The Performing Arts Program at Westbury Friends School unites music, drama, and dance through thematic approaches. Most important is the process by which students practice creative expression singly or together. Musical and theatrical activities culminate in public performances at all ages, during such times as special assemblies, the Holiday Show, Spring Concert, and Moving Up Day.

Creative expression through voice, instrument, and body rhythms begins with the child's first encounter with the school through imaginative play,, group singing, and experimenting with percussion instruments (often invented by hands and feet). Using the body as an expressive instrument is the principal goal of early childhood. Students experience a variety of musical expression: seasonal songs, kinds of instruments and how they sound, recognizing and demonstrating the rudiments of pitch, rhythm, and patterns.

The Primary grades work with small percussion instruments, compose repetitive designs, and practice group movement to music that includes accompaniment of dancing, echoes, clap and voice patterning. They are introduced to popular children's songs which they learn, and to music composed by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. They perform short musical plays and create songs that tell a story, illustrated by their own pictures.

In the Intermediate grades the students graduate to singing solos, duets, trios and quartets with instruction in rounds, verses, repeat signs, and musical terms. They develop their own ideas and musical thoughts based upon classroom units and themes. Third grade students begin learning the recorder. Theory and care of the instruments are taught prior to playing the instrument.

By the Upper grades, children engage in musical performances that include multicultural music and dances, including folk, jazz, rock, and opera. Using their knowledge of musical notation and patterns, they perform their own compositions vocally and instrumentally, in both solo and ensemble presentations. In listening to instrumental arrangements, they create words to the songs, identify instruments used in the selections, and begin to discuss and illustrate music by famous composers. In addition, grades 5 and 6 work diligently in musical drama class. They present a play at the end of the school year which showcases acting techniques and terms as well as musical styles.

• Kindergarten
• Primary
• Intermediate
• Upper
• Special subjects