Fine and Performing Arts

It is an introduction to Midi sequencing and Audio Recording. This is a hands-on class designed to give the student a thorough understanding of digital music and midi interface. This course will introduce the concepts of creating digital audio and midi sequencing through the use of software applications. Students will also learn mixing, EQ methodology and mastering as well as production and engineering tactics. The end of the term will culminate in a finished recording designed entirely by the student.

This class will develop beginning guitar and ensemble techniques through daily practice and rehearsal. In addition to ensemble skills, students will develop the notational and theoretical concepts of music essential to performing within a group. Reading standard musical notation will be essential to cover this material; however, no prior reading experience is required.

This course is for the aspiring pianist, from beginners to advanced players. Students will delve into the foundational elements of piano playing, focusing on essential skills such as music literacy, basic notation, rhythms, time signatures, and intervals. Whether you're starting from scratch or seeking to refine your technique, this course offers a supportive environment where each student can progress at their own pace. Beyond mastering the fundamentals, piano will encourage students to take their playing to new heights through an individualized program of study.

This course is open to all interested students in the upper school who enjoy group singing. Rehearsals focus on developing vocal technique, musical literacy, and the styles and principles of presentation. Chorus pulls its repertoire from rock, jazz, classical, pop, theater, television, and movies. Members will learn to improve their vocal singing with an emphasis on good technique, ear training, sight-singing, theory, and rehearsal methods while strengthening their ability to listen and harmonize clearly.

This course begins with basic acting methods. Students select a monologue, analyze the script for themes, and develop an understanding of and empathy for their character. Once familiar with their scripts, students begin memorizing and presenting their monologues to the class for direction and feedback. In the winter, the course explores various physical performance techniques. Students create, implement, and perform physically expressive characters and scenarios, focusing on spatial awareness and body control. The course also examines the use of fight and violence in theatrical contexts. In the spring, students study the development of theater, dramatic literature, and major theatrical movements and styles, from the ancient world to the present. This includes a survey of Western theater, starting with the ancient Greeks, continuing through the development of English-language theater, and concluding with contemporary American theater. Non-Western traditions, such as Islamic and East Asian theater, are also explored.

In the fall, students learn to analyze scripts for theatrical design. They develop skills to dissect and interpret scripts, focusing on production elements such as staging, design, and audience impact, so by the end of the term, students are able to critically analyze scripts and apply their insights to bring them to life on stage. The course also provides an overview of theater buildings and spaces. Students select a specific structure and script, then develop a storyboard/moodboard. In the spring, students explore the essential role of costumes in storytelling. They learn the creative and technical processes behind designing costumes that reflect characters, time periods, and themes. Topics include fabric selection, pattern drafting, garment construction, historical costume influences, and modern design trends. Students engage in hands-on projects and focus on research, artistic expression, and ensuring the comfort and movement of actors within the design.

This yearlong course introduces students to a diverse range of traditional and digital painting/drawing techniques, including gouache, watercolor, acrylic, pour painting, printmaking, and digital illustration using iPads. Emphasizing color theory, composition, and technique, students will explore visual storytelling, & typographical design. Through hands-on projects, software skill development, and critical analysis, students will cultivate creative growth, refine their artistic voice, and build a strong foundation in both traditional and digital media. Strong emphasis is placed on planning, sketching, color theory and critique.

The course introduces the basics of fashion design and clothing production. In the fall, students learn about the fashion design process, from research and figure sketching to alterations and garment construction. They explore design thinking and problem-solving strategies as they experiment with form, material, and shape through projects such as upcycled fashion, recycled fashion, and pattern construction. In the winter, students continue their work in fashion design, with the opportunity to learn jewelry fabrication basics. In the spring, students explore textile design, including both the creative and technical aspects of fabric design. They experiment with techniques such as knitting, crochet, weaving, and needle felting. The course also focuses on sustainability and innovation in textile design, encouraging students to critically examine environmental impact.

Students will be able to demonstrate mastery in camera settings and compositional rules to produce their own desired photographic results. Students will be able to use film cameras to expose and develop black and white film. Students will learn mastery of using the darkroom to enlarge and develop black and white prints.

Students will be able to demonstrate their own total understanding and abilities in each camera technique and composition rule to produce their own desired digital photographic results. Students will be able to demonstrate their own abilities and understanding of digital software such as Photoshop to further enhance their photos to achieve greater results.

Students will have the skills necessary to conceptualize an object in three dimensions and build that model. Students will understand how to 3D print that model and how to use 3D software to engineer a product and 3D print a prototype. Students will then learn how to conceptualize a 3D environment and an animation. Then, they will be able to model the shapes in 3D, create the animation in 3D, and render that animation to produce a short animated segment or a short video.

Students will learn the skills necessary to create digital art from scratch in Photoshop. Students will learn the basics and good practices in design to conceptualize a visual idea and be able to use Photoshop to create that image. Students will then learn how to use Photoshop to make visual edits to existing images. Editing photography or making additions to a scan of physical work brought into the program. Students will then learn how that final art can be presented as digital work in a computer presentation or as printed work.