Choir
Choral students regularly sing at masses and assemblies, make special appearances at nursing homes and elementary schools and present their annual Villa Walsh Christmas, Spring and Collage Concerts.
The beloved Christmas Concert and Nativity Tableau is open to Villa Walsh Academy families and the surrounding communities. The concert features traditional and festive Christmas carols sung by the Middle School and High School choirs as well as our auditioned Cantiamo group. The Christmas Concert ends with a moving processional and retelling of the story of the birth of Christ.
The Spring Concert is an opportunity for members of all three choirs to showcase their personal musicianship, vocal skills, and sense for working together as an ensemble through classic and modern music. Whole choir, small group, duet and solo performances enable the girls to shine as they perform for peers, parents, faculty and the general public.
Collage is a unique artistic experience, featuring a variety of student performances. Inspired by the University of Michigan orchestra conductor Gustav Meier, a Collage concert draws the audience into an artistic experience in which a progression of short pieces from different performers occur back to back, creating an atmosphere of suspense and excitement!
All students are invited to showcase their talents at Collage. This concert includes forensic, instrumental, vocal and dance performances all set to the backdrop of a surrounding Visual Arts display.
The Spring Musical
Villa Walsh Academy’s annual musical productions showcase the incredible artistic talents of the students. Each year a full-length Broadway play is chosen for our stage. All students grades 7 - 12 are invited to audition. Cast members are taught for twelve weeks by professionally trained directors, musical directors and choreographers. Students who love the technical aspect of theater are encouraged to join the Stage Crew and learn lighting, sound, building or costume design for the production. The Spring Musical is also an opportunity for the girls to give back to the area with special performances for local elementary schools and elderly groups.
Seussical the Musical
The Sound of Music
Dance Ensemble
The Villa Walsh Dance Ensemble class explores the art of dance in all aspects, from physical strengthening to artistics expression and performance. Students explore several genres of dance throughout the year as well as dance history. The Ensemble performs numerous times per year at school events, such as the Fall Festival and Fashion Show, outreach assemblies, and the Collage Concert. Students who are a part of the Ensemble for more than one year are also given the opportunity to choreograph their own piece.
Forensics
Villa Walsh Academy's High School and Middle School Forensic teams empower our young women to develop into confident, poised, and articulate leaders through the art of public speaking. It is a competitive academic activity where students learn the power of presence and presentation to delight and sometimes even persuade an audience. Forensics competitors hone these skills with regular coaching and then pair the art of performance with the thrill of competition in specific events like Oral Interpretation of Literature, Extemporaneous Speaking, Duo performance work, and/or Drama performances. Some students even choose to draft their own works in a special category called Original Oratory. Our teams participate in local, state, and national competitions throughout the year and are invited to perform at the Spring Collage Concert and the year end Forensics Fest dinner-theater celebration.
The Performing Arts Club aims to enhance students’ appreciation of music, dance, and theater by exploring all aspects of these art forms in a comfortable and nurturing environment. In addition to building a community that supports Villa Walsh Academy’s own productions, the Performing Arts Club also explores what makes a professional production successful. Meetings in the fall semester also help train for audition preparation, dance, acting improvisation and cold reading. In addition, members are encouraged to either help the moderators create workshops or brainstorm ideas for the needs of the current club. Past meetings’ agendas have ranged from a song writer explaining her process to current students sharing their knowledge of dance and acting. All Villa students grades 7-12 are welcome to attend.
