The Chronicle 2022

VISUAL ART

Head of Department: Mrs Jenni Clinton-Parker Staff: Mrs Lieschen Harrison, Mr Elton Mlotshwa AWARDS Honours: Leo Baber Colours: Oliver Armstrong, Thomas Barnes Half Colours: Letlotlo Sekatle, Tristan Hoyle Other awards: Letlotlo Sekatle, Khabane Jonathan 022 has been a year of fresh starts. Mrs Lieschen Harrison joined us in January from Grace College and brought with her enthusiasm and a wonderful “Yes, and…” attitude. The work of all Blocks was showcased in numerous exhibitions in and outside of Michaelhouse, the Art School’s afternoons and even some evenings echoed with the sounds of welding, potting and general creativity, and we have had a second classroom built to accommodate a reshuffle of the E Block Creative Arts structure. It has been an exciting year. It has been a delight to finally showcase the work of our boys in physical form again after a two-year Covid-19 induced break. Two of our five 2021 A Block boys, Thomas Walters and Daniel Johnson, exhibited work in the Tatham Art Gallery’s Schreiner Gallery during the months of June and July as part of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands 2021 Matric Exhibition . The Schlesinger Theatre Foyer Gallery has held several exhibitions this year as well. The year began with an exhibition of the work of the 2019-2021 matrics which was later in the quarter replaced by an exhibition of E and D Block work. The Pentecost Quarter held an exhibition of photographers, Leo Baber, Oliver Armstrong and Thomas Barnes. The Michaelmas Quarter saw the holding of an exhibition of the Community Partnership Art Competition finalists which preceded the fifth annual Michaelhouse 2

Treverton Grade 10 and 11 exhibition which ran from 3 September to 10 October, and was opened by Claire Falconer, a creative from Nottingham Road, who spoke of the vital role the arts played during her family’s lockdown. The art year drew to a climax with the matric exhibition opening gala held in the Schlesinger Theatre foyer gallery on 13 October 2022. The exhibition was opened by Michaelhouse Old Boy and current intern, Michael Kimber, who matriculated in 2019 after being awarded the top practical mark in our Midlands schools cluster and went on to find a way of blending his love of Art and IT through his studies in the USA. He gave a moving speech about his journey and the role his faith in Jesus has played in helping him stand with integrity. The work of the A Block was commended for its authenticity, drawing skill and variety and the boys can be very proud of their effort. The Art School has been a busy place extramurally this year. We hosted a staff-development workshop mid-year as well as a workshop on working with pastels for our Community Partnership School teachers to aid their preparation for the roll-out of the annual art competition. The Art School has been a safe place for boys to relax and try new skills. Three boys learned how to weld, four boys joined us for extramural drawing lessons and two clay sculptors worked alongside our regular, highly talented, weekend oil painter, Henry Walters. Not only have the boys had more opportunity to play this year, but the staff and wider Michaelhouse community have as well. We held three evening adult art club Sip & Doodle sessions which were great fun and will continue in the new year. As the busyness of the Art School grows, so have our numbers and we are delighted that we have been afforded an extra junior classroom. This will allow for added D Block classes in 2023 with more manageable numbers per class. superb and novel performances. The 2022 A Block year has ended with dynamic performances in their practical examination. In October they performed their practical examination for a panel of external examiners. Due to Covid regulations the examination was recorded and sent to the examiners who marked them. The examination is usually a live performance with the examiner present. The examiners established that this was another group of versatile and skilled performers who were highly entertaining and they were in awe of the boys. The examination was also a highlight for the boys as their proud parents would not soon forget that spectacular evening in the theatre. The pieces which the boys worked faithfully on throughout the year were from a variety of genres, and that evening became an exploration of every human emotion possible. Letlotlo

DRAMATIC ARTS

Head of Department: Mrs Asha Royappen Staff: Mr William Le Cordeur

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his year began with the bar set very high as the matric results produced in 2021 were again outstanding. An incredible ten distinctions out of a class of 12 was certain to keep the pressure on for the A Block of 2022. This class also achieved nothing less than excellence for their final practical examination, and the practical examiners’ feedback was that the standard of performance in our school is excellent. There is never a dull moment in the Dramatic Arts Department. The passion and eagerness of the boys is infectious and gratifying, since it is the boys’ creative spirits that lead to the creation of

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