Fine arts
Our Catholic Classical curriculum is bolstered by a robust fine and performing arts program through our academic choral and string programs, our music conservatory, sacred art classes, and after school theater program.
“The singing of the Church comes ultimately out of love. It is the utter depth of love that produces the singing. “Cantare amantis est”, says St. Augustine, singing is a lover’s thing. In so saying, we come again to the trinitarian interpretation of Church music. The Holy Spirit is love, and it is he who produces the singing. He is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit who draws us into love for Christ and so leads to the Father.”
-Pope Benedict XVI, “The Spirit of the Liturgy”
SACRED MUSIC
Sacred Music is an integral core element of a Catholic Classical education. Music, as a discipline of mathematics and discipline of the quadrivium, was believed by the ancients to be a key to understanding the world around us. Through the study of music, we learn about the order and harmony of Creation, expressed in an audible form for human ears.
CHORAL PROGRAM
The music curriculum is a choral-based program, where all students participate as members of the choir at school Masses with their class, so that students are equipped and prepared to participate as members of the Mystical Body gathered in the Sacred Liturgy. Fostering and encouraging the use of an appropriate singing voice is a benefit to all students, whether they believe themselves to be musically gifted or not. The voice is the expression of the heart, and singing the fruit of the Holy Spirit at work within us. As our hearts our formed to know and hear God’s voice, our voices becomed attuned to the heavenly song, into which we strive to enter forever.
STRINGS PROGRAM
As a delightful introduction to music literacy, all students in second grade participate in class violin. Closely resembling the human voice, the violin offers a particular benefit to developing their ear for singing. Each student is assigned his or her own violin for the duration of the school year, and plays together three times per week.
SCHOLA MARIS STELLA
Under the patronage of Mary, Star of the SEA, the SEAS choir sings sacred music for Mass on Sundays and Holy Days throughout the year. This choir is open to students in 3rd grade and up who have reached a certain level of vocal training from their music classes. A training choir program for students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade is in development for the future.
MUSIC CONSERVATORY
As one of our many after-school activities, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School offers a Music Conservatory, where students are able to take piano, violin and other instrument lessons with professional teachers from around the Houston area. Inquire at the front office for more details.
SACRED ART
Encountering beauty in sacred art and learning the grammar of the visual artist is an important component to the Classical curriculum. Art is foundational to the study of history, as students learn the cultural history of governments, wars, leaders, nations and their own cultural history. The study of art forms a well-rounded child that is able then to reflect the creative genius of God.
THEATER
Our after-school theater program explores the dramatic performing arts from the rich treasury of the Western tradition. The ancient Greeks expressed in the dramatic arts their history, love of philosophy and literature. Theater teaches more than public speaking or acting: it fires the imagination and leads to wonder about God’s creation.
