Festival of Art and Music Begins

This morning, our two school orchestras kicked off the annual Winter Festival of Art and Music with a special morning concert for the Lower School.

Our youngest musicians, members of The First Orchestra, played for the first time this year in front of a live audience. The boys, from Grades 1 – 3 performed Ode to Joy, Danny Boy, and Saint David's Alma Mater. During the course of the performance, each of the boys stood to introduce a piece or share pertinent information about the orchestra's composition and layout, providing an important public speaking opportunity--a major curricular focus of the school's program.

A brief clip of their Ode to Joy performance is included.

The First Orchestra was followed by a riveting performance by the Saint David's Philharmonic Ensemble, which provided a preview of some of the pieces they will soon be playing on the stage at Carnegie Hall in a couple of weeks: Handel's Le Rejouissance, Vivaldi's Concerto for Four Violins, the Russian Sailors' Dance, and the Theme from Mission Impossible. Just fantastic to hear 11-14 year olds playing such complex pieces with such enthusiasm!

The Winter Festival is a special tradition at Saint David's, which celebrates our boys' creativity and the school's focus on the aesthetic as part of a balanced pedagogy.

During the next two weeks there will be many events showcasing our boys' work in the arts. Drop by and visit. Programs are available at Reception.

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