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Student Experience

Arts

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Self-Discovery Through Artistic Expression

Engaging in creative expression and art experiences is an essential part of each student’s education at St. George’s. From Kindergarten to Grade 12, students explore the arts through visual media, theatre arts, and music education. They learn to create, express, explore, and communicate, expanding their understanding of themselves as individuals and as conscious community members.

Arts education challenges students’ points of view and encourages each boy to take creative risks to express his feelings, ideas, and experiences. Through the process, students create artistic works independently and collaboratively, bringing ideas to life through imagination, inquiry, experimentation, and purposeful play.

Visual Arts

In visual arts classes, students are preparing to navigate an ever-changing world by learning to engage their imagination and creativity, explore perception, and create meaning. Students are guided through collaboration, employing multiple intelligence strategies, encouraging self expression, purposeful play, and technical excellence. The process of personal inquiry fosters independence and cultivates a confident attitude towards new possibilities. The arts remind students that thinking and feeling do not need to be limited by language.
  • Students participate in visual arts from Kindergarten to Grade 7.
  • From Grade 8–12, students choose from a variety of classes including Printmaking, Ceramics, Sculpting, Animation, Computer Graphics, Video, Painting, and Drawing.
  • Tablets and laptops are available for students to access programs like Adobe Creative Suite, video editing, and animation software.

Music

Music education offers students the opportunity to express themselves in new ways as they grow their personal confidence, develop cooperative and collaborative skills, hone their leadership, and gain highly refined listening capabilities. Whether through the individual study of an instrument, or by performing in both large and small ensembles, the study of music inspires significant growth and development in learners at every stage.

Our comprehensive music program is taught by specialist teachers with specific music pedagogy training and a passion for working with young musicians.
  • All students participate in Music from Kindergarten to Grade 7.
  • Grade 5 students receive an early introduction to wind instruments.
  • Starting in Grade 6, students may join the Junior Concert Band — an opportunity to perform in an 80+ member wind ensemble.
  • In the Senior School, beginner and advanced musicians alike choose to continue their music education with music electives and by participating in the touring Senior Concert Band.
  • Senior students also have the opportunity to participate in the jazz program and an advanced wind ensemble.

Theatre Arts

Drama and theatre arts at St. George’s is a haven for students to explore, create, perform, and belong. From weekly drama classes in the Junior School, to theatre and television production in the Senior School, performance arts is a trusting and fun environment for students to grow, take risks, and increase their confidence as performers and individuals.

Students gain a broad understanding of theatre arts and find a myriad of opportunities to explore their interests and strengths, on the stage and behind the camera, through character, movement, voice, and creative expression. For students who thrive behind-the-scenes, theatre and television production courses teach the visioning, teamwork, and technical skills that translate hard work into magic in the theatre.
  • Students in Grades 1 to 3 participate in the annual Primary Musical.
  • Boys in Grades 4 to 7 may audition to participate in the Saints Junior Players Annual Production.
  • Twice-annual school productions enable Senior School students to bring professional-quality theatre productions to life.

The Annual Rigg Scholarship

With the gracious support of the family of Philip Rigg (1960–1975), the St. George’s Arts Department is pleased to be able to recognize the accomplishments of students in their passion for the arts. Each year, the Rigg Scholarship goes to students in Grade 11 who exhibit talent, a genuine love of art, and a commitment to the Theatre, Music, and Visual Arts programs. They are then expected to lead the program in the coming year and to operate as mentors to younger students.

The Annual Rigg Scholarship exhibitions highlight individual artistic achievement within the St. George’s community. Each year, Grade 11 scholarship applicants are invited to display their portfolios in the great hall as part of a collaborative, juried art show. Successful candidates display evidence of Head, Heart, and Hand within their body of work. Students are selected from this annual exhibition to receive the distinguished Rigg Scholarship title and leadership position within the Arts Department.

About Philip Rigg (1958–1974)

During his years as a student at St. George's School, Philip proved himself a scholar, athlete, and artist of considerable merit, much to the high regard of his classmates and teachers. He maintained credible achievement in the “A” class, while participating fully in the athletics, winning both the Under-14 and Under-16 Aggregate Trophies — the latter even as he struggled with the disease that led to his death just three months later. Philip had already excelled in Archery, winning the Canadian Junior Archery Championship in 1972. In spite of these attainments, he was a quiet, humble person with a hint of a smile when he spoke. These aspects of his personality dominated his work in the Fine Arts. His pottery was some of the finest done in the School and, as with his painting and drawing, was of quality such that future recipients of a Rigg Scholarship could consider such recognition of their work an honour.

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