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The power of performance

The power of performance

With the frost comes a reminder of the end of the Autumn Term; a time when the word ‘performance’ seems to regularly spring to mind. From the Cambridgeshire Schools’ King’s College Carol Service and our own Junior School Carol Service this week, to the Senior School Christmas Concert and the Sixth Form Revue next week – the final weeks of the Autumn Term are always eagerly awaited and full of exceptional entertainment.

But there is more to be said for performing than simply entertaining an audience. Our governor, Sister Frances Orchard, wrote in this term’s issue of Accolade:

"Mary Ward took on the challenge, encouraging girls to speak out in an era where their voices were seldom heard. She was convinced that girls and women needed to be able to speak out if they were to take their rightful place in society; that they had something important that only they could say. As a result, she encouraged the girls in her schools to learn languages, to be involved in drama, and to engage in debates."

Cheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, wrote the well-known book Lean In (which I recommend as a stocking filler for any of our older students), in which she says that, generally, women tend to stand back from the boardroom table, whereas men typically sit at the table and dominate the space. The book is a self-help manual about how women should lean in – but to do so, they need to find their voice.

It is with all of this in mind that performance remains an integral part of how we encourage our students to find their voices and to develop their confidence so that they can stand up for themselves, and indeed for others, at school and throughout their lives.

Of course, the road to performance doesn’t start on the day of the Christmas Concert or the opening night of the whole school production. We begin by asking the girls to engage in class, in essence, performing in front of their peers and teachers. As much as it is important to answer questions, it is even more important to ask them, and so the girls are encouraged to think creatively and deeply and read ahead of the class so that they arrive with questions prepared. There are plenty of other opportunities for the girls to become more confident speaking in front of others too, for instance by offering to take an assembly, or by joining in with debates, both of which give young people an excellent opportunity to practise formulating opinions – and the more they practise public speaking, the better they will become.

Performing is not something that is reserved only for our oldest students, either. I thoroughly enjoyed watching our youngest pupils perform their beautiful nativity play last week. Mrs Carol Kew, our Year 1 teacher and playwright extraordinaire, gives the Year 2 pupils the opportunity to decide what they would like to include in the play each year. In this year’s play, Home is a special kind of feeling, Mrs Kew incorporated requests for lots of solos (showing that the girls at the lower end of the school are already keen to develop their performance skills!), for 14 of the girls to play the parts of ‘important angels’, and to include ‘happy and sad moments’. The Year 2 pupils performed the main parts, with the Reception and Year 1 girls all having something to say and plenty to sing. All of the girls learnt and delivered their words fantastically – giving them all a positive introduction to the experience of performing. The process that Mrs Kew goes through, giving the girls an opportunity to consider the sort of story they would like to tell, is an excellent way to encourage them to reflect on what they want to say. Through the performance, the girls are also able to begin developing the confidence to deliver their message effectively.

Similarly, the Sixth Form Drama students’ assessed performance was created by the girls themselves to share the story that they had chosen to tell. Titled 3,802 miles, the girls devised the piece "to speak out, on behalf of the refugees, and show what their lives are like and the struggles they go through to find safety" – using the platform provided by theatre to make their voices heard. The girls researched the theme extensively and the performance provided insight into the type of circumstances and situations that refugees can find themselves in. Caitlin J.’s character, Sara, pleaded with the audience to understand that “anyone can be a refugee, it’s not something you choose, it’s something that happens to you…”, having lost her ‘good life’ and the people she loves. In the Q&A session after the performance the girls were keen to find out whether the audience had been moved, shocked, or inspired to act on behalf of refugees – and the response was a resounding ‘yes’ to all, testament to the power of performance.

Musical performances communicate and resonate with people too, and are sometimes deeply moving – whether the melody of a piece, the musician’s tone, the lyrics in a song, or a combination of all three. Performing musically develops the girls' confidence and provides yet another sort of platform from which people can communicate their messages – just think of the impact of Live Aid. As most of you will have read earlier this term, we were honoured to welcome Suzi Digby in to school to adjudicate our Young Pianist and Young Musician of the Year competitions. Suzi spoke about the power of performing musically to “elevate us above all worries and anxieties” and went on to explain, in line with Mary Ward’s conviction that each of us has something unique to say, that “every single performer gave something special and unique”. Having taught William Hague to play the piano, Suzi recalled him explaining to her that musical phrasing is very similar to public speaking: you ruin the whole phrase if you end it too loudly or abruptly. The accolade of Young Musician of the Year went to Sixth Form student Lily B. for her vocal performance of Love’s Philosophy. Suzi highlighted that singing has so much potential for expressiveness and hidden meaning, and praised Lily’s ability to interpret the text of the song – explaining that what separates a good singer from a great singer is one who is prepared to take the risk, and to decide how you want to communicate the text.

Providing students with opportunities to develop these skills in the safety and comfort of the classroom – whether debating in History or Politics lessons, interpreting contexts in the Art Centre, devising pieces in the Drama studio or practising musical pieces in lessons and clubs – grows their confidence to then enable them to perform publically. What’s more, it challenges them to develop a number of ‘soft skills’ (which I believe are erroneously named, as they are in fact very ‘hard’ to acquire), such as team work, leadership, independence, resilience, drive and determination.

Yet again we can see that those individuals who have these much sought after ‘soft skills’, as well as the distinct talent that is required for such performances, embark on life after school at a clear advantage compared to those who have no experience of performing, and no confidence in their abilities to inspire, inform or persuade their audience. So whatever the girls may want to go on to do beyond their time at school, it is important that they are able to confidently find their voice, and their place – in their family, in their school community and thereafter in university, employment and their local community.

I look forward to being entertained and no doubt inspired by the girls as they find their voices over this final week in festive performances, and I hope to see as many of you who are able to join us as we celebrate our girls and what they have decided to share with us all.