Fine Arts

Fine Arts

PHILOSOPHY
Music, drama and visual arts provide students with opportunities to discover themselves. The fine arts program adds dimension to a student’s experience by encouraging them to become acquainted with their inner thoughts and feelings and to express their uniqueness through a wide variety of media. Individual style and self-expression are at the heart of the fine arts program.

Students develop self-confidence, spontaneity, and self-awareness through individual and cooperative activities. Success in the fine arts is measured not only through product or performance, but on-going dedication and perseverance.

The fine arts are reflections of the world. Through artistic endeavors, students are able to explore social issues and gain an understanding of time, cultures and societies. Students learn to rely on themselves as individuals and establish the social relationships necessary to work in harmony with others.

The fine arts are languages through which students develop intuition, reasoning skills and intellectual process while expanding their creativity and imagination. A broad exposure to music, drama and visual art is crucial in preparing students to perceive, interpret, understand, evaluate and contribute to the world in which we live.

MUSIC

ESSENTIAL AGREEMENTS - Music

To develop literacy and fluency in reading and creating music.
To listen actively and respond thoughtfully.
To understand the ever-changing roles within a group.
To cultivate the inner voice through improvisation.
To explore individual expression and self-discovery.
To appreciate the infinite varieties of music.

STANDARDS – Music

Students sing alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Students perform on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Students improvise melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
Students compose and arrange music within specified guidelines.
Students read and notate music.
Students know and apply appropriate criteria to music and music performances.
Students understand the relationship between music and history and culture.

702 BAND III
Students who have already completed one year of Band, or who play at a comparable level, are eligible for Band III. Students will play up to grade level 1.0-2.5 band literature. Six major and minor scales and arpeggios, level 1 rhythm, basic ear training, and limited improvisation will be studied. Requirements include regular practice at home, participation in daytime and evening performances, and attendance at all school music recitals.

709 BAND IV
Students who have already completed two years of Band, or who play at a comparable level, are eligible for Band IV. Students will play up to grade level 2.0-3.0 band literature. Students will be exposed to all twelve major and minor scales and arpeggios, level 2 rhythm, pitches 1 through 5 ear training, and up to Blues in improvisation. Requirements include regular practice at home, participation in daytime and evening performances, and attendance at all school music recitals.

703 INTERMEDIATE BAND
Students who play a band instrument at an appropriate level are eligible for Intermediate Band. This course includes the study and presentation of all twelve major and minor scales and arpeggios, introduction to the modes, level 3 rhythm, 1 through 8 ear training, and up to standards in improvisation. Students will play up to grade level 2.5-4.0 band literature. Students will be exposed to more involved techniques of improvisation. Requirements include regular practice at home and participation in all applicable daytime and evening performances. Participation in school music recitals is strongly encouraged and attendance is required.

705 ADVANCED BAND
Students must successfully audition for Advanced Band. The course includes all twelve major and minor scales and arpeggios, introduction to the modes and altered scales, level 4 rhythm, 1 through 8and chromatics ear training, and up to basic be-bop improvisation. The main goal of this group is application and emphasis on performance. Students will be exposed to advanced levels of improvisation and will create their own arrangements. Requirements include regular practice at home, special projects, and participation in all performances. Every Advanced Band member is required to participate in at least one school music recital each year.

706 MUSIC FUNDAMENTALS AND ACOUSTIC GUITAR
Offered on a rotating yearly basis with Music Theory
Music Fundamentals includes the study of notes, rests, chords, scales, melody, harmony, sight-singing, dictation, basic piano/guitar skills, arranging, composition and exposure to technology. A textbook will be used and writing assignments will be part of the course. Students must own their own guitar.
Pre-requisite: permission of the Music Department.

707 MUSIC THEORY
Offered on a rotating yearly basis with Music Fundamentals and Acoustic Guitar
Music Theory is the academic pursuit of music including the study of notes, chords, scales, melody, harmony, chord progressions, song forms and their relationships. The course includes textbook study, sight-singing, melodic and harmonic dictation, and basic piano skills. This course is offered every other year in conjunction with 706 Music Fundamentals.
Pre-requisite: permission of the Music Department.

709 CHOIR
Students will learn to sing in unison and harmony by reading music and by rote memorization. Attention to timbre and voice will be a focus of the class. Styles of literature that will be sung include world folk music, popular styles, Brazilian, classical, a capella and traditional choir music. Choir members are required to participate in all daytime and evening performances and at least one recital each year.

704 PANTHER BAND
This is a one-half credit course and meets half the time of a regular course. It is being offered to students with scheduling problems who cannot fit a full class into their schedule but want to continue playing in the band. Students must be at the Intermediate Band Level or higher. Expectations of the course include regular practice at home and participation in daytime and evening performances. All Panther Band members are expected to participate in the music recital each year.

ART

The high school art program provides students the opportunity to discover themselves in the visual arts field. In the midst of core subjects centered on the acquisition of knowledge and problem solving skills, the arts program adds an additional dimension by encouraging students to become acquainted with their inner thoughts and feelings and express their uniqueness through a wide variety of media.

Essential Agreements – Visual Arts

To expose students to a variety of materials, tools and techniques that provides possibilities for expression.
To produce meaningful works of art.
To expand creativity through the exploration of activities that are open-ended, varied and require problem-solving skills.
To encourage interest in universal themes and foster a greater understanding of the world around them.

Standards - Visual Arts

li>Students understand elements and principles of art.
Students know how to use art materials and resources.
Students understand the characteristics and value of one’s own artwork and the artwork of others.
Students understand the visual arts in relation to history and other cultures.
Students develop an attitude of discovery.

720 BASIC CERAMICS (9th to 12th – semester course)
This course is designed to give students a basic introduction to hand techniques in ceramics as well as to stimulate the development of individual expression. It is offered as an elective course in the Upper School Fine Arts Department for .5 credit. The understanding of the use of specific tools as well as class skills is fundamental for the students to be able to succeed in ceramics. The two basic techniques taught in this course are slab and coil. They are both hand techniques and present multiple possibilities when combined. After learning these techniques, students are required to research ceramics books on different styles to produce their own series of works.

722 BASIC DRAWING AND PAINTING (9th to 12th – semester course)
This course is designed to introduce students to basic skills in drawing and painting as well as to help the development of individual expression. It is offered as an elective course in the Upper School Fine Arts Department for .5 credit. Students work on focusing perspective and light and dark through observation exercises in the first part of the course. They also use pencil and charcoal as pre-experience for color. Acrylic paint is then used to shift into the painting experience. Besides applying these elements of art, we analyze and discuss the Modernist painters and how they employ these elements.

724 BASIC PHOTOGRAPHY (9th to 12th – semester course)
This course is designed to give students a basic introduction to black and white photography as well as to help in the development of individual expression. It is offered as an elective course in the Upper School Fine Arts Department for .5 credit. The course is based on different exercises using films that enable students to experiment with different light sources such as daylight and artificial light. We will analyze different types of cameras, lenses and films, as well as exposure balance, filters and the use of a tripod for long exposures. Students will learn darkroom techniques that include film processing and printing techniques. As part of the course, we will research some of the main European, American and Brazilian photographers of this century.
The school will provide a completely outfitted darkroom and students must provide their own 35mm camera, film and paper for enlargements.

753 IB ART HIGHER LEVEL (11th and 12th graders – minimum of two-year course)
These courses follow the International Baccalaureate art program and consist of providing students with the opportunity to further develop their aesthetic, imaginative, and creative potential. The course structures for Advanced Art, IB HL and SL are the same: an individual approach toward the arts. Ceramics, photography, graphics, drawing and painting are the techniques available. The IB program requires studio work and a research workbook development for both levels.
Studio Work provides the opportunity for structured learning as well as personal research of a more experimental nature. Students are expected to spend at least three hours on their studio work each week. The purpose of the Research workbook is to encourage artistic reflection and critical research. A “journal” containing both visual and verbal information is required as a highly personal record of each student’s research and appreciation of the history of art. This is to be related to each student’s studio work development.
Prerequisites: One basic upper school art class and teacher recommendation.

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