Arts Newsletter Back to School 2013

Faculty Feature - Beth TracyBeth came to Collegiate in 1979 as a part time teacher. She has her Bachelors in Music Education from James Madison University and her Masters of Education from University of Richmond. She has spent the years since growing the music education for our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders into an integral part of the curriculum. Beth has not only grown the program from part time to full time, but also enjoyed the growth in the facilities and support for the programs she teaches. Her classroom has been in a closet, the gym, shared classrooms with the other music or even art teachers ... and now the large and lovely space she has today.

In addition to teaching the nuts and bolts of music concepts and appreciation, Beth works with the classroom teachers to produce the big productions which tie in to each of these grades’ social studies. The Second Grade’s States Fair celebrates all of the United States with re-gional and national songs, dance and art. Beth teaches the songs, helps to identify the soloists, and accompanies the production which is staged in the Oates Theater in February.

The Third Grade students study colonial times, and have a large “Colonial Days” celebration in late Spring which brings together the music, dance and culture of the times into a grade level production held in the Estes Multipurpose room in the Weinstein Music Wing at the Lower School. Beth teaches the students all of the songs for this production, and leads the student musicians while accompanying them during the event. The Third Graders learn to play handbells and other instuments during her classes, which they use to good advantage in their Concert of Carols held each year in December.

The Fourth Graders study the westward movement of settlers after colonial days. Their “American Mosaic” presentation highlights people and events of that time period. Beth works with the students to learn the songs and instumental accompaniments for this program as well. Fourth Graders may also elect to participate in Cantorion, which is a choral group Beth leads that performs several times throughout the year at school events and community service venues. Beth also organizes and accompanies the fourth graders for their annual “Informances” where they showcase their newfound musical skills to their parents. She is one busy lady!

Above: “Seussical” cast members skype from the new “Sandbox” in the Sharp Academic Com-mons with the actor who played “Horton” in the original cast on Broadway. Our “Horton”, senior Andrew Fernandez, arranged and facilitated the session with Mr. Kevin Chamberlin, who is a long time friend of Andrew’s father. Mr. Chamberlin is no longer on Broadway, but rather working in Hollywood doing television and film work. He was kind enough to spend about 45 minutes fielding questions from our cast about his experiences with “Seussical” and the world of acting in general.

Above Left to Right: Erin Thomas-Foley of SPARC presented a preview of Live Art 2013 as part of the Whitfield Speaker program for Upper School students. Mrs. Boyd’s senior seminar class got a first hand experience of Live Art by painting blindfolded to music while guided by a buddy. Erin Thomas-Foley displayed the final product of their efforts to the senior seminar class members and

discussed the resulting painting.

ConvocationSeptember 13th

Above Left to Right: Convocation featured performances from the Upper School Jazz Band, the Fourth Graders doing a snazzy dance which included parachutes, and the Upper School Chorus.

Follow Your Cougars on the Web!

www.youtube.com/TheCollegiateSchool www.collegiate-va.org/arts www.youtube.com/CollegiateSchoolFilm

Upcoming Events: “Seussical the Musical” appears on the Oates Theater Stage on October 23, 24 and 25.

Tickets on sale Oct. 1st at http://collegiate-va.ticketleap.com/seussical/The First Grade Play “The Little Red Hen” takes place in the Estes Multipurpose Room Friday, November 8th, at 9:00am.The Fall Concert with Instrumental and Choral Music from students in Grades 7-12 will be Tuesday, Nov. 12th at 7:00pm

in the Oates Theater.LIVE ART concert is Sunday, December 22, 2013

Tickets can be purchased at http://www.sparconline.org/liveart/

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COLLEGIATE CREATES Art Exhibit featuring Art from Alumni, Students and Family members is in the Hershey Center for the Arts, Pitt Hall, and Flippen Hall until the end of October. Clockwise from Left Above: “Works on

Paper” by Payton Reed ‘14, ; “Buddha Dadness” by Chloe Coates; “Exquiste Corpses” - a collaboration between current 4th graders, 2013 Art Walk participants, and upper school drawing students; “Hummingbird” - a chalk pastel

by Ryan Gunn ‘09; and “Works on Paper” by Kirstie Turkel ‘14,Below - Faculty members Jere Williams and Pam Sutherland are two of the artists featured at the current Exhibit at

the Page Bond Gallery (1625 W. Main St.) which continues through September 28th. Shown left to right are two of Jere Williams’ works from his How Do You Know? collection, then two of Pam Sutherland’s works from her

‘Acts of Arrangement” collection.