The Arts at St. Margaret's

Introduction

At St. Margaret's Episcopal School, we believe that everyone is on an artistic journey. Through experiences in the visual arts, music, dance, theater and technical arts, students discover and nurture the artists within. As students from preschool through Upper School are introduced to the fundamentals of the art forms, they learn how to learn. An arts education at St. Margaret's develops 21st Century Learning Skills, supports all core subjects, creates empathy, builds bridges and helps develop voice and vision.

The arts are thriving at St. Margaret's. Through many artistic endeavors, students celebrate their own work and the work of their peers and their artistic experiences connect them to generations of artists and audiences. The transforming power of the arts is vividly experienced as students explore their talents as playwrights, directors, actors, technical crew members, costume and make up designers, graphic designers, studio artists, photographers, choreographers, composers, literary artists and more. As the artists' skills increase through practice, they become comfortable in viewing their - and others' - work in the arts as a journey, not as a destination.

The Teaching Artists at St. Margaret's

The St. Margaret's Arts Faculty consists of dedicated professional arts educators, all of whom maintain an active professional life in the arts in addition to their work with our students.

Performing Arts

The Performing Arts Department seeks to impart to its students through its Kindergarten through grade 12 curriculum an enduring understanding of specific knowledge, principles, and habits of mind such as the ability to:

• Learn and apply fundamentals skills and techniques in performance, listening and observation, and composition.
• Understand art as humanity -- an experience with who we are while remembering others before us.
• Understand art as community -- in ensemble building, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
• Appreciate art as a creative and critical process.

From our introductory classes in the Lower School to our award-winning ensembles in the Upper School, the breadth and depth of opportunities in the Performing Arts for students at St. Margaret's is unparalleled. Our programs aim to tap into the creative talents inherent in all young people, develop life-long skills in collaboration and communication, and recognize excellence.

Our artist-faculty are professional performers of the highest caliber who balance their classroom instruction with significant real-world experience on the concert/recital stage. They play an active role in the artistic scene both in the Southern California region and abroad, and are affiliated with professional arts and education organizations such as ACDA, AEA, AFTRA, CAPMT, CMEA, Dramatist's Guild, MENC, MTAC, MTNA, Grammy Recording Academy, and SCSBOA.

Please Click Here for more information about the Performing Arts programs.

Visual Arts

We view the visual arts as a form of communication, self-reflection, and expression. As our students grow and develop, it is our goal to offer experiences that allow our students to be fully involved in the process of art making through the exploration of a large variety of media and methods. We are also concerned with developing visual literacy as our students learn about art elements and principles, cultural heritage, art history and aesthetic valuing. Essential components in our visual arts curriculum are developing creative thinking and technical skills. Curriculum planning in the visual arts also supports and enhances the school wide curriculum.

Please Click Here for more information about the Visual Arts programs.