Arts

List of 4 items.

• Choral

  Choral Music at Saint Edward’s School is designed to give students a sequential program of study of vocal techniques and musicianship skill sets throughout their Middle and Upper School Years.  The curriculum emphasizes basic singing skills, music literacy and is augmented by performances at school chapels and school concerts throughout the academic year.

  
  

  In the Upper School students are invited to join the Concert Choir, and many students audition to perform in the Chamber Singers, Men’s Ensemble, and Women’s Ensemble.  Each of these ensembles allows students to discover a variety of musical repertoire spanning the ages from Bach to Bon Jovi, and everything in between. Students regularly perform at school chapels and school concerts.  Upper School students also frequently perform off campus at other venues throughout the community.

• Instrumental

  Instrumental music study for Vero Beach elementary school students at Saint Edward’s School begins in third grade, when students choose between flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone and percussion. Third graders play recorders, and fourth and fifth graders play other pre-band instruments, focusing on learning to read music and the fundamentals of playing a wind instrument. Every student is loaned an instrument from third through sixth grade. Students are welcome to provide their own instrument if they so choose. Fourth and fifth grade students receive group instruction on their instrument two times per week and perform concerts in the Spring. 

  
  

  Instrumental music study continues in sixth grade with band meeting every day, with more performances taking place as students progress in skill level. In addition to school performances, seventh and eighth grade instrumentalists have the opportunity to audition for All State Band, Four County Honor Band and Solo and Ensemble Festivals. Saint Edward’s School is proud to have had students selected to these groups in the past. 

  
  

  Upper School students in grades 8 through 12 participate in Pep, Concert and Jazz groups. They perform in Fall, Holiday and Spring concerts, as well as in various festival competitions. The Middle and Upper School Bands travel and compete in festivals throughout the Southeast United States

• Theater

  At Saint Edward's, the Theatre Department works closely with each Division offering diverse classroom, performance and technical opportunities. In the Lower School students rehearse and perform in class plays and musicals, gaining inner confidence and enjoying their own natural desires to create and communicate. Add to this events such as the 5th Grade Talent Show, Living Museum, Biography Day and Poetry Recitations, the Lower School students are right at home on the Waxlax Stage.
  
  

  In Middle School students begin regular Theatre classes, delving into all areas of the Performing Arts. In 6th grade students continue to develop their personal creativity and self confidence by writing and performing in their own scenes, exploring Foley Sound Effects, creating Improvisations, Mask Making, and more. In the 7 & 8th Grade Theatre splits into two tracks. The Major class is primarily focused on Acting, allowing students to further develop trust, focus, self confidence and creativity. Units of study include Commedia Dell’arte, Playwriting, Stage Combat, Shakespeare, Sense Memory, Pantomime and Monologues. The Theatre Minor is dedicated to exploring the Technical side of Theatre with challenging class design projects in Costumes, Scenery, Make Up, Theatre Games and Publicity.
  
  

  In the Upper School the Theatre Department’s two tracks each nurture a close, supportive ensemble environment. In Acting, students are challenged to go deeper in their exploration of character, the written word and themselves. Acting students also participate in both District and State level competitions with a variety of Individual events and a fully staged 1 Act play. The Technical Theatre class is a truly hands on experience with training in Scenic Construction, Theatre Lighting & Rigging, Sound Design, Properties Creation and Video Production.
  
  

  In addition the Theatre Department puts on two full scale shows each year, one Musical and one Play, along with a number of smaller performance opportunities.

• Visual Arts

  Upper School students are encouraged to find their artistic voice while experimenting with a wide variety of media, skills and techniques. Students are challenged to step outside of the box and explore new mediums and ideas. Lessons include historical as well as contemporary approaches. They are encouraged to be experimental, take risks and be innovative in their approach to art. The lessons promote analytical thinking and self-evaluation. Within the class, there is involvement between students in the school, community and colleges.

  
  

  Middle School students are encouraged to visually express themselves while exploring a variety of materials and techniques to convey ideas and feelings. They also learn to engage in creative problem-solving. A study of the history of art and artists is included through research and discussion. Students learn how art influences individuals, societies, and cultures. Students learn how to observe, judge, discriminate, compare, and contrast art throughout history and within the artworks of their peers. Students also work on projects which correlate with the curriculum of the core academic areas, allowing for cross-disciplinary learning.

  
  

  The Lower School arts curriculum expands the innate creativity in children and fosters their natural love of beauty, and their own pleasure in expressing themselves creatively in a stimulating and safe atmosphere. The visual arts department seeks to draw out the creativity that exists in each child. Meeting the standards of learning for each level from pre-kindergarten to grade five is achieved through thoughtful planning of projects that introduce various mediums and concepts as children move through the Lower School. The students learn to critique and appreciate works of art from different eras and cultures. The curriculum is supported by many resources including Scholastic Art, School Arts Magazine, digital/computer programs and visits to the Vero Beach Museum of Art.