St Martin's College cultural trips

Sixty-nine students from St Martin's College Junior VI to Form IV, accompanied by Kurt Cini, Andreana Spiteri and Anita Galea, recently followed an intensive four-day drama course at Mountview Academy, London.

Students had three two-hour sessions daily, where they followed various classes in voice and dance. During voice classes, students practised voice control, projection, accents, voice affecting character work, warm-up techniques and other related activities.

Another class focused on dance and allowed the students to learn a complete routine by the end of the programme.

Students were also exposed to the technical side of drama, where they learnt about the making of props. Sessions using trestle masks were also part of the programme. The students' favourite classes were certainly the acting classes, which aimed at drawing together some of the other performance areas that were explored throughout the week. The programme included master classes with Paul Clements, principal of Mountview Academy.

Apart from the four-day programme, the students visited the Natural History Museum, London Zoo and the Globe Theatre during the rest of their week's stay. A London by Night tour was organised where London's main places of interest were shown to the students.

Students also watched The Lion King, one of the West End's top-rated musical shows.

Tutors from Mountview Academy praised the St Martin's College students' behaviour, quick thinking, acting skills and self-discipline.

Art lovers' trip

A group of 16 students, accompanied by Bernie Mizzi, St Martin's College principal, Art teachers and Marica Portelli, who co-ordinated the trip, visited a number of art galleries and exhibitions in London.

London is a favourite destination with art lovers. Students attended guided tours conducted by gallery educators at the National Gallery and Tate Britain.

There they observed several masterpieces by great artists, including Turner and Van Gogh. The group also visited a unique temporary El Greco exhibition at the National Gallery.

At Tate Modern, the art teachers guided the students through some of the subject galleries, giving them a brief outline on the main works related to the Art syllabus at St Martin's College.

The days were divided into gallery visits, followed by sketching sessions in the afternoons at the Natural History Museum, the British Museum and Kew Gardens. The group visited the Globe Theatre, where they had a guided tour, followed by an enjoyable workshop on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the play the students are studying during English Literature lessons.

During their free time, the students went shopping at Oxford Street; watched Girl with a Pearl Earring, a film based on an episode in Vermeer's life; and even found the time to meet other students form St Martin's College who were in London on the Drama trip!

Next year it is "Paris here we come!" Mr Bezzina, Art co-ordinator, Mr Bonnici and Mr Borg, apart from organising the Art trip, also took the opportunity to further their professional development by visiting the galleries' special departments for Art teachers.

Air Malta sponsored two teachers' tickets, helping the school to ensure better supervision.