From Coastlines to Eisteddfods: A Marvelous Month of May for Arts@DSG

If the month of May has taught us anything, it is that the creative spirit of St Mary’s DSG cannot be contained within a single classroom, city, or even province. From the lush hills of KwaZulu-Natal to the prestigious stages of Gauteng, our artists, actors, and choir singers have spent the past few weeks proving that when it comes to the arts, we don’t just participate…we SOAR!

Here is a look back at a whirlwind month of rhythm, resonance, and remarkable achievement.

We ended the holiday and kicked off the new term with The St Mary’s Singers coastal choir tour.

While most were enjoying the quiet final days of the April holidays, the St Mary’s Singers (SMS) were packing their bags for an unforgettable performance tour of KwaZulu-Natal from 30 April to 4 May.

It was a true off-the-bus and onto-the-stage marathon. The choir enchanted our sister school, St Mary’s Kloof, traded melodies with Kearsney College and Hilton College, and brought the house down with soaring, heartfelt melodies for the children of Thembelihle School. Beyond the formal concert halls, music acted as a universal bridge, forging deep national connections and proving that harmony knows no boundaries.

Of course, a tour to the coast requires a little coastal magic. When they were not busy commanding the stage, our singers were exploring the vibrant heritage of the Phezulu Cultural Village and dipping their toes into the sand and sea. It was, by all accounts, a definitive top-class opportunity of a lifetime.

Our Chapel Choir was next in line to launch things into full swing with harmonies from Heaven.

Closer to home, the Chapel Choir officially inaugurated our Term 2 arts calendar with a spectacular appearance at the prestigious Pretoria Eisteddfod. Presenting a deeply meaningful and diverse program of three religious works, their impeccable performance earned them a well-deserved gold A+ award.

The momentum only grew from there. On 8 May, the choir took to the stage at the Ngothando Festival at Prestige College, sharing the spotlight with Gauteng’s finest chapel choirs and the professional adult choral group, SONGOMA, led by the esteemed Mr. Ndlovu. Our choristers held the audience spellbound, the resounding applause for their renditions of Kirk Franklin’s Smile and Michael W. Smith’s Above All echoed long after the final notes faded. It was a performance that left hearts warmed, inspiration levels refreshed, and voices reaching squarely for the heavens.

Triumphs at the Pretoria Eisteddfod, Public Speaking Competition & National Championship of the Visual Arts:

The accolades for Arts@DSG continued to pour in throughout May across multiple disciplines:

Afrika Phenduka: Our vibrant ensemble delivered a slam-dunk in teamwork and rhythm at the Pretoria Eisteddfod. Their impressive beats and flawless harmonies completely charmed the adjudicators, securing an outstanding A++ and the coveted Item Winner title.

Visual Arts: Our visual artists took their talents to the national arena at the South African Championships of Visual Arts. Crafting and creating with immense drawing and painting skills, they walked away with a collection of 10 silver and 9 gold awards, beautifully embodying our school motto: When She Believes In Herself She Will Fly!

Public Speaking: Our silver-tongued speakers articulated their way straight to the top at the Pretoria Public Speaking Competition. Facing an intimidating contingent of speakers from across Gauteng, our girls brilliantly rose to the occasion. The Grade 10 group claimed an outright first place, and DSG also walked away with the prestigious title of Best Junior Speaker.

Debating: Salutations to our debaters who soldiered ahead over the weekends and deliberated all the way to play-offs. Making it to this level, requires a quick wit and sharp intellect. Your teamwork and perseverance are inspirational.

Drama & Instrumental Music: A resounding congratulations to all the individual actors and musicians who competed so successfully at the Pretoria Eisteddfod this month. Your dedication to your craft shines through in every performance.

From city to coast, from local eisteddfods to national platforms, Arts@DSG is rapidly expanding its footprint and firmly establishing itself as a creative powerhouse. May was a month of absolute triumph, but the cultural calendar is far from empty. With many performances still on the horizon, we wish all our Arts@DSG students the very best.

• Our Music Department is hard at work to present pristine performances at Friends In Concert, hosted this year by St Albans College.
• On 6 June, SMS will join the highly publicised Cantus Festival IV at the University of Pretoria.
• On the same day, our Senior School Orchestra will compete in the Pretoria Eisteddfod.
• Between the 4th and 19th of June, our speakers, readers and thespians will contend in the Pretoria Drama Eisteddfod as well as the Pierneef Festival, hosted at DSG.