An independent day school serving grades PK-12 | St. Paul, MN

Arts

Upper School studio art class

Upper School ceramics class

2025 Upper School Spring Musical: Hadestown

The arts are an essential piece of the Upper School curriculum and community life. Students are required to take at least three semesters in the arts, choosing from a robust selection of electives in the visual arts, music, and theater. Student artwork is showcased in the Harry M. Drake Gallery, and the Upper School's two concerts and three theatrical productions are highly-anticipated community events, all of which take place in the Huss Center for Performing Arts, the school's state-of-the-art, 650-seat auditorium.
 
Music

Upper School music courses are ensemble-based and include two orchestral ensembles, two choral ensembles, a jazz ensemble, and the Honors Music Seminar. All ensembles perform in two concerts every year, and the extracurricular a cappella singing group also performs at school events. Private music lessons are also available through the school, with instructors who specialize in teaching high school students.

Visual Arts

Visual arts coursework is offered in ceramics, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, and the video arts. Advanced Art Workshops enable students to deepen their skills through independent projects and create a small body of work for presentation or exhibition in the Harry M. Drake Gallery.

Theater

Topic-based theater courses focus on Theatrical Arts, Acting, Design, Directing, and Production. Three audition-based theatrical performances each year include the Fall Play, the Winter One-Acts, and the Spring Musical. 

2025-26 Upper School Arts Calendar

We look forward to welcoming live performances back to the Upper School! Please note that all dates and performances below are subject to change.

For a full list of performances and art events, click here!

November 14-15, 2025: Upper School Fall Play: The Dining Room
December 5-6, 2025: Pops Concert
January 30, 2026: Upper School Winter One-Acts
April 15, 2026: Middle/Upper School Jazz Band Cabaret
April 25, 2026: Vocal/Orchestral Spring Concert & Community Chorale
May 15-17, 2026: Upper School Spring Musical: The Music Man

HARRY M. DRAKE GALLERY Exhibition Schedule

September 2025: Alumni/ae Exhibition
October-November 2025: Regional Artist Exhibit - Focus on Ceramics and Community
November-December 2025: US Advanced Workshops 
December 2025: Holiday SPA Community Art Market
January-February 2026:  K-12 Visual Arts Faculty Exhibition
February-March 2026: Regional Artist Exhibition - Focus on Local High School Student Artwork
April 2026: Grade 12 Advanced Workshop Final Exhibition 
May 2026: Grade 11 Advanced Workshop Final Exhibition 

2025 US Spring Musical: Hadestown

2025 Middle and Upper School Spring Jazz Band Cabaret

2024 Upper School Pops Concert

2025 Upper School Winter One-Acts

2024 Upper School Fall Play: Our Town