Senior Arts Newsletter, Term 3, 2024

The Arts at Tanglin

It starts with a spark of curiosity that is fuelled by passion

A desire to be creative while persevering through the challenges

Discovering your artistic identity through personal expression

Developing an appreciation and mutual respect for the work of others

Encouraging inclusion and diversity so everyone can participate, succeed and achieve their personal best

At Tanglin we have a thriving Arts community with over 800 students participating in approximately 50 CCAs each week, culminating in over 50 events each year. We also achieve outstanding results in the classroom and have been awarded ‘best in the world’ for A-level 4 times in the last 3 years for individual Arts

Subjects. Our talented teaching staff and Arts technicians work tirelessly with our students on a daily basis to offer memorable opportunities to be creative, collaborate and express themselves in the Arts, inside and outside of the classroom.

Welcome to the Term 2 edition of the Senior Arts newsletter. We will be using this platform to showcase the amazing things that have happened at Tanglin in term two. We will also be promoting upcoming events if you would like to come along and support our talented artists.

Richie Baxter, Head of the Arts Faculty

DRAMA & DANCE

Tanglin staged an extravagant production of "Chicago," showcasing the vibrant spirit of the musical with over a hundred senior students and staff. Directed by Claire Connor and Anita Sprague, the show delved into themes of fame, fortune, and jazz. The talented cast from Year 10 to 13, delivered captivating performances, supported by an exceptional ensemble and a live orchestra which flawlessly captured the essence of the jazz age. It was choreography by students Olivia Moremont, Abigail Dunn, and Aysha Movsumova, guided by Anita Sprague, and brought Fosse and Reinking's original vision to life. The set design, wardrobe and hairstyle all evoked 1920s Chicago with glamour and flair, and added authenticity to the performers' appearance, which resulted in a dazzling showcase of musical theatre. "Chicago" at Tanglin was a resounding success, captivating audiences and affirming the school's prowess in musical productions. Claire Connor - Senior Drama

Kimi Stone - Year 10 student.

'I don’t think we knew what we had coming when signing up for Chicago: moments of stress, nervous energy, frustration when realising the Billy girls were not the most capable dancers, but most importantly utter joy when seeing it come together for those four special nights. I left Chicago knowing I had a group of people who supported me and undoubtedly razzle dazzled!'

Year 7 & 8 - How to survive a Zombie Apocalypse

The cast showed their tremendous skill and versatility on stage, as they treated the audience to a showcase of gruesome zombies and produced a performance full of laughter and fun. The students were a pleasure to work with, bringing energy to the rehearsals and willing to take creative leaps, with one zombie summing up their experience as, “It was funny and nerve wracking to be in at the same time!” (Anges Nemmoe-Brock).

I wanted to give back to the department while also developing as a theatre student. Frankenstein is a text I love, whichmade directing it an exciting opportunity! Creating the script was a challenge, especially in striking a balance between the original book and my interpretation. The key was collaboration, and this particularly shone through in rehearsals. One of my favourite things about our ensemble was their energy and cohesion, with a mix of year groups all working together. The best advice I can give other students is to go for it! Take the opportunities you get to extend yourself - whether as a director or performerand put all you can into them. The reward is so gratifying.

Student-led production by Rohan Sarma - Frankenstein

FILM

Term two has been exceptionally busy for the teachers and students of Film and Media Technology. Most of our students use term two for finalising their work for examination and the months of January through to April saw a flourishing of filmmaking in and around campus and in various locations around Singapore. Working in a multitude of genres and styles, our students produced some very high-quality work using the departments professional camera and recording equipment, and visual and special effects software like Adobe After Effects.

Students created films in many diverse genres from horror to science-fiction, romantic comedy to crime. It was impressive to see students meticulously working out shooting schedules, compiling kit lists, briefing technical crews, and rehearsing with actors. The logistical challenges of filmmaking are significant and probably unique to Film and Media in a school context, and it is amazing to see the students cope with these real-world challenges. Some stills from student work are displayed on this page.

Ben Astley - Head of Film and Media

In February we hosted acclaimed two-day seminar on screenplay development, the writing of interesting characters for film, and successful film directing. Our Year 10 and Year 12 students were able to work with Ian in collaborative production groups. It was great to see IB (Film) and A Level (Media Studies) students working together and combining their unique perspectives together in practical filmmaking projects.

Alicia Freiin Von Richthofen - Year 12 IB Student

I love watching and making films, so IB Film is the perfect fit for me! I am currently directing a Wong Kar Wai inspired film called Last Night in Chinatown and have embraced the process, from learning about Wong Kar Wai’s films, location scouting, taking demo shots, and creating a screenplay, shot-list, and shooting schedule. I enjoy the freedom of the Film Portfolio work, which allows me to create my own unique projects e.g. during my internship at Vogue Singapore, I had the opportunity to film their Next in Vogue event, where I captured candid moments throughout the day and created a visual documentary of the event.

ART & DESIGN

Visiting Artists: Ian Murphy and Chen Shitong

We were delighted to host acclaimed artists Ian Murphy and Shitong for exclusive workshops and talks. Ian wowed us with his intricate architectural drawings, while Shitong shared his unique approach to collagraph printing. Students and parents gained invaluable insights and inspiration from these eperiences.

Falmouth Arts University Artist in residence

We welcomed Ella Emmanuelle from Falmouth who worked with students from all 3 schools. Her worked focussed on physicality in art practise.

Drawing by the Bus Bay

We hosted our first whole school drawing event- students were encouraged to collaborate in a largescale drawing activity by the bus bay, while listening to student musicians.

Bright Hill Temple

Year 7 students had a cultural experience at Bright Hill Temple. Here they furthered their understanding of colour and pattern

Bali Residential

Our residential trip balanced art practise and cultural immersion. Students had the opportunity to explore local art studios, traditional Balinese crafts, and stunning landscapes. The trip was a perfect blend of creativity and adventure. Students returned inspired for their coursework.

Art SG: Contemporary Art Fair Excursion

Several of our Year 10 art students had the privilege of attending the Art SG Contemporary Art Fair in Singapore. It was an enriching experience, exposing them to cutting-edge artworks and diverse artistic practices in contemporary art.

Vigas Singh Makkar - Year 10 GCSE student.

I really enjoyed the Art SG trip because I got to see a variety of artworks of all shapes and sizes, each made uniquely with different materials, tools and techniques. There was art from artists all around the globe which each had a distinctive lens through which the artist viewed their world. My favourite were the glitched/ optical illusion paintings as they played with my imagination. Overall, the trip broadened my horizons on what could be done and achieved with art and inspired me to be more creative.

IB Visual Arts DP Mind the Gap exhibition

Our IB Visual Arts students curated a tremendous exhibition. The artwork was eclectic in its use of materials and thoughtful in its conceptual content. It was wonderful to see the school community enjoying the work.

Whole School Easter Egg Competition

Our community showcased their creative spirit and talents with a whole-school competition that enabled students to decorate eggs in imaginative ways.

IN Exhibition

10 Tanglin artists were selected to showcase their artwork alongside other international schools in the online IN Exhibition.

MUSIC

A hectic Term 2 in Senior Music kicked off with Battle of the Bands, which turned out to be our best ever, with fantastic performances and an enthusiastic and highly appreciative audience, along with Briana Corrigan of Beautiful South fame gracing the judging panel. This was followed by a wonderful trip to see the Singapore Symphony Orchestra perform a live soundtrack to a screening of E.T. February saw our Senior bands performing at The Blackbird, and many of our top musicians showcasing their talent in solo and chamber concerts. In March, the Senior Chamber Choir were invited to perform at the St. David’s Welsh Society Ball. Additionally, movie-themed cross-phase concerts highlighted talented students from across the school, and a group participated in the SEASAC Festival of Music at UWC. In the classroom, our Year 11, 12 and 13 Music students have worked exceptionally hard to get their coursework completed and should be proud of what they have achieved.

Helen Owain - Head of Senior Music

Harper Bull - Year 11 student. I really enjoy being part of the Senior Chamber Choir as we get to sing at amazing venues. I have sang in many concerts, in various languages, but one of my favourite experiences was singing in the St. Davids Ball for The Welsh Society. It was interesting to learn a song phonetically, and to be part of a community that I wouldn’t normally have had access to. We performed a variety of welsh songs and I was lucky to hav a solo. A highlight was when the audience joined in, seeing the visible enjoyment of the whole room singing as one, was really uplifting and meaningful.

Evelyn Kim - Year 7 student - Battle of the bands was an amazing experience. It was fascinating how seven pindividuals could perform as one and produce awesome music. Seeing other bands perform with such enthusiasm has motivated me to become a better musician. The exerience of playing in this eniroment wiht other musicians has improved my confidence has inpsired me to play more and become a better guitarist. Overall, Battle of the Bands is a great event for anyone that aspires to pursue musical excellence.

Summer GCSE and A-Level ‘Latitude’ Exhibition: 6 May - 9 Jun

Interpretations @ National Gallery Singapore: 11 May

FOBISIA Music Festival, Jakarta: 16 – 19 May

‘Moana’ Year 7-9 Musical: 20 & 21 May

Visiting Artist ‘Jennifer Hartley’ in Drama: 27 May - 7 Jun

Outstanding Contribution to the Arts celebration evening and Senior Ensembles concert: 3 Jun

New Zealand Male Voice choir performance: 5 Jun

Year 12 IB Film production Day: 7 Jun

Freinds of Tanglin Summer Fete: 8 Jun

Year 12 Film student visit to MediaCorps: 13 Jun

Year 10 Collaborative Arts ‘Tanglin Community’ project: 18 Jun

Middle school Music & Drama ‘Showcase Cafe’: 20 Jun

Feel free to get in touch if you would like further information about any of these events richie.baxter@tts.edu.sg