Arts

Students thrive artistically at TMS, working individually or in groups with guidance and support. Our Lower and Upper School students are encouraged to explore new ideas and concepts and showcase their talent whenever possible. Read about the latest updates in the Arts at TMS.

The Gallery Experience: Diploma Programme Visual Arts Exhibition

In April, the artistic works of Diploma Programme students got the full gallery treatment at the annual Visual Arts Exhibition. While being a requirement of the IB diploma, this exhibition is an opportunity for arts students to showcase a selection of their best work from the 2-year programme in an authentic curated gallery evening. Their work reflected the impressive art we have grown accustomed to at TMS. Over the years, our art students have gone on to further their studies and develop their craft at prestigious schools including University of the Arts London, Parsons School of Design, Penn State, and the School of the Art Institute Chicago.

With the success and continued growing interest our arts students have experienced, this year, the TMS Visual Arts program has expanded with the addition of the Film course. These students have been learning about the various roles involved with film production and developing their skills as content creators. The exhibition marked our filmmakers first public showing of their work. Students who elect to study art in the diploma programme are typically motivated by a passion for the arts and the creative outlet it offers, and that was evident in the displays and explanations of their work. Like the internal assessments in other subjects, the exhibition asks students to consider topics that are personally significant, reflecting both their experience in the methodologies of the discipline as well as its real-world application. As such, the gallery showcased a wide range of topics and issues including mental health, family, nature, architecture, and music.

Matilda Jr., The Sold-Out Elementary Play

In May, the TMS Community came together at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts to celebrate Upper Elementary Students and faculty as they presented the musical Matilda Jr. to a completely sold out theatre!

Performing in a musical is an experience that young people will remember for the rest of their lives. Musical theatre has so many benefits and learning experiences for children, including:

1. Active Participation in the Arts: Participating in the arts provides young people with a chance to explore their creativity and imagination in a structured and safe environment. Musical theatre is especially remarkable because it is the only art form that combines all areas of the arts: acting, singing, dancing, music, and visual arts.

2. Improving Literacy Skills: From reading scripts to memorizing lines to learning to tell a story, young people continually improve their literacy skills while rehearsing and performing in a musical.

3. Becoming a Confident Public Speaker: It takes a lot of confidence to stand up and sing or dance in front of family, peers, and what may seem like the entire community. Experience with public speaking at a young age gives students confidence that will be important to them for the rest of their lives.

The production truly reflects our school’s dedication to the arts and the joy of dramatic expression. It was exciting to see the community come together and be a part of that story.

Toddler Concert Series

Our TMS Toddlers and their families enjoyed the sights and sounds of beautiful music during the Toddler Concert Series, a student-led initiative by Upper School students. Organized by the Integrated Arts Class, Grade 10 students eloquently and thoughtfully introduced the various families to instruments, their various different parts and the function that each plays in creating the sounds that they do. They played many familiar tunes, including crowd-favourite Baby Shark.

The concert series provided a great opportunity for senior students to engage young children and to understand the role of music in their development. At the same time, it provided an opportunity for Toddlers and their families to positively engage and participate, and immerse themselves in the world of music. It was delightful to see both age groups come together. It will be wonderful to watch our current Toddlers return during the 2035/36 school year to entertain a new group of youngsters.