Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at Glasgow Cathedral
On the evening of Wednesday, 18th December, we were delighted to hold our Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at ...
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While academic excellence is at the core of Hutchesons’ history and ethos, we also place a heightened focus on nurturing our pupils creativity across the arts.
The vibrant Music department at Hutchesons’ combines the underlying principle of ‘Music for All’ with excellence in performance. Class music is taught through the practical idiom, giving a grounding in the basics of pitch, timbre, rhythm and structure and experience of a wide range of musical genres.
Pupils are encouraged to learn an instrument and an excellent level of additional professional tuition is available. Pupils have the opportunity to perform in choirs, orchestras, jazz, wind and chamber ensembles. This strategy of practical ability and strong academic push leads to consistently outstanding examination results.
Pupils transition to study music academically at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen Universities and Hutchesonian musicians regularly graduate from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music.
Digital technology is also embraced with many pupils choosing this direction for a future career in music.
The art department at Hutchie provides pupils with the resources and teaching expertise to enable each pupil to pursue their interests and nurture creativity. Pupils excel in the National Art, Design and Photography courses and there is an impressive record of progression to University Degree courses in Fine Art, Design, Architecture and Design.
The creative industries, for nearly a decade has been the fastest-growing part of the economy and the department recognises the importance of exposing pupils to careers options within this sector. More than ever before there is a demand for creative people with excellent communication skills, enquiring minds and innovative ideas.
There are strong links with the primary school with a subject specialist from Beaton Road delivering lessons to P7 pupils. Pupils in S1-S3 are encouraged to develop their observational drawing skills and are exposed to a ranges of new techniques and materials.
Collaboration is a key focus in the senior years and there are opportunities for learning to take place out with the formal timetable. S6 pupils are encouraged to attend Life Drawing at the Visual Arts Studio, based at the Tramway. The department runs workshops and talks with leading practitioners in the field of design, fine art and photography. As well as working closely with Glasgow Print Studio and Street level Photoworks pupils are encouraged to take part in national competitions and participate in lunchtime clubs.
The department prides itself on encouraging pupils to pursue their interests and work to their strengths, equipping them with transferrable skills and the capacity to create, invent and design. In the words of James Dyson, ‘the inventors of tomorrow have to be inspired today’.
The Annual Open Studios event showcases work currently being undertaken across SQA courses. 3D design, painting, photography, textiles, fashion, architectural modelling, jewellery are just some of the areas which are covered within the creative curriculum.
Drama plays a key role in the personal and social development of our pupils and offers a secure, creative environment in which to develop self-esteem and responsibility.
Through Drama, pupils gain confidence and refine communication skills, vital for strong interpersonal relationships with friends and family and to succeed in academia and in business. Drama courses are offered at every level at Secondary School, including National 5, Higher, Advanced Higher and National Certificate. There is a busy extra-curricular schedule and recent productions have included Kiss me, Kate!, Secondary Cause of Death, Private Lives, A View from the Bridge and South Pacific.
Our state of the art Drama studios were opened in 2012 by actor Richard Wilson. In 2015 pupils once again visited Los Angeles to attend the Stella Adler Acting School, work with Oscar-winning directors and experience Hollywood.
