THE ARTS & CULTURE DEPARTMENT

Music

The South Peninsula Music Department offers tuition in a number of instruments, namely piano, flute and recorder. Ms Dianne Gordon is the Head of this Department. Students interested in ensemble work have the opportunity to be part of the jazz band and jazz orchestra trained by Dr Clive Kronenberg (who also offers tuition in guitar), and those interested in choral work have access to the choir trained by Mr Reggie Dreyer, assisted by Mrs Adeline Jansen and Ms Jill Friester. Students who play other musical instruments, for example saxophone, trumpet, trombone and violin, receive their instrumental classes at Beau Soleil while the theory section is covered at school. Aspirant drummers receive tuition from a visiting drum tutor.

The department has regular instrumental concerts, which give instrumentalists a chance to show their talents in more serious music forms, as well as folk and jazz styles. The choir often joins these evenings to entertain us with one or other stunning rendition of familiar songs. Furthermore, from time to time the music students have benefited from workshops run by various experts in their field. In recent times these have included the world renowned jazz pianist and composer Abdullah Ibrahim and his band Ikhaya, a pair of visiting Indian musicians and the Cape Town Jazz Orchestra. Ibrahim points out to his audience that the key to success is practice, practice and practice. Click here for some photos.

                                    The choir with Ms Leanda Pietersen on the left, Mrs Adeline Jansen on the right and Mr Reggie Dreyer in front.

The Jazz band appears just as regularly to perform at its own jazz evenings or as guests performing at a variety of events. Some examples of these performances in the first term have been their performances at the Wynberg Girls’ School Sunset Concert, the Frank Joubert Open Day, and the EMDC South’s Xenex Project Launch, as well as a short appearance at the instrumental concert at school during the second term.

Drama

The arrival at SP in 2007 of Mr John Jusa to teach Drama has injected the school with a burst of vitality and creativity. Drama is offered from Grades 10 to 12 and although the numbers at present are small, the Drama students’ enthusiasm and openness to guidance have already created a keen interest among others.

Dance

One of the components of the Arts and Culture syllabus in the junior grades, Dance is also offered as a subject in the senior grades. Ms Kim Isaacs and Ms Phillippa Myburgh are the Dance instructors. Their students have impressed with their colourful costumes and slick moves at various cultural evenings.

Visual Art and Design

Our Art students attend the Battswood Art Centre, as well as the Frank Joubert Art School for their theory and practicals, with Mr Paul Hendricks also providing tuition. Once again, there is an abundance of talent among our students. Their work always draws admiration. Click here for more photos.