At The Stanwich School, all students participate in music and drama classes and all students are given the opportunity to develop skills and to shine.  Our music and drama teachers are dedicated to celebrating the creativity and talents of our students, helping them build self-confidence, exposing students to a variety of musical and theatrical genres, and to instilling in them a respect for the power and beauty of the performing arts.

Primary House

In the Primary House, music, drama and movement are taught in French.  This unique immersion curriculum is designed to expose young students to a foreign language in a natural, enjoyable setting and prepare them for more formal foreign language instruction in the Intermediate House and beyond.

In music, K-3 students learn songs in French and English.  Students are taught to sing independently, on pitch and in rhythm, with appropriate timbre, diction, posture and expression.  The music curriculum focuses on a different classical composer each month and features a wide range of musical genres. 

In drama, Primary House students learn to speak comfortably in front of an audience in either a character role or for public speaking, using correct body placement, body language, facial expression, vocal diction, projection, timing and expression.  All students participate in a Thanksgiving program, a holiday program and a year-end event.  Students in grades 1 through 3 stage a grade-level musical production entirely in French.  Movement is offered to help younger students develop an awareness of their own body as both a controlled and creative expressive instrument.

Intermediate House

In the Intermediate House, students in grades 4-6 rotate through three different performing arts classes:  music theory, music performance and dramatic performance.  The goals of the program are to help students experience and understand all aspects of theater and stagecraft, and to help them develop skills relating to performance.

The students in each Intermediate House grade work together to write, produce, direct and perform a dramatic program related to their history curriculum.  Grade 4 focuses on American history, Grade 5 focuses on Ancient Civilizations and Grade 6 focuses on Medieval History. 

For the music theory and music performance component, the Intermediate House curriculum focuses on developing students' proficiencies in four areas: elements of music, listening to and understanding music, knowledge of music cultural and social history, and non-locomotor, locomotor and performance skills.  Recorders are introduced in Grade 4.  All students are taught to read music and play keyboards in Grades 5 and 6.  Music lessons are developed to include and appropriately challenge all students, regardless of their background in music. 

Underlying each step of instruction is the lesson in the value of persistence, patience, self-discipline, and teamwork.  Music and performing arts are used in the Intermediate House as constructive experiences in building group cooperation.  All Intermediate House students are also invited to participate in the annual spring musical, a highlight of the School year.

Junior House

At the Junior House level, students elect to participate in either band or chorus.  Instruction in a wide variety of instruments is offered.  Both band and chorus involve the study of music theory, song form and music history.  Skills taught include sight-reading, scales, composition and improvisation.  The band and chorus rehearse during school hours and perform several times during the School year. 

In addition, Junior House students may elect to join The Stanwich Ensemble, in which students who study instruments privately come together to study and perform after School.  Instruction is based on the importance of each musician, the promotion of discipline and commitment to one's musicianship and to respect for, and support and encouragement of, one's fellow musicians. 

Individual Instrumental Lessons

All stanwich students have the option to take piano lessons at School during the school day. During the 2003-2004 school year, more than 85 children took 30-minute lessons from five teachers during non-academic periods at the request and expense of their parents. There is a recital at the end of the year.

In addition, private instrumental instruction may be arranged before and after school in virtually any instrument.   Currently, students study violin, cello, clarinet, flute, guitar, electric guitar, drums and other instruments on-site, before and after school.