A Semester in the Arts

Upper School artists traveled to Dallas to participate in the annual ISAS Arts Festival. Over 3,000 students from across the Southwest gathered at St. Mark's School of Texas to share their creative work with peers, participate in workshops, and receive critiques from expert adjudicators. St. Andrew's students showcased musical, choral, and theater performances and displayed 2D and 3D visual art across a range of disciplines. 

This spring, the Select Choir and Band traveled to San Antonio and Houston for their annual tour. In San Antonio, the choir worked with Dr. Gary Seighman at Trinity University before performing at the Village at Incarnate Word retirement home. In Houston, Band students attended a masterclass at the University of Houston and sat in with the University Wind Ensemble, while the choir exchanged with Episcopal High School choir students and performed an evening recital at St. Martin's Episcopal Church in River Oaks. Both groups wrapped up the trip with a backstage tour of the Alley Theatre. 

The Upper School Spring Concert on April 15 brought together the Jazz Band, Symphonic Band (featuring soloists Sawyer R. ‘29 and Alex S. ‘26), Symphonic Orchestra, String Orchestra, Concert Choir, Select Choir, and the Master Keys Piano Club for an evening that spanned every corner of the Upper School Music program. 

Rock Band held its Spring Show on April 15, showcasing the many student rock bands. On April 25, Rock Band students also performed at the Benefit for Financial Aid for a crowd of hundreds.  

In the realm of theater and dance, Highlanders were busy this spring! In February, students premiered the spring musical, The Addams Family. Theater students also performed the play Almost Maine, as well as the Senior-Directed Play, And Then There Were None, directed by Ava B. ‘26 and Ben G. ‘26. The Highlights dance team celebrated their second year with the spring showcase, Bloom, in April.

The Upper School Jazz Band performed at the Austin Soundwaves Large Ensemble Festival, an opportunity to showcase their art and talent with peers and the greater musical community. Around the same time, Clarke Gallery at the DFAC became home to a faculty art exhibition. The exhibit was the first of its kind, featuring original work by Upper School teachers Mr. Frost, Ms. Westerlund, Mr. McCoy, and Mr. Eclarinal. The show offered the community a look at the teaching artists behind the classroom, a reminder that our teachers bring their own creative lives to everything they teach. At the end of April, senior artists presented their own Senior Visual Art Exhibition, featuring 2D and 3D visual art, photography, and film. 

The St. Andrew’s Film Festival closed out the year on May 14 and 15, featuring film students showcasing their work in a formal exhibition at the DFAC. 

Middle School musicians had the opportunity this semester to work with the Noel brothers, two local jazz teachers who spent several weeks working directly with students. Their visit culminated in a phenomenal jazz concert featuring the St. Andrew's band, orchestra, percussion, and choir. On April 11, Middle School musicians performed at the MS Solo Festival.

Middle School theater students performed Beauty and the Beast for their spring musical. The Middle School musical is especially exciting for our students, as it is usually the first time Middle School students get to perform on the Dell Fine Arts Center stage. 

At the Spring Fine Arts Festival, Middle School celebrated art and music in a groovy sixties-inspired atmosphere at Dell Hall. Band, percussion, and orchestra students performed, along with the seventh and eighth grade choir. Meanwhile, Dell Hall transformed into an art gallery to showcase 2D and 3D visual art pieces.

At the Lower School, fourth graders brought an original musical, Billy C., The Big Tree, to life. Fifth graders also performed Finding Nemo: The Musical in May, delighting audiences young and old. Fourth and fifth grade musicians closed out the year at the Springtime Around The World percussion concert, showcasing the skills they’ve built over the spring semester.