Pictures at an Exhibition: K - 2 Performance

Our Kindergarten to Grade 2 students took to the stage last week for their annual concert! It was an incredible morning of singing, chanting rhymes, clapping, dancing, instrument playing, and performing as our students showed off their incredible talents.

The students took us on an incredible journey through their favorite pieces of artwork like the original Pictures at an Exhibition by composer Modest Mussorgsky. Students used artwork to guide and inspire their imaginations to create sound, lyrics, and movement possibilities.

Can you believe that our students are composers? Because they are! Each grade composed their own song for the concert, so inspiring! Kindergarten composed the song "I Like Pie" based on their impressions of the painting "Bakery Case", by Wayne Thiebaud, Grade 1 orchestrated the percussion remix of "Criss-Cross Apple Sauce" called "Dragon’s Roar", and Grade 2 composed "Lion’s Roar", based on a sculpture of a lion from the Han Dynasty.

The performance actively engaged the audience as well! During their music class exploration, they envisioned the painting "Morning on the Seine" with the sound of rain. They came up with the brilliant idea of having parents crinkle newspaper, which produced an incredible effect! It was a truly magical moment of creativity and collaboration.

The journey through the art exhibition mirrors the journey that students take to create music and perform. From perception ("what I hear") to imagination ("what I wonder") to cognition ("what I know"), students came up with incredibly creative ways to make music and movement, such as metal instruments conveying the idea of stars and contrary motions demonstrating the contrast between yellow wheat and black crows, which was inspired by Van Gogh’s painting "Wheatfields with Crows".

This concert was a testament to the power of the arts to inspire and bring people together, and we look forward to seeing our students continue to thrive and excel in their musical journeys.

The Performing Arts program at AISG is robust and comprehensive. From Preschool to Grade 12, we provide students with experiences to develop curiosity, interest, enjoyment of their own creativity and an appreciation for the performances of others.Click here to learn more about the arts at AISG.