Paintbrushes and violin bows, scripts and song sheets, these were the tools that transformed SMUS during the school's second annual Arts Week celebration. The four-day festival of creativity culminated in the second annual Arts Banquet, an event that has quickly established itself as a cherished tradition.
"It's important that we appreciate and respect all areas of our school life, athletics, academics and arts, the three As," noted Head of School Mark Turner during his opening address at the Arts Gala. "The athletics folks have had a banquet for 100 years. Academics are celebrated through our annual graduation ceremonies. So it's quite right and fair and equitable that our arts students, their talents and their inspiring teachers are recognized and acknowledged as well."
A feast for the senses
Arts Week began Monday, with the Senior School Art Show Opening in Brown Hall, featuring more than 300 pieces created by students across all grade levels. The exhibition transformed the school's once-dining hall into a professional gallery space where paintings, drawings, sculptures and mixed media works demonstrated the remarkable depth of visual arts talent at SMUS.
"The power of art to bring people together, to inspire and to heal, is increasingly clear, especially in times of conflict and crisis," remarked Chris Bateman '94, Head of Visual Arts at the Senior School. "Art speaks truth, often more powerfully than words."
Tuesday evening showcased the school's musical talent through the Senior School Concerto Concert featuring Summer and Autumn from Vivaldi's Four Seasons. The SMUS Orchestra, conducted by Stel.la Guillén Fàbregas, Senior School Strings teacher, presented a program of classical works that included pieces by Mozart, Telemann, Delibes and Bach.
The concert highlighted numerous talented soloists, including string players Jessie Wang, Roseline Tang, Sunny Fan, Anysia Tam, Michaela Yee, Sarah Lyu, Ethan Lin and Candice Wu. Matty Angus (clarinet), Janetto Ooi (flute) and vocalists Georgia James and Sonja Ayala also delivered standout performances that had the audience mesmerized.
Wednesday's Arts Gala marked the pinnacle of the week, a formal recognition of artistic accomplishment that came directly from student feedback.
"This celebratory event was born from the feedback we received from our students during last spring's Senior School Co-curricular Survey," explained Keith Driscoll, director of boarding and student life. "They expressed a desire for a more formal recognition and celebration of the arts, and we listened."
The result was what Driscoll described as "more than just a banquet; it was an event" featuring exceptional cuisine alongside performances that represented the diversity of artistic disciplines offered at SMUS.
"It was a showcase of our students' boundless creativity and passion, a testament to their dedication to exploring, creating, practising and performing in the arts," Driscoll added. "More than that, it was a celebration by the students, for the students."
The artistic ecosystem
The week highlighted how deeply the arts are woven into the fabric of SMUS culture. From the Arts Council, a student-led group that promotes arts across all departments, to the theatrical productions that Chaplain Keven Fletcher described as "opening ourselves to ourselves," the creative programming at SMUS reaches far beyond traditional classroom boundaries.
"We realize that this combination of talent and creativity doesn't just happen," Fletcher noted. "It takes work, it takes collaboration, it takes a lot of very tedious organization."
Christina Banman, Senior School Choir teacher, echoed this sentiment while recognizing the journey that brings students to performance-level mastery.
"When we look at our performers, we see the culmination of a long journey filled with practices and experiences. Our school, while humble, brings together students from around the world," she said.
Morgan McLeod, Head of Drama at the Senior School, emphasized that the school's approach to arts education extends far beyond putting on shows. The annual musical production, he explained, is "a full-blown professional production, complete with jaw-dropping sets, show-stopping choreography and costumes."
"A cast and crew are a team that work collaboratively and collectively to create something that will be memorable for both audiences and themselves," McLeod said. "Theatre, in general, instills confidence and creativity."
For some students, these artistic experiences are the first step toward careers in the spotlight. The program has become what many describe as SMUS's very own incubator for the next generation of stars.
The legacy continues
As the curtain fell on Arts Week, Turner's reflections on the enduring value of artistic programming in a data-driven world left a lasting impression.
"We increasingly live in a rational world where science, logic and data tend to rule the day," Turner said. "In my view, the arts remind us there's more, creativity, imagination, and the practice of learning to dream."
The SMUS story is proudly shaped by creative traditions that evolve while staying true to their purpose. As the week drew to a close, a quote often attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, shared by Turner, echoed in the minds of many:
"The arts give a soul to the universe. They give wings to the mind. They give flight to the imagination, and they bring life to everywhere."
