Years 4 and 5 work together on a show, presented in December, and Year 6 presents a production in March each year, performed in Windsor’s Old Court Theatre. In Years 7 and 8 a Shakespeare production alternates with a larger-scale show.
All students are encouraged to take part in these productions, either on stage or back of house, in a technical or stage management role. Students of all ages also have an opportunity to take part in regular visiting drama workshops.
LAMDA and Trinity College Programmes
LAMDA and TRINITY College courses and exams can be taken as part of the school’s co-curricular programme. Each course gives students the opportunity to delve further into their understanding of drama, poetry, prose and the techniques involved in writing. It also gives them the tools to speak assuredly about technical language and form their own opinions and ideas about English language and literature.
For further information about the exciting world of LAMDA and TRINITY College courses and exams on offer at St George’s, download the Drama Handbook below:
