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Fine & Performing Arts in Lower School

In Lower School at Ģ����ý, the arts give students opportunities to explore their ideas, discover their talents, and create together. Through visual arts, theatre, and music, students develop their creative voices while building confidence, communication skills, and an appreciation for the contributions of others.

Visual Arts

Lower School Visual Arts invites students to explore, experiment, and bring their ideas to life. Working with two- and three-dimensional media—including drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, textiles, and graphic design—students discover different ways to express themselves and respond to the world around them. As they make artistic choices, try new techniques, and reflect on their work, they practice creative problem-solving and grow more comfortable taking risks.

Theatre Arts

Through imaginative play and creative expression, Lower School Theatre Arts helps students discover the possibilities of storytelling. Pantomime, improvisation, role-playing, and dramatization encourage children to explore characters, communicate ideas, and consider how actions affect others. These collaborative experiences invite students to express themselves, listen to different perspectives, and create alongside their classmates.

Dessert Theatre

A signature Lower School experience, Dessert Theatre brings classroom learning to life onstage. Each Kindergarten through Grade 5 class creates a performance connected to one of its Themes of Study, giving students an imaginative way to explore and share what they have learned.

As students develop characters, contribute ideas, and prepare to perform, they practice working toward a shared goal. The process encourages problem-solving, compromise, and communication, while the performance offers a chance to celebrate their learning with an audience.

Music

Lower School Music invites students in Kindergarten through Grade 5 to discover the joy of making and experiencing music. Through varied, age-appropriate activities, students explore musical ideas, express themselves, and learn to create with others. Each experience builds their musical understanding while nurturing an appreciation for music that can grow throughout their lives.

Band

Fourth-grade Band introduces students to the shared experience of playing in an ensemble. Using recorders, boomwhackers, and other group instruments, students learn to listen to one another, keep time, and contribute to a collective sound.

Recorder instruction continues throughout the year, allowing students to explore increasingly complex rhythms, time signatures, tempos, and dynamics. As their skills develop, students discover how individual practice and teamwork come together to make music.

Fine & Performing Arts in Middle School

Middle School arts at Ģ����ý invite students to explore new possibilities, strengthen their skills, and develop their creative voices. Through hands-on learning and collaboration, students discover how the arts can help them express ideas, connect with others, and approach challenges with confidence.

6th-Grade Arts Foundations

6th-Grade Arts Foundations introduces students to music, theatre, and visual arts through a year-long cycle of exploration. Building on their previous experiences, students practice foundational techniques, experiment with unfamiliar forms of expression, and discover new interests. Each discipline offers age-appropriate opportunities to take creative risks and prepare for more focused arts study in seventh and eighth grades.

Music

Through instrumental music and vocal exploration, 6th-grade students strengthen their listening skills, develop musical understanding, and experience the collaboration of an ensemble. Participation in the Ģ����ý Band program helps students build technique while learning how their individual contributions support the group.

Students who are new to Ģ����ý or to an instrument receive guidance from the band director, encouragement from Middle School peers, and support from Upper School Band mentors. Performances at the Winter and Spring Concerts and the school’s graduation ceremony give students opportunities to share their progress with the community.

Theatre

6th-grade Theatre invites students to develop their acting skills and discover what it means to work as an ensemble. Through character exploration, scene study, and an introduction to theatre criticism, students expand their theatrical vocabulary and consider how stories onstage connect to everyday life.

The course culminates in a final performance piece, giving students an opportunity to apply their learning and prepare for future theatre experiences, including participation in a full-length production through Theatre at Play.

Visual Arts

6th-grade Visual Arts introduces students to a variety of materials through two- and three-dimensional projects. Students explore drawing, composition, color theory, and three-dimensional artmaking while learning to apply the elements and principles of art and design.

Open-ended creative challenges encourage experimentation and help students build the techniques they will use in future visual arts courses.

7th/8th Grade Arts

Students in 7th & 8th grades choose two arts courses each semester, allowing them to deepen existing interests and explore new creative directions. These experiences build on foundational skills while encouraging greater independence, collaboration, and personal expression.

Band

Middle School Band is a year-long course that combines musical growth with the shared responsibility of ensemble performance. Students explore a variety of musical styles while refining their technique, rhythm, tone, and expression. Rehearsals emphasize careful listening, balance, and blending sounds, helping students understand how each musician contributes to the ensemble.

As students grow as performers, they also practice leadership and teamwork. Performance opportunities include the Ģ����ý Winter and Spring Concerts, the school’s graduation ceremony, and potential community appearances.

Theatre

Middle School Theatre gives students opportunities to explore storytelling both onstage and behind the scenes. Through Theatre Arts and Theatre at Play, students investigate how productions come together, develop performance skills, and contribute to a creative ensemble.

Whether studying the craft of theatre or helping bring a full-length production to life, students practice communication, collaboration, and imaginative problem-solving. Each course encourages students to stretch their creative abilities, consider different perspectives, and find their place in the production process.

Visual Arts

Middle School Visual Arts encourages students to develop their individual perspectives while expanding their artistic skills. Building on Arts Foundations and experiences from other schools or the broader community, students explore a variety of media, themes, and approaches to artmaking.

Projects invite students to experiment, take creative risks, and make purposeful choices as they discover new ways to communicate ideas visually.

Artist-in-Residence Program

The Middle School Artist-in-Residence program connects students with practicing artists for three weeks of focused, hands-on exploration. Visiting professionals introduce specialized techniques and fresh perspectives across disciplines such as theatre, music, dance, sculpture, and painting.

This annual experience extends learning beyond the regular curriculum, giving students opportunities to work with community experts, explore unfamiliar art forms, and discover new creative interests.

Visual Arts

Upper School Visual Arts invites students to experiment with materials, develop their artistic skills, and express their individual perspectives. Students explore a range of media, including painting, drawing, ceramics, photography, printmaking, and graphic design. Through hands-on projects, thoughtful feedback, and classroom discussion, they refine their techniques and learn to communicate ideas visually. Connections with visiting artists and arts-focused Experience-Centered Seminars extend learning beyond the studio.

Vocal Ensemble

Upper School Choir helps students strengthen their voices, develop their musical understanding, and build confidence as performers. Students practice healthy vocal technique, train their musical ears, and explore increasingly challenging repertoire, including four-part harmony and a cappella arrangements. Singing together develops students’ ability to listen closely, blend their voices, and contribute to an ensemble. Winter and spring concerts offer opportunities to share their progress with the Ģ����ý community.

Music Appreciation

Music Appreciation invites students to become more thoughtful listeners and explore how music connects people across cultures and generations. Through listening, discussion, song analysis, and creative projects, students investigate a variety of musical styles and historical periods. They learn to recognize instruments and their roles within an ensemble, explore the elements of composition, and create basic compositions of their own. Along the way, students examine how music both shapes and reflects society.

Band

Upper School Band combines individual skill development with the shared experience of making music. Students explore a variety of musical styles while strengthening their technique, rhythmic accuracy, tone, and expression. Rehearsals emphasize listening, balance, and blending sounds within the ensemble, helping students understand how their individual contributions support the group. Through collaborative practice, students grow as musicians and teammates.

Pep Band

Pep Band brings music, energy, and school spirit to the Ģ����ý community. This extracurricular ensemble gives students a lively way to support Ģ����ý teams, engage the crowd, and share their enthusiasm for music beyond the classroom. It is an opportunity to connect with fellow musicians while contributing to the excitement of school athletics.

Theatre

Upper School Theatre brings students together to tell stories through acting, music, dance, and behind-the-scenes collaboration. Productions ranging from Shakespeare to Broadway musicals offer opportunities to explore different performance styles and contribute onstage or backstage. Students develop their creative voices while practicing the teamwork and preparation that bring a production to life. The program includes two major productions each year.