Academy Newsletter December 2014

DECEMBER 2014

N E W S L E T T E R

SUNDANCE SHORTS A short film by Academy alum Jack Dunphy (‘11), has been selected to be shown at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival in Utah

SENIOR VISUAL ARTISTS RECEIVE YOUNGARTS RECOGNITION

Sabrina Wen (‘15) and Andres Salamanca (‘15) chosen to be part of an elite group of artists The National YoungArts Foundation awards artists ages 15-18 recognition for superior work in one of the following disciplines: cinematic arts, dance, design arts, jazz, music, photography, theater, visual arts, voice and writing.

photo courtesy of sundance.org

Each year filmmakers around the world submit pieces to be selected and shown at the Sundance Film Festival, one of the largest independent film festivals in the U.S. This year, over 8,000 films were reviewed for the Sundance 2015 Short Film program. One of only 60 films chosen from the submissions is Serenity, a short film directed by Academy alumnus Jack Dunphy (‘11).

Currently, Jack attends Eugene Lang College, The New School for Liberal Arts in New York City.

an “animated memoir” covering a variety of topics. The 2015 Sundance Film Festival is being held in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah January 22nd through February 1st.

Congratulations, Jack!

Click here to see the full press release at sundance.org.

According to sundance.org, Jack’s film is

ACADEMY LAUNCHES AN EXCITING NEW ONLINE LOOK chicagoacademyforthearts.org looks fresher than ever After several months, The Academy is pleased to announce a brand-new look to our website!

The site, now optimized for mobile and tablet internet users, has some exciting new features including embedded video, blog features and social media integration.

Thanks to the genius work of Academy parent Gary Ricke (Orbis Web Design), the new website is a hit.

click here to explore yourself!

This year Academy seniors Sabrina Wen and Andres Salamanca achieved recognition in the visual arts category. Of over 11,000 submissions, Sabrina and Andres were two of 786 young artists to be 2015 YoungArts Winners. Congratulations, Sabrina and Andres!

Sabrina Wen with her work in Spring 2012.

IN THIS ISSUE

Student Feature (2) Alumni Updates (3)

Academy Dance Department Takes Place in Expo (3) Upcoming Events As 2014 draws to a close, Academy students continue to create, dream, and pursue their passions.

We see the hallmark of great artists and thinkers.

To do this, they need you! Please consider making a gift this season. By supporting an artist today, you are ensuring a future in the arts.

CLICK HERE TO GIVE TODAY Thank you for your continued support.

N E W S L E T T E R

VOICE INSTRUCTOR ROSE COLELLA RELEASES NEW ALBUM Jazz vocalist and Academy music faculty member produces and releases Cocktail

Nicole Magerko, Theatre ‘15 STUDENT PROFILE Senior Nicole Magerko has had quite the busy semester.

Besides the usual senior-year responsibilities, Nicole has taken over managing The Academy’s newest studentrun program, Special Connections, and even found time to audition and land a role with the Agency Theatre Collective at Chicago Dramatists in “At the Center”.

Nicole says she’s been super busy but has enjoyed things this semester, “I’d say it’s been challenging but in a good way.”

Special Connections is a program of peer-to-peer mentoring where Academy students teach students from the Ray Graham Training Center High School on Chicago’s Near South Side. Ray Graham students have a variety of learning and emotional needs. In the program’s second year, Nicole said both Academy and Ray Graham students are feeling more comfortable and eager to see one another.

The students meet five times a semester and will be performing and showing their work together later in January.

Nicole has high goals for the future continuance of the program. She hopes that students embrace Special Connections much like the AIDS Benefit—interwoven in the fabric of the community. Currently, ten Academy students in each of the participating arts disciplines teach and work with the visiting students, a volunteer opportunity for which they apply. She also hopes to continue to build Special Connections into all departments beyond Dance, Visual Arts, and Theatre.

In addition to managing Special Connections, Nicole performed in a role with the Agency Theatre Collective.

Classmate Grace Melon (‘15) actually recommended Nicole audition for the part

Congratulations to Rose Colella on the release of her much-anticipated album, Cocktail. The Chicago jazz vocalist and Academy voice teacher has worked since April 2014 to celebrate the important jazz standards she wanted to preserve and which she finds enjoyable. “These are songs that might get lost and shouldn’t”, says Rose.

“I wanted to make this album for people’s enjoyment and to make them feel happy.”

The album is self-produced, which gave Rose freedom to include the music she most wanted to feature. Recording is the easiest and most fun part, she says, after taking months to plan which music to include and rehearsing with the band. Then, it takes weeks to edit and master the recording, shoot the photography and choose the artwork, layout, design, marketing, duplication, etc.

Rose currently performs regularly at Chicago’s top jazz clubs and hotels, including The Jazz Showcase and The Green Mill, alongside the city’s finest jazz musicians (many of whom are also Academy instructors). She says that her students react well to the music of the Great American Songbook. “They embrace this music. They enjoy listening to the definitive recordings by extraordinary singers. They learn a great deal from this music, connect well with it and, I’m happy to say, find joy in it.”

Rose said that she feels strongly that her “path is to perform and teach. Life is in balance here” at The Academy.

THANKS, KATIE!

Director of Development Katie Baltensperger moves on from The Academy It is with best wishes and gratitude for a job well done that we announce that Director of Development Katie Baltensperger is leaving The Academy. Our loss is the Field Museum’s gain, where Katie will join the staff in January as their new Major Gifts Officer.

Katie joined The Academy in 2008, and has dedicated herself to strengthening the school’s financial foundation by building parent and alumni engagement, growing the after landing her own part in “I And You” at the Redtwist Theatre. Nicole mentioned how helpful her classes at The Academy had been in preparing her for working with the Agency Theatre Collective. In “At the Center”, the collective used Meisner technique, something Nicole practiced in a workshop with her department last year.

Though the show is closed now, Nicole says her overall experience was really positive and she was glad to have the opportunity to work with professional artists in Chicago.

Right now Nicole is looking forward to finals

annual fund, and lending her analytical and creative eye to many development events and initiatives.

We are working to identify Katie’s replacement by early 2015. In the meantime, if you have questions regarding donations or advancement opportunities, please contact Director of Institutional Advancement Martin Grochala at mgrochala@chicagoartsacademy.org. finishing up and having some down time.

Between AP Literature, AP Calculus, and AP Stats her study schedule is fairly packed.

But, in light of that, Nicole is still excited abouteverything she’s doing in classes.

“It’s beeninteresting to have classes start applying to real-world situations. Right now, in AP Stats we conducted an observational study about real life.”

Good luck to all our students as they head into finals this week!

REPERTORY DANCE COMPANY: A FEATURED PERFORMANCE The Dance Department’s Repertory Company performed pieces as featured guest for the Chicago Youth Dance Exposition on December 6th

The Academy’s Repertory Dance Company had the privilege of being invited to the first annual Chicago Youth Dance Exhibition in Wilmette.

The Chicago Youth Dance Exhibition is aimed at allowing young dancers to perform and truly celebrate their work rather than compete.

Opening the second act, the Rep Company was a featured guest performance.

Photo courtesy of Wilmette Life (a Chicago Tribune Publication)

Senior Selena Robinson said of the experience, “It’s good to see a lot of the young kids and it’s really inspiring to dance on the same stage they’re dancing on, sharing the energy and the love.”

DECEMBER 2014

#ICYMI: In Case You Missed It,

Here’s What’s Been Going on at The Academy

RAGTIME

BOARD OF TRUSTEES NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Chicago Academy for the Arts welcomes two new members to the Board of Trustees The Academy’s Board of Trustees elected two new members at the December 8th meeting. Governance Committee Chair Richard Turner said, “We are very pleased to strengthen representation by alumni parents and current parents on the Academy’s Board. Both Nick Gawrit and Emily Barr bring much-needed skills to our work and our efforts to grow the school’s resources and reach into the community.”

Emily Barr is President and Chief Executive Officer of Graham Media Group, the television broadcasting division of Graham Holdings Company. She is a parent of Theatre Department freshman Ali Kane. Emily’s other board service includes the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the Chicago Network and the UCP/Seguin Foundation of Greater Chicago. Barr is also a member of The Executives’ Club of Chicago.

Nicholas Gawrit is President/Owner of Heartbase Inc., a Chicago business that develops software to aid business management in the healthcare industry. He is the parent of two Academy alumni – Stephen (Theatre, ’04) and Natasha (Music, ’13). Nick has been a member of the Mount Carmel Academy School Board, serving on the Finance and Development Committees. He brings that experience, as well as experience in computer design, to the Academy.

ALUMNI

M O N S T E R S: M E D I A A R T S FALL SHOW Emily Barr

Nicholas Gawrit

UPDATES

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Fall Out Boy’s “Centuries”, co-written by Academy alum Justin Tranter (‘98), went platinum this month, reaching over one million sales.

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SNL’s Cecily Strong (‘02) was recently chosen to headline the White House Correspondents Association’s annual dinner in April.

THEATRE DEPARTMENT S E M E S T E R S H O W C A S E: CAA DEVISED Photographs from Ragtime were taken by the talented Tom Mohr. More of his incredible work can be found here.

Don’t miss any performance photos, community updates, and news by following us online!

The Academy Alumni Holiday Party is Saturday, December 20th! Email Stephen Gawrit (sgawrit@chicagoartsacademy.org) if you are interested in finding out more information!

Have an alumni update? Email artsacademynews@gmail.com!

facebook.com/chicagoacademyforthearts twitter: @ChiAcademy4Arts instagram: @chicagoacademyforthearts

Academy apparel is available for purchase this holiday season at IdentityStores.com • Click here to see our products!

December 18th

Special Events hosted by The Prodigy Institute 1010 West Chicago Ave. futureinthearts.org Chicago, IL 60642 p 312.421.0202 f 312.421.3816

Academy students and families are getting excited for Thursday’s special events hosted by the Academy’s Prodigy Institute program!

Do you have news or updates for us at The Academy?

Things you’d like shared with our entire community?

On December 18th, Prodigy Institute Manager Joe Hulbert worked with our partners at the Lyric Opera and the Gene Siskel Film Center to provide The Academy community access to two amazing works of art: Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, as performed by the Lyric Opera, and the newest epic animated feature from Studio Ghibli, The Tales of Princess Kaguya, at the Gene Siskel Film Center.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! artsacademynews@gmail.com or mkolosky@chicagoartsacademy.org

U P C O M I N G

E V E N T S

ACADEMIC FINALS: DECEMBER 15-17 • GOOD LUCK STUDENTS + TEACHERS! WINTER BREAK: DECEMBER 18 - JANUARY 2 • HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

JANUARY 2015 MUSIC

DANCE

VISUAL ARTS

MUSICAL THEATRE

Classical Vocal Studio

Senior Choreographed Show at Ruth Page Center of the Arts

Winter Juried Show

Shakespeare Production

January 22, 5-7 PM

January 23, 7 PM January 24, 3 & 7 PM

January 12, 6:30 PM January 16, 7PM **January 17, 2 & 7 PM

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY: JANUARY 19 (NO SCHOOL)

FEBRUARY 2015 MUSIC

THEATRE

Winter Jazz Concert

Winter Show

February 10 & 11

February 26 - 28

MIDWINTER BREAK: FEBRUARY 16-20

MARCH 2015 MUSIC

THEATRE

MEDIA ARTS

VISUAL ARTS

MUSICAL THEATRE

MUSIC

Classical Recital

Winter Show

Winter Juried Show

Senior Show

Spring Show

Classical Recital

March 3 4:45 & 7 PM

March 5-7

March 19 5 PM

March 20-22 March 27-29

March 30 4:45 & 7 PM

March 12 & 13

CASIMIR PULASKI DAY: MARCH 2 (NO SCHOOL) ** Indicates an Academy Circle Series event Please note, dates and times are subject to change. Visit chicagoartsacademy.org for up-to-date information & ticketing.

SAVE THE DATE • May 12, 2015 Gala Performance Tickets on sale February 1, 2015