Saint David's Musicians - All That They Can Be

The First Orchestra and Philharmonic Ensemble kicked off Saint David's Winter Festival of Art and Music on Tuesday with an early morning concert for our Lower School Boys. The First Orchestra are our youngest musicians (Grades 1-3). The boys, under the direction of Mrs. Francis, have been rehearsing every week, and learning the skills of playing in a group.

The Philharmonic Ensemble, conducted by Phil Hough features our older boys. On Tuesday, they played pieces by Mozart and Bach. This time next year, the orchestras will be playing in our brand new Performing Arts Center with concert hall acoustics and seating for 300!

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.

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Seventh graders are immersed in an "island survival" adventure related to their study of William Golding's 1954 classic Lord of the Flies . The novel tells the story of a group of school-age boys marooned on an uninhabited island, where they struggle to survive without a government or rules. In this creative, unique activity that spans 10 class sessions, our boys are assigned to belong to one of two "tribes." Using knowledge gained from history classes in the fall, they first determine what type of government system to adopt. During the simulations, they strategize methods to overcome obstacles and acquire resources such as wood, food, shelter, and water. The simulation requires the boys to negotiate, debate, and reflect critically on their decisions as they face challenges to their survival. In journals, they regularly write about their thinking, their decisions and consequences. Writing skills are further developed and honed. In addition to analy

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