In the latest episode of the PrincipalED podcast, the spotlight shifts to the Senior & Middle School Theatre Lab for a deep dive into the transformative power of the Arts. Host Grace McCallum sits down with Arts Instructional Leader Angela David, Music Coordinator Adam Despinic and Visual Arts Coordinator Janeen Gilbert to discuss why the ‘A’ in STEAM is the essential ingredient for 21st-century innovation.

The conversation centres on a philosophy often heard in musical ensembles: “If you can’t hear the cellos, you’re playing too loud.” It is a lesson in "listening louder than you play"—a metaphor for the empathy, collaboration and self-awareness that Branksome Hall’s Arts programming seeks to instill in every student.

Listeners will also get an exclusive preview of Nocturne, the student-led, cross-disciplinary performance created in partnership with Toronto’s Red Sky Performance that will serve as the inaugural event to open Branksome’s new iCAST building.

The episode concludes with a spotlight on Grade 12 student Carina, the winner of the PrincipalED theme song competition. Carina shares the creative journey behind her piece and how she captured the ’Branksome feeling.’

Listeners can follow along on Instagram at @principalEDpod for behind-the-scenes updates and exclusive content. The PrincipalED podcast is available for streaming on Apple and Spotify, where the official podcast music playlist is also available.

Branksome Hall’s YouTube channel features a full video version of this discussion, which can be viewed here.