Drama, Music and Dance

The opportunities available in Performing Arts at Pipers are incredible, and afford students the space and freedom to express themselves in the Senior School drama production, performing in the Sinfonia or as part of one of our annual Dance Shows

Drama

Whether through the Pre-Prep performance of the Nativity, to the Prep Music Concert, the Year 6 Drama production, right through to the Senior School production, students are challenged to perform, narrate, stage-manage and light the countless performances that take place each year.

In addition to the flagship productions which are seen by over 2,000 people each year, our practical assessment work at GCSE and A Level, Junior and Senior Dance shows as well as our Inter-House Performing Arts competition all take place centre-stage in our Theatre.

Prep students in Years 4 and 6 gain performance and communication skills through the English Speaking Board (ESB) curriculum, resulting in external assessments in the Spring Term. Students in Years 3-5 showcase their honed skills in the Summer Term as they perform to parents and family.

Senior Students in Years 9 and above are able to undertake LAMDA lessons, to further bolster performance and communication skills, with Advance level medals; Bronze, Silver and Gold resulting in additional UCAS points for students in the Sixth Form.

ESB and LAMDA prepare students in the best possible way for the large school productions, and Whilst competition for lead roles is always fierce, some students understandably don't feel comfortable being the focus. In order that everyone can be part of a production, students can undertake roles the technical side of the production including areas such as stage management, lighting, audio-visual and video editing.

Edinburgh Fringe Festival which is a celebration of their dedication and commitment to the Performing Arts. In 2022, the Company will be taking Brainstorm to the Fringe - with students providing a unique insight into how teenagers' brains work, and why they're designed by evolution to be the way they are. The cast are constantly challenged to push boundaries.

The Junior Theatre company, emulate the Senior Company on a smaller scale as they put on additional performances to showcase their growing confidence and stage presence. 

Drama at Piper is not restricted to the School community, Prep students share their passion for Performing Arts and have performed at the Spinal Injuries Unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital as part of our outreach programme.

Dance

Dance at Pipers is inclusive, all students, regardless of their previous level of experience, are encouraged to follow their passion for dance, through our excellent subject provision as well as our extensive extra-curricular offering. Dance promotes self-confidence and encourages students to develop their ability to create and collaborate supporting their wider holistic development.

We offer an incredible breadth of styles, including Ballet, Modern, Contemporary, Street, Jazz and Tap. Students have the option of joining our Junior and Senior Dance companies, regularly meeting for rehearsals culminating in a flagship performance at the Annual Dance Show. Students also have the option to study towards externally assessed RAD and ISTD accredited awards. A number of our alumnae have gone onto study Dance at University and Performing Arts Colleges.

The annual Junior and Senior Dance performances provide the opportunity for students to showcase their dedication to Dance. Performed in our state-of-the-art Theatre, not only do students have the chance to perform on stage, but they can also gain experience in choreography, production design and stage-management, working collaboratively with professional theatre technicians and drama staff 

We are fortunate to have two purpose built dance spaces

• The Dance Studio | Featuring a Harlequin dance floor
• The Upper Foyer | Features a sprung floor.

Music

Music has a rich tradition at Pipers and is integral part of performing arts. All students are encouraged to develop their instrumental and vocal potential, which is harnessed under the guidance of the Director of Music and her team of more than 20 peripatetic music teachers.

Students engage with Music from the outset in a very practical way, learning theory through creating sound and singing. 

The Music Department is well equipped, with large classrooms, eight practice rooms, state-of-the-art Apple Mac computers with Sibelius notation software and Cubase audio editing software, as well a range of musical instruments available to use. Students are encouraged to use percussion, keyboards and voices in lessons to give a broad grounding with the Elements of Music as well as bringing in their own instruments for classwork performance and composition.

We offer students the chance to take up individual lessons on a range of instruments. Our  peripatetic teachers  work with all  music examination boards and can enter students for ABRSM, Trinity, Rock School, LCME and the new MTB.