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The Expressive ArtsAll pupils have a chance todevelop their performingand creative talents throughthe curriculum and the hugevariety of extra activitiescovering Music, Dance,Drama, Theatre, Design,and Fine Art.Expressive Arts are an important part not onlyof the curriculum – all pupils in the first fiveyears take Art, Design Technology, Music,Drama and Dance – but also in activitiesbeyond the classroom. There is very highstandard of individual performances but alsothe opportunities to take part at whateverlevel. Pupils gain the experience of performingin public whether on stage in front of over athousand people at Perth Concert Hall or inour own Music Room in front of their peers.Art & Design TechnologyThe Art Department, which was openedby Sir Eduardo Paolozzi, has an extensiverange of rooms including modern computerfacilities, a ceramic studio with kilns, a printmaking studio, a dark room, outside patiooverlooking the pond for Landscapes, andseparate A level and drawing studios. Thestandard of Art is very high; there are regulardisplays of pupils’ work and a permanentdisplay of prints presented to the school bySir Eduardo.The Design Technology Department is apurpose-built facility offering the latesttechnology including computer aided designsoftware and manufacture facilities. There aredesignated workshops for timber and metalmanufacturing. Pupils have been successfulin the Arkwright Scholarship competition,and have had the opportunity to display theirwork at the Scottish Woodfair and otheroutside exhibitions. The department hasstrong relationships with commercial designersand there are also links to industrial firms.The Art and Design Technology Departmentsregularly organise trips abroad together,particularly to explore landscapes and designin other contexts to provide research opportunitiesfor pupils’ own projects at A level.DramaAll pupils do curricular drama at an early stageof their career and there are opportunities forall to continue with the programme as anactivity later on. Large numbers are presentedfor the full range of LAMDA awards. There area number of major productions including playsand musicals in our 240 seat theatre which issupported by a complex of rooms for scenery,make-up, costumes and rehearsal. Recentproductions include Charley’s Aunt, Guys andDolls, Thoroughly Modern Millie, A ChristmasCarol, Romeo and Juliet, Sweeney Todd,West Side Story, Les Misérables and Cabaret.Over recent years, the music theatreprogramme has produced eight ALCMperformance diplomas, which is theprofessional qualification.MusicOur Music Department is one of the best inthe country; many of our young musiciansplay and sing in national orchestras andchoirs. We hold over sixty concerts each yearfrom a base of more than twenty differentensembles. The range of music making isexceptionally wide and there are numerouschances to perform, from small concerts to theannual Headmaster’s Music event which takesplace in the Concert Hall in Perth. Our choirperforms regularly for the Queen at Crathie.Individual tuition is available in all instrumentsand approximately half of the School isactively involved in learning an individualinstrument. Everyone takes part in the annualHouse Music competition where each Houseperforms a solo, an ensemble and a choirpiece. There is a great range of ensemblesfeaturing orchestras, choirs, wind band,big band and various rock bands. We alsohave a Cathedral Choir linked to St Ninian’sCathedral in Perth which provides scholarshipsfor our pupils.Scottish music is an important feature with afolk group and, of course, the Pipe Band whichhas established a reputation over the years asone of the top ranking bands in Scotland.www.strathallan.co.uk19