Norwich High School for Girls marked one of the artistic highlights of the school calendar this half term as they took part in the Winter Arts Festival 2023.

Mr Owain Hall, Deputy Head Enrichment commented: “The Winter Arts Festival has given all of our Senior School and Sixth Form students the opportunity to express themselves through an amazing variety of creative endeavours. We all enjoyed an exciting array of performances, workshops and interactive sessions as well as our Company Music Day on Wednesday. Every student entered into the spirit of performing and supporting their Company entry and we all waited with baited breadth until Friday morning to hear the final results in Assembly – a big well done to all and especially to Britons as winners for their performance of The Little Mermaid.

“Additionally, one of our most eagerly anticipated annual events – Finale – returned to the Norwich Playhouse theatre as a fitting close to the week on Friday 3rd February.

“Staff have commented on what a pleasure it has been to congratulate girls on their different performances seen by us throughout the week, so enabling more of us to see the students shine in situations beyond our own classrooms. In particular, I would like to congratulate the Company Captains and Vice-Captains on their leadership and enthusiasm shown during the Company Music Day to motivate their Company members and bring so much fun, colour and laughter to the school day.”

Some of our Year 10 students enjoyed a trip to Cromer, working with North Norfolk contemporary landscape artist Sheila Robinson to explore landscape art. Sheila Robinson is based in Cromer Artspace where the workshop took place. The students commented:

“Our minds became focused on the environment we found ourselves in. A strong north easterly wind, with cold sea spray creating hazy scenes. Chaotic big waves and an extreme high tide. Shelia challenged us to brave the elements and to focus our attention on the individual feelings we were experiencing in this environment. We had to pick a stone from the beach which spoke to us. Our task was to respond visually working on large sheets of paper with charcoal, ink and chalk.”

“It was exciting that our drawings had different outcomes despite being immersed in the same environment. If any of the elements had been different, for example a calm sea and no wind, we would have responded differently. You really cannot beat being immersed in an environment and challenged to respond to it.”

Year 10 students

A small group of students who signed up at the beginning of term spent the day participating in a Dance Workshop. They worked on creating a piece to perform with the school choir in Finale.

Year 9 enjoyed an all-day Art and Textiles Workshop, working in small groups and being introduced to a variety of approaches to creative paper manipulation for fashion.

“We were given the brief of paper fashion. Paper fashion is when you create a garment out of sustainable materials. We had to create a garment in small groups on the theme of nature and climate change. After printing the paper, we experimented on the stands with different techniques including origami and folding. It was lots of fun working together in a group to complete the project in a day.“ Year 9 students.

Students in Year 7 produced artwork in response to music in their Mass Graphics Score Workshop, using abstract techniques to represent sound with colour, shape and texture.

For Company Music Day, each Company worked together to perform and produce a mini-musical encompassing singing, dancing, stage production and costume, all of which were created in just over four hours.

Year 10 and 11 took part in an Art Workshop with local textiles artist Jenny Ross-Nevin, experimenting with handmade tools and brushes. Jenny works predominantly with constructed textiles and one of her favourite techniques is to produce unusual brushes and writing tools out of natural and found materials. Students explored this technique by using improvised, handmade tools for drawing and pattern making.

“We produced a series of pattern making surfaces to incorporate into our textile projects. This was a really fun experience and a different way of approaching textile design.” Year 11 student.

This show-stopping event featured a variety of music, dance and theatre acts performed and created by our very talented performers. Extracts from the much-loved musical, Hairspray, a drama workshop Murder Mystery, our school Rock Band and contemporary dancers were just some of the highlights. Ava, Amelie and Lola also gave us a preview of their play ‘Attendants’ which they are taking to the Edinburgh Fringe.

We are proud that the programme illustrated the breadth of talent our pupils have and their incredible determination and hunger to tackle ambitious, creative projects. With around a quarter of the Senior School taking part from all year groups, there is no better showcase of collaborative team spirit proving how, once again, the Arts can bring people together.

Mrs Hannah Rea-Gardner, Head of Drama said: “I would like to express my thanks to our amazing Music and Drama Teachers, who put an enormous amount of work into creating the Finale performances, as well as the brilliant team at Norwich Playhouse who have been hugely accommodating. My thanks, as well, to the support of the students and parents in meeting the many challenges and making the most of the opportunities that the Winter Arts Festival has brought us.”