Our girls can express themselves creatively through fine arts.

We believe that girls at the Ann Richards School should have the opportunity to express themselves creatively. During the school year, our students can participate in these outlets:

Art

Art at the Ann Richards School takes science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects and integrates them into a visual arts class. The elements of art and the principles of design are the core lessons taught in art. Students utilize technologies such as 3D printing, AutoCAD, robotics, and computer programming to produce projects and test concepts based in STEM. Advanced Placement Studio Art offers accomplished art students the opportunity to develop their artistic voice through creating a portfolio that exemplifies Quality, Concentration, and Breadth.

To learn more about the Visual Arts program at ARS, visit us at facebook.com/AnnRichardsArt.

Band

The Ann Richards Bands include grades 6-12 and focus on developing our young, beginning musicians into well-rounded and refined artists. The Band offers courses for first-year Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, and Percussion students. Once a year of Beginning Band is completed, students advance to our ensembles, which include our Middle School Concert Band, High School Symphonic Band, and High School Wind Ensemble. High School students also participate in the award-winning Ann Richards Marching Stars; the only all-girl competitive Marching Band in the nation!

To learn more about the Band program at ARS, visit us at annrichardsband.com.

Choir

Beginning Choir is open to any interested sixth grade students; Intermediate Choir for seventh and eighth, Advanced Choir for seventh and eighth grade students with prior musical training and audition. In high school there are two divisions; Non-Varsity Chorale for any interested high school students, and Varsity Chorale students with prior musical training and audition. The ARS Choral Department hosts the annual Follies Show, a school-wide talent show where students and teachers are welcome and encouraged to participate, as well as Fall, Winter, and Pre-U.I.L. Spring Concerts.

Color Guard

The Color Guard program is open to all High School students, with plans to eventually include a Middle School club. In the Fall, the guard is the visual interpretation of the music in the Marching Band production. In the Spring semester, the Winter Guard performs as its own group and competes at local Winter Guard contests. Students in the Color Guard are enrolled in the Color Guard class, which teaches and trains performers in dance and equipment skills of all levels.

To learn more about the ARS Color Guard, visit us at annrichardsband.org.

Orchestra

Students who begin their studies in the sixth grade perform a concert in the spring. The seventh through twelfth grades assemble in large and small ensembles. Our goal in the upper level orchestras is to give as many opportunities as possible to perform throughout the Austin community as well as here at the Ann Richards School.

Theatre

Theatre is offered as an elective course for grades 6-12. Students in theatre engage in activities that increase self-awareness, build self-confidence, and enhance communication skills—all of which will benefit them in any career they choose to pursue. Middle school students learn about the origins of theatre, create and work with masks, improvise short scenes, work on voice and diction as well as creative and expressive movement, and how to analyze and portray a character. High school students review Shakespeare and Renaissance Theatre, elements of dramatic action, improvisation, monologues, play production, audition techniques, stagecraft, and acting for the camera. Theatre students have the opportunity to showcase their class work through AISD One-Act Play Festival, AISD All-City Drama Festival, and through participating in a fall production.

Dance

Dance students learn and expand their fundamentals of Ballet, Jazz, Social Dance, Contemporary Dance, and Dance Composition. Our Dancing Stars go in depth through studying dance history, develop kinesthetic awareness, proper body alignment, physical strength, flexibility, endurance, and care of the body while exploring expressive movement through basic and intermediate dance techniques. A formal Winter Dance Concert and Spring Dance Concert showcase the Dancing Stars work at the end of each semester.