STUDENTS

Music and theatre add diversity and invigorate our academic calendar. From virtual events to a stirring return to in-person concerts, the year was ripe for exploring the talents of our students. The various events held emboldened our students, allowing them to express themselves and explore and strengthen their gifts, giving them new opportunities to challenge themselves.

Could You Hug a Cactus – Virtual Musical

Students in Primary School from Grades 3-5 put on a virtual musical show titled “Could You Hug a Cactus?” presented through a special agreement with Beat by Beat Press. This intriguing initiative sprung from the idea to involve students in art by putting on an online production during unsettling lockdowns. The show featured children expressing themselves through poems and the cast worked tirelessly for weeks both in school and at home to put on an incredible performance.

IBDP Visual Arts Exhibition 2022

The IBDP Visual Arts Exhibition 2022 illustrated the journey and artistic growth of nine of our Grade 12 students as they immersed themselves in the visual arts course that forms a part of their IB Diploma Programme (IBDP). Each student worked hard to curate a cohesive body of artwork, showcasing their creativity and unique style.

Mini-Winter Gala

In December, OSC Secondary students had the opportunity to perform live in front of an audience again. The courtyard was strung with fairy lights and giant baubles, making a beautiful informal setting for our afternoon tea concert, celebrating the opening of our Gecko Coffee Shop.

PYP Art Exhibition

The coffee shop space was transformed into a gallery by our Primary artists as they set up various pieces ranging from a 7-foot-tall ceramic totem pole to wind chimes strung in the trees. The diversity of the artwork that the students chose to share was representative of the emphasis on student voice, choice, and ownership in our PYP arts classes. Primary students volunteered to provide musical entertainment for the event, with some students sharing self-composed songs, highlighting their creativity, growth, and confidence.

SAISA Virtual Music Festival

OSC co-hosted an online SAISA Music event with Lincoln School, Nepal. Nine SAISA schools were involved, with over 150 students taking part, demonstrating the enthusiasm our students had to reconnect with our wider community, re-establish friendships, and make new ones. The event included synchronous workshops on a variety of topics such as vocal breathing techniques, jazz improvisation, musical analysis, ukulele, guitar, brass playing tips, and musical technology.

Spring Gala 2022

The OSC Annual Gala is one of the many ways our school demonstrates the value we place on the Arts. Performers this year ranged in age from Grades 5 to 12. The last Gala at OSC was in April 2019, thus the chance to play live in a formal setting again was something both students and teachers looked forward to. The students had been incredibly resilient and positive in their outlook, and had continued to practice at home and school, waiting for the chance to bring music alive for an audience once more. The line-up included four solo violinists, wonderful vocalists and ensemble performances from Senior Voice, Middle School Voice, the Concert Band, the Classical Guitar Ensemble, a string quartet, a vocal duet, and the Grade 10 Stomp. For some students, this was their first appearance in a Gala; others were seasoned performers, having taken part in multiple editions.