[Skip to Page Head]

Broadening Horizons

Drama, Dance and Music

Drama

The Drama department is an extremely busy department with an exciting program of productions involving all year groups each year. This year we have had the joy of opening the Parabola Arts Centre and already the girls have produced fabulous work on the stage. The highly professional theatre with an audience capacity of 300 has encouraged more girls to become involved not only on the stage performing but also working on the technical aspects of our productions.

The talent and enterprise of both staff and girls continues to amaze and delight with such recent triumphs as our Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2009 production of ‘Therese’, an evening exploring and enjoying the work of Bertolt Brecht in conjunction with the German Dept, an innovative production of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and our LC1 girls delighted us with their folk tales in ‘East of the Sun, West of the Moon’. The remainder of our season will include ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’, ‘West Side Story’, ‘Rabbit’, and two new plays called ‘Spitfires’ and ‘ Backstage’ to be written by department staff.

Alongside our very busy and varied season of theatre, over 800 girls take private Speech and Drama lessons and complete LAMDA examinations.

Dance

Dance is a compulsory part of the curriculum in LC1 and LC2 and can be continued as an option from LC3 upwards. Various dance clubs meet weekly (e.g. jazz and street). Extra lessons can be organized at a Cheltenham Dance School for girls who are keen to follow this activity further.

As part of the club, dance companies are invited to visit College to lead workshops in many different styles of dance. The College also puts on a popular evening of dance, to which other local schools are also invited. There is also an inter-house dance competition which takes place every other year.

Music

Music is flourishing at College. Every week during term, a staggering 1,000 individual music lessons take place within the department. All the more amazing since no girl misses an academic lesson to attend her music lessons. A tremendous range of instruments are taught either by permanent or visiting staff and the diversity of music-making which happens in College is a joy for all.

Each year talents are on display within the Christmas and Summer concerts, the A2 music recital, the Leavers' Concerto Concert, the UC Scholars' Concert and the Junior Concert. In addition, we have events such as the Peggy Richardson Piano Masterclass and competitions in Wind and Brass, Strings, Keyboard and Singing. The Composers' Concert affords an important opportunity to hear exciting creative work by girls studying GCSE , AS and A-level Music.

Informal lunchtime recitals are well-established in the College calendar. Video recordings of these concerts are available to parents on the website.

Our largest annual performance is the Choral Concert in which girls, staff, parents and friends combine to sing great choral repertoire with a professional orchestra. Recent programmes include the Bach Magnificat, Mozart’s Requiem and Handel’s Messiah.

One of the highlights of College’s musical year is the House Music Competition. Each junior House has to choose a popular song and arrange it for House choir and band. The competition always provides a colourful and joyful occasion.

The annual Cheltenham Competitive Festival provides a wonderful opportunity for the girls to perform in front of a public audience.

In addition to our fixed, annual series of concerts, we often present concerts beyond College. College Choir appears regularly at Cheltenham’s Pump Room venue and tours European centres biennially. Over the past few years, the choir has sung in St Mark’s, Venice and the Cathedrals in Florence, Siena and Assisi.

News

Vicky Tuck – Telegraph Articles

Vicky Tuck – Telegraph Articles

Please see the links below for the latest Telegraph articles written by Vicky Tuck. 26 April 2010, 26 March 2010, 05 February 2010, 11 January 201...

Read More

Henley Royal Regatta

Henley Royal Regatta

On the 30th June 2010, twenty rowers including staff set off at 8:30am for an exciting trip to Henley. On the coach, whilst complimenting each other’s...

Read More

Rabbit

Rabbit

Performing in the cast of 'Rabbit' was a brilliant experience because I had immense fun and learnt so much at the same time. I had the chance...

Read More

IB Results

IB Results

There was a palpable sense of excitement in College as we awaited our first set of IB Diploma results and I warmly congratulate staff and girls on the...

Read More

Hunchbacks, Knights, Dwarves and Giants

Hunchbacks, Knights, Dwarves and Giants

A talk by Dan Evans on the Gonzaga of Mantua and their ArtistsThe art historian, Dan Evans, commenced his presentation on the court of Mantua with a s...

Read More