On the Arts

Roeckle Brushes Up on a New Medium

“Homestead,” by Keith Roeckle, appeared in the Ellarslie Open, a juried exhibition at the Trenton (N.J.) City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion.

A painting by the performing arts chair was shown in the Trenton City Museum.

When he isn’t teaching music or conducting the School Orchestra in his role as chair of the Performing Arts department, Keith Roeckle often explores a different artistic medium – painting.

Roeckle’s work, “Homestead,” appeared in the Ellarslie Open 37/38, an exhibition at the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie Mansion in the center of historic Cadwalader Park in nearby Trenton, from July to October. Showcasing artwork by established and emerging artists, the Ellarslie Open has grown into the Delaware Valley’s premier annual juried exhibition since its inception in 1983. The painting is based on a photo Roeckle shot at the Daniel Boone Homestead in Exeter, Pa. He created the work using egg tempera, a process in which he created his own paint by combining egg yolk, distilled water, and powdered pigment.

“It lets you get very detailed results and results in a luminous yet matted quality that I’ve always liked,” he says, adding that the Ellarslie Open is his first exhibition.

A Golden Soprano

It’s been a year of plaudits for vocalist Alistair Lam ’23, who earned two prestigious honors. Competing against other soloists with advanced high school musical experience, Lam was rated Gold I in the New Jersey Spring Solo & Ensemble Festival 2021, Soprano Solo Voice division. The “I” rating denotes “an exceptional performance in all areas,” according to Arts Ed NJ, which sponsors the event.

Lam also placed second in the national finals of the American Prize in Voice – Friedrich & Virginia Schorr Memorial Award for art song/oratorio in the high school division.

Lam performed “An die Musik” by Franz Schubert in both competitions, adding “Music for a While” by Henry Purcell in the New Jersey event.