NewsUpper SchoolStudent LifeFaculty/StaffServiceAcademicsFine Arts
Upper School falls for the arts
Oct 15, 2004 8:00 AM
By Tannika King - Faculty
This year, Darlington celebrated the arts with a weeklong “Fall for the Arts” festival, Oct. 17 through 22. Each day featured special activities for all members of the Darlington community, including live bands and choral groups, student and faculty exhibits, hands-on workshops and lots of creative fun.
“We were very excited about the diversity of the artisans who came to work with our students,” said Dan Bishop, chairman of the fine arts department. “We feel that some students may have a rather narrow focus of what constitutes art. Exposure to a wide spectrum of artistic opportunities could help broaden that focus.”
The festival kicked off Sunday, Oct. 17, at 4 p.m. with Darlington Upper School’s annual fall choral concert. This year’s production, “Eternal Faith, Eternal People,” featured the Concert Choir and Men’s and Ladies’ Chorales singing music from the Jewish tradition.
Monday morning’s assembly featured songs from the Antidote Theater’s production of “The Secret Garden.” At 1:05 p.m., Laura Jackson, director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, spoke in Morris Chapel.
Jackson, who conducts the ASO’s Young People’s Concerts and serves as cover conductor for the subscription series, trains with music director Robert Spano and is continuing her doctoral studies in orchestral conducting at the University of Michigan School of Music under Kenneth Kiesler. She has also served as music director of the Life Sciences Orchestra at the university’s Medical Center.
Monday afternoon, The Have Nots!, an improvisational drama group from Charleston, S.C., led a workshop in the Zelle Drama Room from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. This workshop was open to all students and faculty members. The group also performed two identical shows Monday evening at 7 and 8:30 p.m. in Zelle Drama Room.
The Have Nots! have showcased at the Chicago Improv Festival with the likes of The Second City and The Upright Citizens Brigade and at multiple NACA conferences. They have performed more than 1,200 college and university shows.
A statement from Pennsylvania College of Technology read, “The show was phenomenal! The level of energy and humor of The Have Nots! surpassed all of our previous comedy shows. They were able to bring Penn College’s student participation to a level that we long for.”
Tuesday, the Berry College Dance Troupe performed at 11:30 a.m. in Zelle Drama Room.
Wednesday was themed Folk Art Day, starting off with a performance by The Porch Pickers, featuring David Powell, chairman of the English department, at 10:40 a.m. in Morris Chapel.
Classes participated in outdoor folk art activities during fourth, fifth and sixth periods. During this time, the Middle School Chorus and the Berry Singers performed in Morris Chapel.
Thursday, themed Pop Art Day, allowed for outdoor pop art activities during fourth, fifth and sixth periods. At noon, the Darlington “Steel Tigers” Steel Drum Band performed in the Cove, immediately followed by a performance by the Berry College Jazz Ensemble, also in the Cove.
The centerpiece of the festival was a series of artistically based workshops for all Upper School students and faculty on Friday morning. Over 40 different workshops covered topics ranging from Irish step dancing, to handmade books, to directing a play and everything in between.
“By bringing in local artists to lead the workshops and give hands-on instruction to students, we hoped to provide deeper connections between Darlington and the local arts community,” said Kathy O’Mara, art teacher.
For more information, please contact Bishop at dbishop@darlingtonschool.org.
“We were very excited about the diversity of the artisans who came to work with our students,” said Dan Bishop, chairman of the fine arts department. “We feel that some students may have a rather narrow focus of what constitutes art. Exposure to a wide spectrum of artistic opportunities could help broaden that focus.”
The festival kicked off Sunday, Oct. 17, at 4 p.m. with Darlington Upper School’s annual fall choral concert. This year’s production, “Eternal Faith, Eternal People,” featured the Concert Choir and Men’s and Ladies’ Chorales singing music from the Jewish tradition.
Monday morning’s assembly featured songs from the Antidote Theater’s production of “The Secret Garden.” At 1:05 p.m., Laura Jackson, director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, spoke in Morris Chapel.
Jackson, who conducts the ASO’s Young People’s Concerts and serves as cover conductor for the subscription series, trains with music director Robert Spano and is continuing her doctoral studies in orchestral conducting at the University of Michigan School of Music under Kenneth Kiesler. She has also served as music director of the Life Sciences Orchestra at the university’s Medical Center.
Monday afternoon, The Have Nots!, an improvisational drama group from Charleston, S.C., led a workshop in the Zelle Drama Room from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. This workshop was open to all students and faculty members. The group also performed two identical shows Monday evening at 7 and 8:30 p.m. in Zelle Drama Room.
The Have Nots! have showcased at the Chicago Improv Festival with the likes of The Second City and The Upright Citizens Brigade and at multiple NACA conferences. They have performed more than 1,200 college and university shows.
A statement from Pennsylvania College of Technology read, “The show was phenomenal! The level of energy and humor of The Have Nots! surpassed all of our previous comedy shows. They were able to bring Penn College’s student participation to a level that we long for.”
Tuesday, the Berry College Dance Troupe performed at 11:30 a.m. in Zelle Drama Room.
Wednesday was themed Folk Art Day, starting off with a performance by The Porch Pickers, featuring David Powell, chairman of the English department, at 10:40 a.m. in Morris Chapel.
Classes participated in outdoor folk art activities during fourth, fifth and sixth periods. During this time, the Middle School Chorus and the Berry Singers performed in Morris Chapel.
Thursday, themed Pop Art Day, allowed for outdoor pop art activities during fourth, fifth and sixth periods. At noon, the Darlington “Steel Tigers” Steel Drum Band performed in the Cove, immediately followed by a performance by the Berry College Jazz Ensemble, also in the Cove.
The centerpiece of the festival was a series of artistically based workshops for all Upper School students and faculty on Friday morning. Over 40 different workshops covered topics ranging from Irish step dancing, to handmade books, to directing a play and everything in between.
“By bringing in local artists to lead the workshops and give hands-on instruction to students, we hoped to provide deeper connections between Darlington and the local arts community,” said Kathy O’Mara, art teacher.
For more information, please contact Bishop at dbishop@darlingtonschool.org.
