A catalyst for boundless creativity.
Arts
At MICDS, the arts are an integral component of the JK-12 curriculum. In fact, arts are considered a core subject where students have vast opportunities to study music, theatre, dance, and studio arts. Our Rams enjoy five perfomance venues and we have over 20 dedicated arts faculty including experts of national standing. Create with us!
In the spring, all current and newly enrolled MICDS families, faculty, staff, and alumni are invited to celebrate the Arts at MICDS Arts Fest. Amid a plethora of performances and activities suitable for all ages, guests come together to enjoy the afternoon in many wonderful and creative ways. Check out a glimpse of Arts Fest in the highlight reel below!
Opportunities in the Arts
Unleash your imagination.
Theatre Arts
From production to performance.
MICDS offers multiple avenues for students to explore theatre arts, both behind-the-scenes and in the spotlight. Performers are coached by our world-class faculty to feel as confident as solo artists as they do supporting an ensemble. Students learn technical theatre skills, including lighting, set, and sound design. The MICDS theatrical experience caters to all divisions of students of various interest and skill levels, offering age-appropriate challenges and inspiration to make our Rams lifelong patrons of the Arts.
Music
Discover your own beat.
From choir concerts and band performances to our orchestra productions, students of every division create musical melodies throughout the year. They perform, listen, rehearse, and work together while sharing harmonies at assemblies, competitions and everything in between.
In Lower School, students in Junior Kindergarten through fourth grade partake in our early childhood music program and are part of the Beasley Choir which offers Orff instruments, recorders, and ukuleles. An after-school strings program and private piano lessons are also available.
All students in Middle School take music with a choice of band, choir, and orchestra. These courses are supplemented further through a variety of exploratory classes provided in Winter Term (i.e. musical, ukelele, digital music, and build your own instruments).
The Upper School offers the opportunity to deeply develop artistry with a range of levels in band, choir, and orchestra. Every year, MICDS sends students to All-State who score very highly in the regional and state competitions. We also take our music ensembles to festivals.
Studio Arts
Express yourself.
A foray into the world of photography, ceramics, sculpture, digital design, drawing, and painting, MICDS is home to a vibrant Studio Arts program. As evidenced by the handcrafted masterpieces on display throughout the School, our commitment to the arts is palpable. Classes include photography, ceramics, painting, drawing, photography, architecture, digital art and design, sculpting, and more.
Performance
Orthwein Theatre
Orthwein Theatre is a 350-seat proscenium space with isolated booths for lights, projection, and sound as well as integral platforms for follow spots.
Performance
Price Theatre
Named after legendary actor and St. Louis Country Day School alumnus Vincent Price '29, Price Theatre is a flexible 35 by 40-foot black box theater that seats around 90 people.
Performance
Freeman Theatre
Middle and Lower School students enjoy the Freeman Theatre, a studio performance and classroom space that seats up to 135 people and features a computerized light board and sound system.
Performance
Mary Eliot Chapel
As part of our historic Danforth campus, Mary Eliot Chapel is a full theater that hosts concerts, assemblies, and talent shows. It includes a full backstage area with drama and musical rooms along with our newly-renovated band room.
Studio
Studio Spaces
Arts students create masterpieces in well-equipped art studios located throughout campus: Lower School students utilize their art space, Middle School students create in the Freeman Arts Building and Upper School Students use Bryant Arts Center.
Studio
Dance Studio
From cheers and jumps to stunts and dance routines, the Dance Studio is the perfect place to learn how to move and groove.
Rehearsal
Rehearsal Rooms
Rehearsals take place in the theater spaces, the occasional classrooms and in the Messing Gallery spaces.
Rehearsal
Messing Gallery
The Messing Gallery fosters an appreciation and understanding of contemporary art and its role in society for the students of MICDS and the public at large. The Gallery acquires, exhibits, and makes art from emerging and established artists accessible to a variety of audiences. MICDS hosts visiting artists and the exhibiting artists often work with our students across subjects and disciplines. The Gallery also displays student and faculty art.
Arts Boosters
We believe that art is for everyone.
Promote & Fundraise
Our Arts Boosters volunteers share updates on arts-related news and activities, as well as promote upcoming events and performances. They work diligently to help provide MICDS students with the best fine arts resources like instruments, supplies and new technology.
Events
Events throughout the year allow the MICDS community to celebrate our thriving arts programs and our students' unique talents and accomplishments.
Contact
Kelly Wright
Arts Boosters Chair
Contact information can be found on the Parent Portal
