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Arts Overview
HOW THE FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT IS FINDING CREATIVE WAYS TO THRIVE DURING THE PANDEMIC
By James Venhaus, Director of Fine Arts
AS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC STRETCHED
INTO THE SPRING, the Fine Arts department continued to face enormous challenges. But, with each event or project, the choice was made to focus on what can be done, rather than what can’t. The most productive planning sessions always started with the question, ‘What if ...?’ These ‘What if?’ questions not only came from the teachers but from the students as well. In fact, some of the most innovative ideas came from students. We approached each challenge as an opportunity to put our heads together and come up with a creative solution.
For example, when planning the Major Minors concert, we asked, “What if we used an FM transmitter to broadcast our concert to an audience listening in their car radios in the parking lot?” That led to our first drive-in “Car Concert” on April 15.
Our theatre arts teachers asked, “What if students created their own theatrical experience at home?” That idea evolved into our fifth and sixth grade theatrical production of the poems of Shel Silverstein, with student-created costumes, props, and scenery, at home for a live virtual performance, on April 16. And Middle and Upper School musical theater students collaborated on an evening of songs from musicals that were filmed in homes, outdoors and in small physically-distant groups.
Spring theater productions included a fourth grade live-streamed performance of scenes from
“A Midsummer Nights’ Dream,” — performed with masks at a safe physical distance — and a collaboration between Middle and Upper School students on a virtual cabaret musical theater performance.
Our visual arts students asked, “What if our Spring Art Show existed entirely in a virtual space?” That led to our first virtual art show for art students in all three divisions. These virtual art galleries were filled with innovative and creative pieces, and visitors used their computers to visit the galleries from home.
Our biggest production of the year is Arts Jam, our annual performing arts celebration. This year, Arts Jam will also be online with over 30 videos that use a variety of innovative approaches to showcase our band, orchestra, percussion ensemble, choir and dance programs.
“Preparing for Arts Jam has indeed been an eyeopening experience for my students and me,” said Upper School Dance Teacher Jennelle Mrykalo. “In teaching dance composition, my students and I look at all of the possibilities within a concept and then narrow our ideas. For this project, we enjoyed imagining all of the ways we can manipulate the movement to fit on screen, utilize camera angles, and create ‘group’ pieces from solo performances. I love that the students have ownership over their performance videos for a uniquely collaborative effort.”
