Music, Drama and Art
Click here to download our Expressive Arts brochure
Fostering a love of Music, Drama and Art - For Life
Music, drama and art are at the centre of life at Loretto. The School has a strong reputation in instrumental and choral music going back to Loretto's foundation in 1827. The choirs have made a number of CD recordings and have had considerable success in national music competitions, and our pipe band competes successfully at a national level.
It is not surprising that more than 60% of our pupils take individual music lessons.
The Junior School Choir has recently been runners-up in the BBC Songs of Praise competition after performing live on BBC1. The Senior School Chamber Ensemble and Small Choir have performed in the National Music for Youth competition at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Music
Boys and girls are encouraged to sing and to learn to play musical instruments. They are given numerous opportunities to perform at events in and out of School including the Nippers Songfest, a variety of other concerts, rock concerts, Christmas Carol Concerts in Edinburgh, a nativity play and on Loretto Day.
A team of 14 instrumental music staff teach 100 lessons each week to children from Year 3 (7 years) to Year 7 (11 years). Tuition is provided for a full orchestral range as well as guitar, bass guitar, bag pipes, corps drums and drum kit.
The youngest boys and girls start with musical games then play percussion. All children learn the recorder in Year 4 (8 years), keyboard skills in Years 5 and 6, and guitar in Years 6 and 7. By Year 6 (10 years) children can compose and record their own work in our modern recording studio.
The Junior School Choir is one of Loretto's showpieces. The choir (8 - 12 year-olds) has made a number of CD recordings, and has had considerable success in national music competitions including being runner-up in the BBC Songs of Praise Choir of the Year Competition.
The Music facilities at the Nippers include: electronic keyboards, synthesizers, electric guitars, bases, amplifiers, drum kits, PA system, Cubase recording studio, radio production training facility and TV/DVD.
Parents and visitors are always very welcome to attend our musical, drama and art events. For further details, go to Upcoming Events on our home page or contact the School on 0131 653 4455.
Drama
Drama has long been a very popular subject at Loretto Junior School. There are theatre visits and we regularly have actors in residence. The Drama curriculum follows the 5-14 Expressive Arts guidelines.
For each of the past 10 years, the Nippers have staged ambitious musical productions, such as: Annie; Calamity Jane; Grease; Bugsy Malone; Anything Goes; The Sound of Music; The Wizard of Oz; and Oliver. The Early Years and Nursery perform an annual Christmas show such as The Innkeeper's Breakfast.
Art
Art is taught in the lively, stimulating Nippers art room. The curriculum is covered using
a large variety of media and techniques enriched by regular gallery trips and visits from artists. High standards are expected and small classes allow each child to follow their own path.
Children can choose to participate in up to 6 extra art or craft based activities every week, including batik and fabric crafts, ceramics (with a visiting artist), sculpture or jewellery making.
The Nippers have an annual exhibition at the Loretto Gallery in June and we award art prizes at the end of each school year, judged by lecturers from Edinburgh College of Art.
Our full Expressive Arts brochure can be downloaded here (pdf). Some biographies of members of staff and more details on the curriculum are provided under Art in the Academic section.
Parents and visitors are always very welcome to attend our musical, drama and art events. For further details, go to Upcoming Events on our home page or contact the School on 0131 653 4455.