Fine Arts

Theatrical performances are interwoven into everyday curriculum in the Lower School. Students use drama as a way to demonstrate an understanding of specific academic content, as well as become accustomed to speaking in front of an audience. When offered, students in grades 1–4 have the opportunity to take the stage in a Lower School musical production.

Students discover their own talents and abilities to communicate through dramatic arts. In 5th and 6th grade, students explore theatre and presentation techniques through rehearsed and spontaneous improvisation. They learn stage direction, vocal production, physical movement on stage, and character creation. In 7th grade, students focus on the technical elements of a production such as set, costume and lighting design. In 8th grade, students choose a play that they transform into a formal theatrical production. The 7th and 8th grade classes come together to perform for the ULS community.

All Upper School students participate in the fine arts, and theatre is one of the options they can choose. Students in grades 9 through 12 fine-tune their acting skills and focus more intensely on character development, genres and theatrical history. The Theatre Department produces two large-scale extracurricular productions each year — a dramatic play and a musical. 

At ULS, every child from age 2 through 4th grade participates in music class as a regular part of their education. Through singing, movement, and playful exploration of instruments, students build a strong musical foundation while developing rhythm, melody, and early music literacy. As students progress, they strengthen their understanding of rhythm and melody by singing and playing a wide range of instruments — from xylophones and maracas to hand chimes and ukuleles — building the skills needed to read and understand music notation.

Students perform in both a winter and spring concert each year, with the spring theme selected through a fun, student-driven voting process.

Students in grades 5–8 expand their musical skills and personal expression through singing and playing instruments. As they prepare for the winter and spring concerts, they build choral skills with a focus on sight-singing, music literacy, and active listening. 

Pine Rock Studios
As part of the leadership curriculum, Middle School students get the chance to join a band, choose a song, learn to play, and perform live for the School! We proudly call it Pine Rock Studios. Learn more about Pine Rock Studios in Middle School Academics.

The love of music continues into the Upper School, where curricular offerings include both auditioned and non-auditioned choirs, music theory, and music history and appreciation. Additionally, Upper School students may participate in various extracurricular ensembles, including a handbell ensemble. The music program is showcased twice a year at winter and spring concerts. Students also have the opportunity to shine on stage during the annual musical. 

The art curriculum in the Lower School encourages exploration across a wide variety of mediums and invites students to make connections between art, culture, and art history. While students are introduced to styles such as realism, abstraction, conceptual, free association, and non-objective art, equal emphasis is placed on the process of artmaking itself. Through a focus on process art and the development of studio habits, students learn to revise, persist through challenges, and manage materials thoughtfully. Student artwork is proudly displayed throughout the hallways as a celebration of their artistic growth and creative expression.

In Middle School, students move up to the spacious art studio in the Fine Arts building. This light-filled, airy space is the perfect setting for students to learn new techniques, consider different perspectives, and share their visions. The art curriculum focuses on students becoming critical thinkers and visual problem solvers. Students begin to see art as a tool of communication and self-expression.

Students in grades 9–12 have the opportunity to deepen their passion for visual arts through courses such as Studio Art, Drawing, Ceramics, Portfolio Art, Yearbook, and AP Art & Design. With an emphasis on in-depth exploration, self-expression, and technical growth, students are encouraged to develop their unique artistic voice. The fully equipped Fine Arts studio supports work across a range of mediums, including woodworking, ceramics, fiber arts, and digital art and design. Each year, their creativity is celebrated at Gallery Night, where students showcase and present their work to the entire community.