Performing Arts

Band

Band is a performance-based study of woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments and corresponding music literature. These courses emphasize reading music, development of musicianship, and both solo and ensemble performance.
 

Students can begin taking band courses in middle school and are provided many opportunities to play their instruments beyond the classroom and at community performances throughout the year. ESD events, like Symphony of Hope, are enhanced by our own band students providing the musical accompaniments for friends and family at the service.

Our students also participate in TPSMEA events and in middle and upper school performance trips. Last year, six upper school ESD band musicians performed advanced-level solos at the Fort Worth TPSMEA State Solo and Ensemble Contest.  Learn more about our band offerings in our Curriculum Guide.

Participating in band means you are part of a team that depends on each individual to grow, learn, share and have fun with each other. The greatest joy is showcasing all the work with the audience.

- Doug Jordan, Middle and Upper School Band Director

Choir

Choir classes focus on making music together with the best choral sound possible.

Students learn to sing both in unison and in harmony, develop fluency in sight reading, and often sing songs in other languages. We also encourage students to audition for location All-Region and All-State choirs.
 

Students get to partake in choir classes throughout their lower school years. The lessons they learn in choir translate into their magnificent musical productions each grade puts on every year. Additionally, Fourth Grade Singers, a choir club, is one of the lower school's most popular clubs! Learn more about our band offerings in our Cirriculum Guide.

Upper school students are encouraged to participate in the Texas Private School Music Educators Association (TPSMEA) All-Region and All-State auditions. Last year, 16 upper school students earned spots in All-Region Choir and seven qualified for All-State.

Sparking wonder through songs, poems, dances, and instruments is how elementary children stay engaged in music class weekly.

- Rebecca Bryan, Elementary Music Teacher

Orchestra

Orchestra introduces students to string ensemble performance techniques and the basics of their chosen instruments and basic musicianship through a variety of musical genres and historical periods.

Students are encouraged to participate in TPSMEA All-State ensembles, Region Orchestra, Solo/Ensemble contests, and the ISAS Arts Festival. The ensemble performs at the Fall Choir Concert, Lessons and Carols, various chapel services, and other ESD community events throughout the school year.
 

Students can begin taking orchestra or strings courses in middle school and are provided many opportunities to play their instruments beyond the classroom. Our students participate in group concerts, TPSMEA events, and in middle and upper school performance trips.

There are no prerequisites at any level in strings, just a willingness and a desire to learn. If a student has a strong interest in strings, we encourage students at all levels to participate in the After School Strings Club that meets once a week.

Students learn much more than how to play an instrument. They learn how to focus for extended periods of time, how to work as a team, and how to be life-long learners.

- Adrian Demian, Middle and Upper School Strings Director

Speech and Debate

Speech and Debate provides students with multiple opportunities designed to enhance their speaking ability, their persuasion skills, and their own voice. Students develop skills in research, critical thinking, organization, persuasion, and communication. 
 

In 2018, three Speech and Debate students advanced to the State qualifiers. With the recent success, Speech and Debate has grown in size and had members compete in different divisions. One division that has been growing steadily is Congressional Debate, where students present speeches on different pieces of legislation and question each other about their arguments and evidence.

Theatre

We've found our students learn best when they are having fun and creating.

One of the key concepts of our Theater program is for students to develop the ability to succeed with humility and to rebound from fallbacks with renewed determination. In order for this to happen, we create an environment of constructive, collaborative, and nurturing support.
 

We encourage all students to participate in the arts, and many of our seniors explore theater productions with their classmates before graduation. Over the last few years, upper school students have performed a number of plays and musicals including Antigone, Little Women, Clue, The Crucible, and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

Even our youngest Eagles get in on the drama! Students across all grades get to perform musicals for their friends and family every year. From Beginner students taking us on a farm adventure to fourth-grade students retelling the story of Esther from the Bible, there is no shortage of exciting theater opportunities in the lower school.

Middle school students are encouraged to audition for the annual spring musical each year. Over the last few years, students have performed exciting adaptations of shows like Oklahoma!, Cinderella, Into the Woods, and Mary Poppins.

The skills a student learns in theatre - collaboration, adaptability, creativity, and work ethic - are applicable and valuable whether a student pursues a career in the boardroom, the courtroom, or the theater.

Kristi Cardwell, Middle School Fine Arts Teacher