Creative Arts

Art, Dance, Drama and Music

The creative arts are integral to fostering innovation and imagination. These disciplines

nurture lifelong skills that enhance students’ perception, understanding, productivity, and

overall well-being, complementing their traditional academic pursuits.

Art

The walls at Aldenham are covered in artwork of an outstanding standard. Creativity abounds and students are encouraged to nurture existing skills and new ones. A well resourced department with specialist teaching enables students to really excel. In addition to GCSE and A Level options, many competitions take place and students take part in recreational art too.

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Dance

Dance is taken seriously, but is also a huge amount of fun. Girls and boys are encouraged to take part in the annual Dance Show (a real spectacle and eagerly anticipated as a highlight of the School Year), and dance often features heavily in whole school productions. There is also the option to study GCSE when demand is sufficient, which is often the case.

Students benefit from the ability to express themselves and their individuality, but also to work in a group, playing their part to enhance the whole. Confidence is built and enthusiasm and enjoyment permeate participants and audience members alike.

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Drama

Drama at Aldenham is really strong, delivering productions which are just fantastic! Students who are committed to the stage will benefit from being in a school with other like-minded young people, supported by experienced, enthusiastic staff and excellent facilities.

All students have the opportunity to audition for a major production specifically targeted to their age group so that large roles are not just for the older students. Additionally there are two keenly contended House Drama competitions each year. For those students who opt into Drama GCSE and A level there are also examination performances. Being involved in a production gives confidence-building skills and a sense of achievement within a creative team context.

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Music

At Aldenham we offer music students the chance to work in a beautiful converted chapel with amazing facilities spread over three floors with practice rooms, group room, well equipped soundproof studio, three classrooms, and a 90 seat recital room with foyer area and balcony overlooking the beautiful school grounds.

There are 20 music staff teaching strings, woodwind, brass and percussion (including drum kit), piano, saxophone, pop, classical and musical theatre singing, electric, acoustic and bass guitar. This is a vibrant and enthusiastic environment with opportunities to conduct a 100 strong choir in front of an audience of 1200 in the House Music Competition, play a solo in the Spring Concert, sing in the Carol Service at St. Albans Abbey or perform with peers and staff at ‘Ald Fest’ in the summer.

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Also in Creative Arts News

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FEB 12, 2020

The Crucible on stage at Aldenham

Aldenham Drama’s 2020 Senior Production is a bold re-imagining of Arthur Miller’s classic drama of the 1950s, The Crucible. The playwright, Arthur Miller, wanted his play to expose the madness of McCarthy’s Communist witch-hunt by depicting a historical witch-hunt (based on events in Salem, Massachusetts in the 1690s). Director of Drama Mr Adjivan, however, took […]

READ MORE The Crucible on stage at Aldenham
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DEC 6, 2019

Martineau’s Drama – The Big Questions

At the end of a busy day of rehearsals which included sorting costumes and props for their plays on the stimulus ‘Big Questions’ in the Martineau’s Drama competition, it was time for all eight Houses to take to the stage in a crowded School Theatre. First up was Beck House with their play ‘How will […]

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NOV 19, 2019

Shakespeare Schools Festival 2019

Aldenham’s first time to enter the Shakespeare Schools Festival (SSF) saw 23 of our Years 7 & 8 pupils perform a compelling performance of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet on a professional stage. The world’s largest youth drama festival lies at the heart of SSF’s transformative process as each year they work with thousands of […]

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