Page 12 - Androvian2021

10 | PERFORMING ARTS
As school broke for the 2020 summer holidays, we premiered a video celebrating the school’s performing arts which included music, drama, dance and composition and even a secretly compiled virtual performance by the outgoing
Year 8s which gave everyone a lift. Returning in September 2020, the
Performing Arts department was determined to get back ‘on stage’. In Music, we maintained our Richardson Recitals, the first of which took place
live before a very small but appreciative socially-distanced audience.We then switched to a highly successful series of live-streamed recitals which created a live feel that is so important for performers.
Restricted by obstacles we may have been, but we still managed to produce and film some beautiful performances for events including Harvest Festival which included a wonderful rendition by the Juniors of Harvest Rock and
Roll, Remembrance Service and a festive Carol Service with all pupils from Reception to Year 8 filming their
contributions in the run up to the streamed event.
While the Spring saw a return to full lockdown, we kept our virtual recitals running with pupils performing live from their living rooms to large online audiences.The introduction of live streaming these popular events has been so welcome by family members who cannot always attend in person that we will consider streaming these events going forward.
The summer term saw a return to school and an active rehearsal schedule – albeit in bubbles.We ran a large scale internal event – St Andrew’s Has Talent – with dozens of pupils fromYears 3 to 8 displaying a vast range of skills from classical piano and contemporary dance to jazz trumpet and stand-up comedy, from mountain biking and ballad
singing to ballet and magic.Winning performances won House points and performed to an audience both in the gym and via Teams to all the classrooms
Our Year 2 Strings have been
magnificent this year and they were filmed playing some of their pieces as par t of the Pre-Prep Concert which combined singing and dance to tell the stor y of Jack and the Beanstalk.
Meanwhile the orchestra and
choirs got back in to full swing, as did production rehearsals forYears 3 to 8 in anticipation of Summer Serenade, our large live outdoor cabaret style event which celebrates all the music, dance and drama in the school. Sadly, quarantine restrictions prevented the event taking place, but we spent the final week of term filming much of the work that had been rehearsed and, by spreading out
in the Durlacher gym and Richardson, we safely combined some bubbles
for orchestra and production items.
The atmosphere and energy at these filming sessions was electric.The film is
a very fitting and worthy tribute to the commitment and many varied talents of St Andrew’s pupils.
In Drama, aside from the items prepared for the Summer Serenade by