Participation in the arts—visual, theatrical, and musical—is an important part of each boy’s day at Saint David’s. Boys study pottery, drawing, painting, and woodworking, and the Eighth Grade Humanities class conducts a detailed exploration of classical, Renaissance, and modern art. The arts are often incorporated into interdisciplinary units as a way of reinforcing the core curriculum while bringing creativity into the learning process. Pre-primary boys, inspired by the likes of Klee and van Gogh, paint with enthusiasm and joy as they begin a study of master artists that continues throughout their years at Saint David’s. Students are proud to see their masterpieces displayed throughout the campus during semi-annual art shows.
Through their participation in dramatic performances, boys discover unique qualities within themselves. Each class mounts one major production every year. Performances are often related to topics studied in social studies, history, or other academic areas. All students are assigned a role and explore hidden talents while further building camaraderie with classmates.
Whether playing Mozart or Verdi, or singing works of the Beatles, boys come to understand both the music and the composers more fully. Pre-primary boys march and sing in their classrooms and move on to more formal exercises in note reading in First Grade. By the end of Fourth Grade, all boys have played a stringed instrument, the recorder, and handbells, and have developed their voices through choral training. Many choose to pursue their musical talents further in group or private lessons. There are numerous opportunities to perform through the Chamber Singers, our First Orchestra, Philharmonic Ensemble, and in Recorder Consorts.