Embracing an extensive, rewarding array of music and drama programmes.
Music builds bridges within our international community – between students, between cultures, between languages, between home and school, and between individual needs and group goals.
At BBIS, we help build these bridges by teaching music from the earliest years right through to Grade 12, within the framework of our IB programmes. Our well-equipped music classrooms have a wide range of instruments, a music technology lab, private practice rooms, and several performance spaces.
In Primary School, students experience the sheer joy of making music together. They are introduced to an extensive range of musical skills, cultures, contexts and composition strategies; and are given many performance opportunities, both in terms of planning and performing, from an early age. They perform in concerts, musicals, operas, assemblies and matinee recitals.
In Middle School, students continue with group music-making and performing, exploring how music helps people communicate with each other and the world. They build up a broad musical repertoire by learning part-songs and canons from different cultures and time periods. They also develop their aural perception, analysis, musical literacy and composing skills while studying the contexts of music history and the structures of music theory.
From Grade 9 on, music is an elective. At this stage, students acquire, develop and enhance their composition and performance skills in readiness for the IB Diploma Music programme.
In the IB Diploma Programme, Music is an exciting course that enables students to reach their full potential as young performers and composers. The course hones their analytical skills; and gives them the opportunity to experiment with various composition programmes.
Our music teachers encourage students to find their own voice through original compositions and performances; to listen to a wide variety of music critically; and to attend live performances whenever possible.
Our students can further develop their musical talents by taking private instrumental music lessons. These lessons are available from pre-school to Grade 12, and they are also available to parents and staff. Lessons are provided in English by experienced musicians.
Instruments: piano, voice, electric and acoustic guitar, electric bass, drums and percussion, saxophone, violin, viola and cello.
BBIS is the founder and host of the Berlin International Music Project (BIMP). Together with other Berlin international schools, our students take part in an annual concert of ensembles including choirs, orchestras and jazz bands.
Since 2010, BIMP is held annually over one music-making weekend, with a quality gala concert at the end. We welcome local schools from the Berlin Brandenburg area, and international groups from the US, Hungary, Slovakia, England, France and Madagascar.
Students with a theatrical bent have every opportunity to shine at BBIS. Within Drama, we help our students realise both academic and artistic potential – while fostering a lifelong love and participation in the theatrical arts.
The Drama Department produces a number of quality theatre productions throughout the year. Students not only gain confidence in performing, but they learn invaluable life lessons about hard work, integrity, personal responsibility, and respect for self and others. We encourage as many students as possible to join these productions – whether on- or off-stage – as we believe all students deserve an opportunity to grow by exploring and experimenting with theatre.
Our Drama programme is all about building confidence in oral expression, developing recreational performing talents, and honing those talents for those who want to pursue a career in performing arts. We aim to help students understand the nature of the theatre – and we do through both performance and theory. We show them how to use not just their minds, but their senses, bodies and emotions. We explore the diverse forms theatre takes in cultures other than their own to help them gain a better understanding of themselves, their society, and their world.
By engaging in theatre at BBIS, students will discover the value of the arts within society. Our goal is to foster lifelong learners, performers and patrons of the arts.