Creative Journeys: The Sibarium Family’s Art Journey

The continued emphasis on expression, connection, and skills mastery within the arts at ISZL has helped each student nurture the passion they recognise in themselves today. While students at the end of their school journey benefit from hindsight as they reflect on where their love of the arts began, their artistic growth consistently points to three key influences

• The high-quality facilities and opportunities at ISZL
• The breadth and depth of exposure they experienced
• The dedicated guidance and encouragement from their teachers

The Kraus, Rohan, and Sibarium families reflect on the unique elements that shaped their children’s creative journeys — building confidence, encouraging risk-taking, and encouraging a strong sense of personal agency.

By Monica Sibarium, ISZL Parent

Darius and Mikayla Sibarium have participated in the ISZL arts programmes for over a decade and have attended the school since moving to Switzerland from the Netherlands in August 2007. Fast forward nearly 12 years, and both are approaching graduations in consecutive years, Darius in June 2019 and Mikayla in June 2020.

Music and Performance

Shortly after arriving at ISZL, Darius and Mikayla became active in ISZL musical endeavours. Mandatory recorder lessons brought both kids into the wind ensembles at school, ensuring two consecutive years of [sometimes] melodic whistles throughout the Sibarium household.

These early interactions at the Primary and Middle Schools, coupled with an osmotic love of music received from their parents since birth (from Broadway to Beethoven and Puccini to Prince), led to deeper interests in the arts. In the case of Darius, he glided from recorder to guitar to saxophone at ISZL, while pursuing violin for seven years at the local Knonau Musikschule. Mikayla’s recorder experience led her to ballet, the flute, voice, theatre and the ISZL Choir.

The Choir and Jazz Band

By Grade 4, Mikayla moved from the Junior Choir to Mr David Smith’s ISZL Zug Campus Choir where she learned discipline and other skills that have survived to this day. Mikayla performed with Mr Smith’s Choir from Grades 4–8, performing in Vienna (incredible experience!) and a few years later in Venice. She travelled to Paris and Budapest representing ISZL in the Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS) Girls Choir concerts. Now she sings in the Jazz Band with teacher Mr Ole Wasner and the High School Choir with teacher Ms Marie Le Guen.

Theatre and Production

When Darius and Mikayla were in Grades 4 and 3 respectively, the new multi-purpose Baarburg Theatre opened on the Zug Campus. Mikayla performed her first solo at one of the ISZL Theatre’s opening night events in December 2010.

Several performances, art exhibitions and years later, the Sibariums moved to the Riverside campus for High School and continued to evolve in the Arts. Mikayla persisted with voice lessons, musicals and most recently, theatrical directing (she co-directed ISZL’s most recent production The Great Gatsby). Darius hung up the violin and bow (for the moment) and migrated into a different sector of the arts including photography, film production (including IB Film) and digital media. Because of his interest in media, Darius interned at the Storm King Art Center in New York where he produced video footage and images. He enjoys this work so much that he plans to study Computer Science and Design after graduating from ISZL.

Mikayla loves performing arts so much that she became a member of the English Theatre Group of Zug and had roles with them in The Sound of Music and Honk. She also took classes at Simply Theatre in Zürich and has done a series of summer courses in musical theatre, songwriting and acting in New York City. In Grade 8 (2016) Mikayla was Sandy in Grease and in Grade 10 (2018) she played Audrey in The Little Shop of Horrors.

Mikayla has enjoyed the opportunities she has been given at ISZL to direct and perform. She has also found being asked to sing at ‘gigs’ provided by the school, such as at the ISZL Gala and the International Women’s Club of Zug, particularly rewarding. Mikayla’s advice to other ISZL students is that:

“If you are truly passionate in the arts field, pursue it, even if it is just a hobby of yours. It takes a lot of courage to step up onto the stage, but it is important to embrace your talent and passion rather than hide it away. I sang a song about baking my freshman year in assembly, and I was a new face for everyone. Although my song choice was quite odd and I was extremely nervous, putting myself out there has given me opportunities to feature in other people’s music, act in films, perform in gigs, and help me embrace who I am. High School is only a phase in our long lives, so you have to have your slip-ups and embarrass yourself on stage; it only makes you stronger, and once you get back up there you will work even harder to do better.”

The Media Studio

Working for Youth Forum Switzerland, an annual event held to empower the future generation of leaders, Darius was able to utilise the new media studio at the Riverside campus. At first it was overwhelming for him, surrounded by all this state-of-the-art technology at his disposal; however, eventually, he was able to use the advanced technology. Furthermore, Darius is also part of the senior video team, routinely making use of the school’s media studio and audio-visual equipment.