2016-2017 REVIEW Music and Drama The arts make us feel connected to one another and less isolated. Through the arts we share an emotion and that sharing connects us with each other and we realise we all feel the same emotions. The arts are our last hope. We find our identity and make it easier and more pleasurable to live and they also give us wisdom. Welcome to the first Performing Arts newsletter. Since joining forces in September 2016 Music and Drama has worked tirelessly to ensure that not only are our curriculum provisions creative, active and imaginative but also that the extracurricular programme is exciting and inclusive. Lets see what the departments got up to this year. Mrs Lake Curriculum Leader Performing Arts Theatre Trips this year The Music department have been awarded the Silver Certificate from the ISM Trust. This is awarded to schools where more than 15% of all pupils secured an A*-C in GCSE music. The production team were nominated for a Reading Cultural Award. Back to the 80s was nominated for Best education project. Arthur Miller (Playwright & Director)
Thank you to all those who came to see 'Back to the 80's' back in March. We had such fun putting it together and we hope you'll agree with us when we say the students were 'totally awesome' The Music Department is very excited to host the new Caversham Music Centre. Opening in September it's a fabulous chance for our students to get involved in playing in ensembles. Guitar, Woodwind & String ensembles will take place after school on Thursdays. (Details above)
WK beg 12th July - This week our A level students have been to a recording session and performance workshop at Southampton Solent University. We got to experience what it would be like to be industry professionals. We recorded some tracks and then other students edited and produced them. It was a really informative day. Adam Adrian - year 12 The Drama department would like to thank Highdown s Parent Association for purchasing a new video camera for the department. It will be an invaluable tool for the department come exam season. KS3 production - July 2017 Alice! On Tuesday the 11th of July, Key Stage 3 students performed a Brechtian style adaptation of Alice in wonderland called "Alice! Written, directed and choreographed by Mrs Hawkins and co-directed by Chloe Mortimer (12B). Holly Kirkpatrick (8J) as the Dance Captain and Chloe Mortimer assisted with the choreography and Joe Gater (10H) assisted with acting coaching small groups of characters. The cast and crew began working on this show after Easter and dedicated every Tuesday lunch and after school time to ensuring they put on a performance they could be proud of. Starring Martha Crowland (8D) as Alice, the play follows her journey after falling down a rabbit hole and finding herself exploring an underground world called "Wonderland" while chasing a White Rabbit played by Lucas Beeney (8C). Along the journey Alice meets Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum played by the amazing duo of Ellie Sherfield (7G) and Sophie Jackson (7E), a Blue Caterpillar (Euan Duffield (8D), a Cheshire Cat (Maud Taylor, 8J) who directs Alice onwards to meet the Mad Hatter (Dylan Collie 8J) along with the March Hare (Bobby Moore 8K) and their friend a Doormouse (Ella Saiao 8C). Alice follows the White Rabbit all the way to the Royal castle where she meets the angry Queen of Hearts (Izzy Jackson 9G) and her sidekick sister The Duchess (Natalie Soghomonian 9C). After Alice nearly loses her head for helping paint the roses red she runs back through wonderland as an attempt to get home but discovers the whole thing was a just a nonsense dream. All that were involved had good fun rehearsing for the show as well as making new friends amongst different year groups. The final performance was an evening of comedy, dance and fully enjoyed by all in the company as well as the audience.
Summer Showcase Coming up Orchestra, Senior Singers, Glee Club, Funk & Soul Group, Barbershop, Ukulele Group & Guitar Group