Arts.

The Music Department in St Louis is a thriving hub of activity and excitement. Students all take Music as a subject for First Year where they get the opportunity to learn guitar, ukulele and tin whistle in class, as well as studying music theory and developing their listening skills. The Junior Cert Course is made up of three strands; Listening, Composing and Performing, 50% of which is Listening, and 25% each for Practical and Composing. The Leaving Cert Course is made up of the same three elements, with 50% allocated to the Practical and 25% each for Listening and Composing.

Students can avail of individual music lessons available with private tutors, and instruments can be rented from the school to offer the opportunity to try out a new activity before committing to the purchase of costly equipment.

There is a school orchestra, a school choir, a traditional group and several chamber groups, made up of students from every year. They rehearse at lunchtime and after school and perform regularly at school events and in National competitions.

The faculty has national recognition of expertise in both the subject association and in the SEC. Faculty members examine in both the practical and written elements of the Leaving Cert, to ensure the highest quality of teaching and learning for St Louis girls. 

The specification for Junior Cycle Visual Art focuses on the students’ practical and cognitive engagement with art. Students will be enabled to progressively improve their skills as an artist/ craftsperson/designer in a space that is safe for them to explore ideas and diverse processes both creatively and imaginatively. This can be achieved through the interconnected strands of the disciplines of art, craft and design. A student will experience learning in each of these three strands as they progress through their junior cycle.

The Leaving Cert Art Course has two elements – a practical one worth 67% and an Art History paper worth 33%. Students can also prepare a portfolio for application to Art College in consultation with their teacher.

The students regularly engage with many extra-curricular competitions including Junk Kouture, and Doodle for Google.

As part of Art in TY, the students gain invaluable experience of set design and create all the backdrops for the annual musical.