The Arts
Creativity and exploration play a huge role in learning and development.
This is why ZIS gives every child the freedom to enjoy the arts from an early age. We celebrate the power of imagination and original thinking, and inspire students to share and perform their own ideas about the world.
In This Section
Visual Arts
We introduce your child to creative and visual arts from an early age, helping them discover new concepts and ways to express themselves.
Lower School
Students explore, discover, experience, develop and express their ideas using the visual arts. Exposure to different media and opportunity for individual expression welcomes diverse interpretations and varied outcomes. In the Lower School, all students attend specialized art classes and art is also an integral part of the home room curriculum.
More detail is included in our Lower School curriculum.
Middle School
Our Middle School students are artistic explorers, studying a wide range of media and techniques to ignite their passion and creativity.
Art and Digital Design electives are offered as part of the Middle School curriculum through Grade 6 to Grade 8:
- Grade 6 students can choose courses in Art and/or Design and Technology
- Grade 7 students can choose courses in Art and/or Digital Design
- Grade 8 students can choose courses in Art and/or 2D/3D Digital Animation
More detail is included in our Middle School Curriculum.
Upper School
Theory and practice in the Arts is dynamic and constantly changing, challenging students to explore new possibilities for creative expression.
- Foundation Art & Design is offered in Grades 9, 10, 11 & 12
- Studio Art is offered in Grades 10, 11, & 12
- Digital Photography is offered in Grades 10, 11, & 12
- Digital Graphic Design is offered in Grades 10, 11, & 12
- International Baccalaureate Diploma - IB Visual Arts are offered in Grades 11 and 12
- Advanced Placement - AP2D Art and Design (digital photography and/or graphic design), AP3D Art and Design (sculpture) & AP Drawing (drawing and painting) offered in Grades 11 and 12
More detail is included in the Creative Arts section in our Upper School curriculum.
Explore the Upper School Curriculum
Music
Your child will have the opportunity to try a variety of instruments, and can perform individually and as a group or orchestra.
Early Childhood
- The children take part in a range of musical activities and develop a repertoire of songs and rhymes as part of the daily routine.
- They have access to musical instruments both as free play activities when they can explore the qualities and sounds of different instruments on a spontaneous basis, and in group activities where they learn to share, take turns, and listen carefully to identify different instruments.
- Music is seen as enhancing the whole curriculum and may be linked to other areas such as Math and Language.
Grades 1-5
- In Grades 1-2 students experience music in a general music environment. Through the use of singing, dancing and playing games and instruments, students learn to enjoy music while gaining an understanding of how the basic concepts of music function. They begin to read, create and experience new and exciting ways to express themselves through music.
- In Grade 3 students move from a general music setting to one which incudes a focus on the recorder and all of the requirements needed to perform on an instrument.
- From Grade 4, and into Grade 5, students can select from three specialized ensembles: band, strings and choral where they chose to learn either a band or orchestral string instrument or continue in the broad music program that focuses on voice as a performance instrument.
- Lower School music ensembles and classes perform at least twice per year as part of the curricular program and serve to demonstrate growing musical knowledge, skills and confidence.
Further information on the Lower School music curriculum can be found in our curriculum section.
Middle School
- In Grade 6 all students study music for a minimum of one semester (band, choir or strings) or they can elect to study music for the whole year in the Middle School Band or String Ensemble.
- In Grades 7 and 8 students can choose year long electives in Band or String Ensemble or a semester course in Choir.
- There are a number of performances throughout the year including the Winter and Spring Arts Festivals as well as special projects like "Bands Together".
- Students who enrol in a music performance course (band, choir or strings) have the opportunity to audition for the AMIS (Association for Music in International Schools) Middle School Honor Band, Orchestra or Choir.
Further information on the Middle School music curriculum can be found in our curriculum section.
Upper School
- In Grades 9-12 students have the option to choose courses in Concert Band, String Orchestra or Concert Choir.
- Concert Band and String Orchestra is for experienced woodwind, brass, percussion and string instrument players with the primary goal to create and experience music in a group, while understanding the role and responsibilities of the individual. There are several public performances each year.
- Advanced members of these music groups may have the opportunity to prepare an audition for the AMIS (Association of Music in International Schools) International Honor Band Festival or International Honor Orchestra Festival.
- Concert Choir is a performance-based course. Students work on proper vocal technique, tone and good intonation. Singers are challenged to learn and perform a wide variety of vocal and choral music from classical, pop, jazz, tradtional and world music. Students participate in several concerts throughout the year and maybe eligible to audition for the International Choir Festival.
- Students participating in Choir, Band or Strings may be considered for IB Music or AP Music Theory.
Further information on the Upper School music curriculum can be found in our curriculum section.
Drama
Performance can help build your child’s confidence and creativity. We help them find their spark, and take to the stage in many annual shows and events.
Middle School
Drama is offered as an elective course in Grade 6-8 and students study choral speech, creative movement, mask and musical theater. Student work is showcased at our Winter and Spring Arts festival.
Dance is also an elective option in Grade 8.
In addition students can participate in the annual Middle School musical which is a tremendous event in full costume performed to the ZIS Community. The shows are always a highlight of the school year and students perform to a sell-out audience over 4 performances in a week.
Past performances include:
- Elf Junior
- Alice in Wonderland Junior
- Beauty and the Beast
- Shrek
- The Little Mermaid
Explore Middle School Curriculum
Upper School
Upper School students have the option to study a variety of creative arts courses in drama and theatre:
- In Grade 9 students can study Essential Theater
- In Grade 10 students have the option to study Essential Theater or Acting and Directing
- In Grades 11-12 students have the option to study either ZIS courses or IB Diploma courses and can choose from IB Theater and Arts SL or HL, Essential Theater, Acting and Directing or Actor's Workshop.
There are performances during throughout the school year at the Winter and Spring Arts Festival as well as an annual Upper School Play or Upper School Musical which is performed to the ZIS Community and is a highlight of the school year:
Past performances include:
- The Theory of Relativity
- Grease
- The 39 Steps
- Anything Goes
- Arabian Nights
- Alice in Wonderland
Explore Upper School Curriculum