Students have the opportunity to perform in or assist with two to three productions each year. Auditions are held six to eight weeks prior to each production. Two-hour rehearsals take place after school three days a week. The week of the show is exciting yet exhausting. However, by the time the curtain is pulled on opening night, cast members are ready to perform!
K-12th Grade Musical
The beauty of fall production is being able to watch our youngest students interact on and off stage with those students who are in our upper grades. The more seasoned actors take responsibility and oversee those that are new to the stage. Those that are just starting out watch and learn from those that are more experienced. The relationships that are formed between cast members last throughout the year.
Another production is selected for students in grades 6 through 12. This production varies in size and style. Everything from dramas to comedies to ensemble musicals have been selected in the past dependent upon those students who show interest and are committed to working hard to deliver a challenging production.
K through 8th Grade Play
During the summer, a drama camp is offered to students that are willing to spend six hours a day for five days to pull off a show. At the end of the school year this same production will be revived and offered to students in grades K through 8. The show will be recast and begin a four-week rehearsal period.
In sixth grade, music reading skills are taught through classroom piano and percussion instruments. The students discover the use of music notation and its relation to the written score. The students also study traditional and progressive music of America and are able to recognize audibly various musical styles. Seventh grade students learn about many aspects of music, including musical notation, rhythm and melodic reading, basic guitar chords, and singing. Their awareness is heightened through self-made music videos and through individual projects that explore various music genres. A progressive proficiency in music reading and understanding musical concepts is expected. Eighth grade students learn more of the basics of playing acoustic/classical guitar. This includes chords, melodic reading, tablature, strumming patterns, and maintaining and tuning the instrument. The class will also be exposed to the various periods of music. They will have aural recognition of notable composers’ literature and artists’ repertoire. At the end of the year, they will have a good grasp of general music reading and notation and will compose a piece of music for guitar and voice to be performed for the class.
Violin, piano, guitar, cello, and voice lessons are offered to all Middle School students as an enrichment class during school hours or after school. Lessons are taught privately and semi-privately with our expert instructors. The students have performance opportunities playing in solo and group settings for the holiday and spring concerts during the school year and possibilities beyond. This is a tuition based program.
The objective of the sixth grade art program is to introduce the basic elements of art through both two- and three-dimensional projects. These projects are designed both to promote creative problem solving and to serve as vehicles for personal expression. Students will gain experience in many different media while improving their skills in drawing and painting. Students are expected to keep a sketchbook. Grades are based on effort, participation, willingness to try new techniques, and skill improvement. Seventh grade art allows students to learn basic art skills while exercising their creativity and critical thinking. Projects are closely linked to other facets of the seventh-grade curriculum, such as literature and North Carolina history. The students experience a variety of media, both fine art and craft, including several types of drawing, painting, printmaking, weaving, and pottery. Students are required to keep a sketchbook. For eighth grade, the primary objective is to introduce the students to art as a visual language, one that they can create and interpret. Through the use of a variety of media and processes, students study the basic building blocks of art: design elements and design principles. Skill development and confidence building are important goals at this level. Students are exposed to all types of drawing techniques. Appreciation of the artistic process is a major goal for this class. Students are required to keep a sketchbook.