Curricular Music
Music plays an integral role in the life of all students in St. Raphaela’s both in curricular activities and co-curricular activities. The Music department at St. Raphaela’s is proud of its long and distinguished history in providing excellent opportunity for active engagement with music.
Curricular music is available to all students from first year through to sixth year. All students study music in first year, where they learn valuable skills in performing, active listening and musicality. They will then make their choices for Junior Cycle subjects thereafter. Fourth year students also practice performance throughout the year, culminating in the school musical. Class choirs are timetabled for all students in first, second, fourth and fifth year. Music is also offered as an option for Leaving Certificate Music.
Choirs
St. Raphaela’s has a proud choral tradition stretching back an impressive thirty-five years. While students have a timetabled choir class; the school also has an auditioned choir.
The special choir is made up of 40 or more students from first year to sixth year. It plays an integral role in the life of the school, enriching both religious and non – religious services. The choir has participated in festivals and competitions, both at home and abroad, to great success such as:
-
Derry Choral Festival
-
FeisCeoil Ireland
-
SligoChoral Festival
The choir takes part annually in the Emmanuel concert series in the Helix, Dublin and a ‘Carols by Candlelight Series’ as well as many other choral events.
In May of 2023, the school choir competed in the AIMS choral festival where they were awarded joint second place. They were commended for their impressively high standard of singing and as well their musicality.
Instrumental Ensembles and Orchestras
St. Raphaela’s music department endeavors to allow students every opportunity to perform either solo or in an ensemble. We currently have a small instrumental group which plays at a number of school events such as the Open Night, school prizegiving, Open Year Mass and the ‘Carols by Candlelight Series’. This ensemble provides instrumentalists a wonderful opportunity to play with other students.
Lunchtime Concert Series
This is a monthly concert series where all students are given the opportunity to perform for an audience of their peers and teachers. It has been a huge success demonstrate the huge musical talent that is in St. Raphaela's.
The School Musical
St Raphaela’s Secondary School prides itself on a long-established tradition with the Arts. Students are given the opportunity to develop their musical, oratorical, creative, sporting, and literary talents as part of their overall education. Music and drama make an important contribution to the cultural life of the school.
One of the highlights of Transition Year is the staging of the annual musical production, in conjunction with the boys from St. Benildus College. All students are provided with the opportunity to get involved with every aspect of the production from on-stage roles to backstage, set design, lighting and programme production. Recent productions have included Grease, All Shook Up, High School Musical and Back to the 80s. This year's musical will be Popstars - A 90s Musical.
