Arts a la Carte - Westfield Visual & Performing Arts · appropriate fonts for that time period. The...

Arts a la Carte Department of Visual & Performing Arts December 2017—January 2018

Westfield Public Schools Westfield New Jersey

http://tinyurl.com/nx8rzac

Please see page 5 and 18 for

information on Christmas Tree

Disposal Services…..

ALL CONCERTS BEGIN AT 7:00 pm

Date Place Performance

12/5/17 WHS EIS Band

12/5/17 Washington Band & Chorus 12/6/17 McKinley 5th Grade Band & Orchestra

12/6/17 WHS RIS Band 12/7/17 WHS WHS Band

12/11/17 WHS Franklin, Tamaques, Washington & Wilson Strings 12/12/17 WHS EIS Orchestra

12/12/17 Franklin Chorus

12/13/17 Jefferson 5th Grade Band, Chorus & Orchestra 12/13/17 McKinley Chorus

12/13/17 WHS RIS Orchestra 12/13/17 Tamaques Band & Chorus

12/14/17 WHS WHS Orchestra

12/18/17 Franklin Advanced Band 12/19/17 WHS EIS Chorus

12/19/17 Wilson Band & Chorus 12/20/17 WHS RIS Chorus

12/21/17 WHS WHS Chorus

1/10/18 WHS District Band Night 1/11/18 WHS District Orchestra Night

1/17/18 WHS District Choral Night 2/10/18 WHS WHS Chorale Night of Love Songs

ALL City Auditions will be starting soon

Please contact your child’s elementary

music teacher for more information

http://tinyurl.com/nx8rzac

Arts a la Carte December 2017-January 2018

Westfield

High School Art

Sophomore, Dustin Paden‟s artwork was chosen for this year‟s Winter Concert program cover. The

covers will be used district wide, for all the upcoming Winter Concerts.

Congratulations Dustin!

DRAWING student continue to

learn new classical techniques of drawing and how to spend more

time seeing. Slowing the process down, mentally, while maintaining a

gestural stroke, is a challenge. As

they learn to have hand control and work with muscle memory, the

strokes will begin to create a more fluid pentimenti and add to the form

and life of their drawings.

Composition students have really

taken to learning a variety of historical armatures. They are busy

creating works full of personal imagery, incorporating intentional

composition. The diversity of ideas is incredibly exciting. They all

participate in very animated and

supportive group critiques.

Art IV students have started the

Art History portion of the year. They have been introduced to the Visual

Thinking Method of looking, writing and talking about works of art. They

will be using the Formal Critical

Method to write critiques and research works of art.

Ceramics 1 learned the technique

of slab rolling. Students rolled out slabs of clay and cut them into the

shape of a plate. These plates were decorated using some form of each

student‟s name. They then took

their newly learned slab rolling skills and created a wall hanging of any

word they found inspirational or meaningful. Each letter of their

word had to have a different texture

rolled, pressed, or drawn into the surface.

Students in Crafts are in the middle

of the Fibers unit. They learned how to create an original creature using

a pattern and how to hand sew

using various stiches. Then, they learned the techniques for creating

a macramé bracelet and how to read a macramé pattern. Students

will be finishing out the Fibers unit by creating one cold wax resist

project (silk dying) and one hot wax

resist project (batik.) Make sure to check out the District Art Show in

May to see some completed projects.

Graphic Design I Students studied traditional printing

press techniques using blocks of type by contemporary artists. The

students then hand carved serif and sans-serif letters and created text

compositions with traditional

printmaking techniques using a printing press. Experimentation was

encouraged with principles of design being emphasized within their

compositions. The students are

continuing their exploration of blocks of type by choosing a period

of art and hand printing works with appropriate fonts for that time

period. The printed words will be scanned and brought into Adobe

Photoshop to create a poster design

based on their chosen period of art.

Foundations of Art Students are currently learning

techniques used to create value. Using mannequins and wooden

blocks as subject matter, the

students sketched the figures using pencil, with an emphasis on using

full ranges of value with shading. Proper proportions and strong

compositional skills were

emphasized as well. Additionally, some students created

supplemental compositions using hand printed backgrounds that were

placed into the negative space using

Adobe Photoshop on the computer.


World Crafts Sampler students have completed original

“Scrimshaw” works of art using

sailors‟ techniques from colonial whaling ships; the use of carving

faux whale teeth with engraved designs stained with coffee and

shellacked have brought a bit of maritime history into the art room!

The World Crafts students have

designed and completed Metal Repousse‟. The embossed metal foil

art pieces are created into two dimensional works or bells on

exhibit in Westfield High School‟s

main office.

Music

WHS Concert Bands

The WHS Wind Ensemble,

Symphonic Band, and Concert Band are off to a wonderful start for the

2017/18 school year. All three ensembles are preparing literature

for their December 7th concert,

which will be held in the high school auditorium at 7pm.

On December 9th, the following

WHS band students will travel to JP Stevens High School to audition for

the CJMEA honor ensembles:

Olivia Conti- Flute

Rachel Markowitz- Piccolo, Flute Sarah Shen- Flute

Brooke Walden- Piccolo, Flute Valerie Chang- Oboe

Tia Lemberg- Oboe

Ellery Wolf- Oboe Morgan Rollins- Bassoon

Kailey Zhao- Bassoon Jamie Beyert- Clarinet

Adam Dunaief- Clarinet Rachel Hamelburg- Clarinet

Christian Sawina- Clarinet

Ashlen Suen- Clarinet Andy Zhao- Clarinet

Amanda Latowsky- Alto Clarinet Clea Demuynck- Alto, Tenor Sax

Amanda Paden- Alto Sax

Matthew Paden- Alto Sax Daniel Shenker- Alto Sax

Jesse Katz- Tenor Sax Kenneth Meyer- French Horn

Aprina Wang- French Horn Austin Chen- Trumpet

Duncan Cook- Trumpet

Jason Paden- Trumpet Karl Peter- Trumpet

Bryan Raber- Trumpet Max Tennant- Trumpet

Jonathan Silva- Bass Trombone

Zachary Fischer- Euphonium Tom Greene- Euphonium

Majeed Assadi- Tuba Michael Charlton- Percussion,

Timpani

Lucy Ritter- Percussion, Mallets

We would like to wish all 35 students auditioning the best of luck

as they represent the WHS band!

Congratulations to the Wind Ensemble who was recently selected to perform at the 2018 NJMEA Conference in February. Schools from around the state submitted audition recordings, and Westfield was selected as one of the three top groups! Stay tuned for more information about this awesome performance opportunity!

WHS Jazz Bands Sixty students tried out for the WHS‟

three jazz bands. Now that the rosters are set, students will begin

rehearsal in January and will perform at regional jazz festivals

throughout the winter and spring.

Don‟t miss the 6th annual Westfield Jazz Night on Saturday May 12th in

the WHS Courtyard featuring jazz bands from Roosevelt Intermediate,

Edison Intermediate and Westfield

High School.

WHS Band & Choir Fundraiser

The Westfield High School Band and Choir will once again be collecting

Westfield community Christmas trees and transporting them to the

Conservation Center as a fundraiser.

Trees will be collected on Saturday January 6th with a rain/snow-date

of Saturday January 13th. Westfield residents can register to have their

trees picked up by filling out the Google form linked HERE.

We will not accept reservations after 12/31/17. Trees should be left

curbside in front of your home on the pick-up date. Cost is $15 per

tree. Please include cash or check

(made out to WHS MUSIC) in an envelope and attach it to the tree or

your mailbox on the day of the pick-up.

This fundraiser supports over 400 Westfield High School Music

students in reaching their musical goals throughout the school year by

providing funding for equipment, clinicians, and performance trips.

Thank you to the Westfield

community members who support this effort each year by participating

in our annual pick-up!

Should you have questions

regarding this event you can contact Chris Vitale, WHS Band Director, at

908-789-4500 x4551.

WHS Winterguard

The Westfield High School Winter Color Guard will begin rehearsal in

December in preparation for the 2018 competitive season. The group

will rehearse through April and will

perform at local and regional competitions. We wish the

colorguard well as they perform in their first WGI (Winterguard

International) “Super Regional” in

Pittsburg, PA. Contact Mr. Vitale for more information:

[email protected]

WHS Marching Band

The Marching Blue Devils enjoyed many successes this year with their

field show, “Simply Distorted.” In

October, they traveled to the University of Delaware to compete

in the Bands Of America Regional, where they placed 13th, just barely

missing out on the finals competition. In their home circuit of

USBands, the Blue Devils competed

well in their new classification of 6-Open.

At the State Championships, they placed 4th. The 2017 season

continued a pattern of substantial

growth in the program and the Blue Devils are grateful for the support of

the WHOLE band family. From staff members, to administrators, to

volunteers and donors, hundreds of people made this season the best

one yet!

To keep up with all the exciting

news in the Westfield Band

program, follow online at: www.westfieldhsbands.org

WHS Bands Friends, Family,

and Alumni

whsbandsfriendsfamilyandalumni

Westfield High School Bands

WHS Choir

The students have recently just had their second sight singing

assessment this year. Students in

Mixed Chorus are learning how to recognize and sing intervals at sight

in solfege, Bel Coro is learning how to sing short excerpts in solfege and

identifying key signatures, and

Concert Choir is focusing on understanding simple and

compound meter. Through five-minute exercises each day in all

classes, students are well on their way to music literacy!

Students in all of the choir classes are preparing for the winter concert

https://goo.gl/forms/OChQUQXc9GSuaMhF2

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.westfieldhsbands.org/


that will be taking place on December 21st at 7 PM. Highlights in

the concert for Concert Choir will

include Eric Whitacre‟s Five Hebrew Love Songs, accompanied by string

quartet, as well as a Choraleers “barn burner” version of It Don‟t Mean a Thing (If it Ain‟t Got That Swing)!

The concert will feature more well-known pieces such as Let it Snow, Jingle Bells, and This Christmas. It will round out with a massed choir

piece, Flight Song by Andre Arneson

performed by Bel Coro and Concert Choir; as well as the choir

department tradition piece, Dona Nobis Pacem, sung by the entire

choir department and alumni.

RIS, EIS, and WHS Men attend

the Rowan Mens Festival of Song! On October 25th, young men

in EIS, RIS, and WHS choirs attended the Rowan University

Young Mens Festival of Song. The

festival included over 500 young men from NJ Middle and High

Schools in one choir! The students had a fantastic day of singing and

camaraderie!

RIS, EIS, and WHS Men attend the

Rowan Mens Festival of Song

Choraleers perform at 54Below! On November 1st, the students in

Choraleers performed at the

renowned 54 Below cabaret. Choraleers performed in the finale

of Tamar of the River, a reunion

concert of an off Broadway show that premiered in 2013. The music

in Tamar… was composed by Marisa

Michelson, and the reunion concert music directed by Kurt Crowley

(Music Director for Hamilton), and directed by Danny Goldstein

(Director Godspell, Broadway). Choraleers performed in the finale

of the production alongside several

Broadway singers. Mr. Crowley and Ms. Michelson came to Westfield

High School for a special visit to rehearse with the students and to

talk about their experience as

Broadway performers and production staff members.

Marisa Michelson and Kurt Crowley

talk about their experiences as working musicians on Broadway

Danny Goldstein, Director (Godspell, Broadway) and Kurt Crowley, Music

Director (MD for Hamilton) giving notes to Choraleers before their

performance of Tamar of the River at 54 Below

Blue Devil Treble will carol downtown! Our freshmen /

sophomore all-female group, Blue Devil Treble meets once a week and

has been working hard to prepare

for District Choral Night as well as Night of Love Songs. They have

been invited to carol during the pop up markets downtown for two

weekends in December.

All State Singers perform at the

NJMEA Convention and at NJPAC! On November 10 and

November 19, students from WHS performed at the Atlantic City

Convention Center and the New

Jersey Performing Arts Center. Congratulations to Catherine Moore,

Matt Siroty, Nicole Player, and Olivia McElheny for the stellar

performance and for representing Westfield High School!

Olivia Mcelheny, Catherine Moore, Nicole Player, and Matthew Siroty

perform at NJPAC with the 2017 All State Mixed Chorus

WHS Chorale performs at the November 4th football game

against Scotch Plains Fanwood High School! On November 4th,

the WHS Chorale performed the

Star Spangled Banner at the “Salute to our Servicemen and Women”

game against Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.

Chorale Performs Star Spangled Banner at November 4th Football

Game

Students in Mixed Chorus practice

their Curwen hand signs

WHS Orchestras Things are getting exciting here in

the WHS Orchestras as concert time is fast approaching! Our performing

groups have already had a number

of exciting events in addition to those coming up. On November

18th, the Chamber Orchestra was invited to and participated in the

2nd Annual Rutgers University

String Day (pictured below). The events of the day included a

stunning performance by the Rutgers Faculty String Quintet, a

workshop sponsored by D‟addario Strings, personal coaching sessions

from the RU staff, an adjudicated

performance, and a public performance that included a

combined piece by all 5 participating schools. The WHS Chamber

Orchestra was able to take away

some helpful tips and suggestions for future performance, as well as,

an award for “Best Visual/Stage Presentation”. Other participating

schools included J.P. Stevens

(Edison), East Brunswick High School, Summit High School, and

Rahway High School.

Meanwhile, we continue to prepare

for the upcoming Winter Concert. The WHS Orchestra Winter Concert

will take place on Thursday

December 14th at 7PM in the Westfield High School Auditorium.

Both the String Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra will be

performing. The program will

include pieces by Holst, Gershwin, Mozart, Bach, among many other.

We are very excited to share the wonderful music and show our hard

work over the past few months! We hope to see as many of you there as

possible!

Drama

The Man Who Came to Dinner

The Westfield High School Theatre

Department presented The Man Who Came to Dinner, by George S.

Kaufman and Moss Hart, as their fall

production. The Man Who Came to Dinner is the story of an arrogant

radio personality who becomes an unexpected houseguest at a

prominent family‟s house and creates chaos for everyone. This


hilarious play featured an amazing set, designed by Roy Chambers, the

WHS Art teacher and award winning

Scenic Designer, and was constructed by the WHS Scenic

Design club and the Stagecraft class. The entire production,

especially the performances of all of the students, was truly amazing and

provided an evening that will not

soon be forgotten by the audiences or the students. The show was an

extremely successful production which played to full houses for all

performances and ended with

standing ovations. Featuring over 100 student actors and technicians,

the production clearly demonstrated the myriad talents of the WHS fine

arts students and their various disciplines. The Man Who Came to

Dinner continued to illustrate the

high level of excellence that the WHS Theatre Department has

become known for, which includes nominations for multiple actors,

directors and best overall

productions from both the Montclair State University Theatre Night

awards and the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards. Last fall„s

production of The Romeo and Juliet,

received six nominations and won “Outstanding Performance by an

Actress in a Supporting Role” for Abigail Connolly. The students of

the WHS Theatre Department have, once again, demonstrated their

passion, talent and dedication to

achieving the highest possible standards of theatrical performance.

Roosevelt

Intermediate

Art

The 6th graders in Miss Suchy‟s classes completed Cubist portraits

inspired by Braque and Picasso.

These interpretive portraits combined the fragmented

characteristics of Cubism with

colorfully blended oil pastels.

The students in Miss Suchy‟s art classes are well on their way at RIS.

The 7th grade classes studied 2

point perspective and what a challenge it was! Through all the

hard work, the students produced haunted houses combing their

understanding of 2pt. Perspective

with architectural elements of Victorian Houses.

Music

RIS Bands

The Roosevelt bands are very

excited to present their winter concert on Wednesday, December

6th at 7 PM at Westfield High School. All three concert bands and

two jazz bands have spent the past

several weeks preparing a variety of challenging repertoire. Here is a

brief preview of the evening‟s music:

The 6th grade band will open the

concert with “The Star-Spangled

Banner”, under the direction of Mr. Doyle. Ms. Karen Hauge will then

lead the ensemble in “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from

Tchaikovsky‟s “Nutcracker Suite”.

This is a very popular melody that has been arranged appropriately for

middle school band. The final piece the 6th grade will perform is “March

from First Suite for Military Band” by

Gustav Holst. Holst‟s First Suite is a mainstay in band literature, and this

easier arrangement of the march section introduces young musicians

to standard band repertoire.

Jazz Band II will take the stage

next, performing the swing chart “Hot Chocolate” from the movie The Polar Express. They will then perform a Latin-style arrangement

of “White Christmas”. This ensemble

is comprised of 7th and 8th graders, many of whom are in the jazz

program for the first time. They have done a fantastic job preparing

these two pieces in only a handful of rehearsals!

The 7th grade band will begin their portion of the concert with an

arrangement of John Lennon‟s “Imagine”. This arrangement

captures the peaceful, lilting quality

of the rock-ballad while providing several technical challenges for the

band. Next, Mr. Doyle will lead the

band in a beautiful middle-school band standard “A Childhood Hymn”.

Composer David Holsinger weaves the melody of this lullaby-like tune

throughout the band, and

challenges students with its slow tempo and lush harmonies. Ms.

Hauge will lead the band in their final piece, a medley of the two

popular holiday tunes “Let It Snow”

and “Winter Wonderland”.

Jazz Band I will perform next. Like Jazz Band II, Jazz Band I only

rehearses once a week. These 7th and 8th grade students, many of

which have jazz experience, play

more challenging music and are asked to do much of the

preparations on their own. This ensemble will perform a swing chart

titled “First Time Around”, a Latin

chart called “Rest Ye Merry Samba”, and a jazz standard, “Don‟t Get

Around Much Anymore”. This group will also perform on December 22nd

at the north side elementary schools

as part of our annual holiday recruitment tour.

The 8th grade band will close out

this year‟s winter concert. They will open with “March On, America”, a

medley of famous marches. Ms.

Hauge will then lead the band in a challenging arrangement of

“Coventry Carol”, an old English folk carol. Mr. Freeman and the band

will end the evening with a fun and

spirited arrangement of “Hava Nagila”.

On November 13th, the 8th grade

band performed at the annual RIS Veterans Day Assembly, where RIS

honors and thanks a member of our

school community who has served in the armed forces. The band

performed “March On, America” as guests entered and exited the

gymnasium. During the ceremony

trumpet players Richie Panikiewsky and Jack Tedesco performed a

stellar rendition of “Taps”, the

solemn bugle call. Mr. Doyle and the 8th Grade Band are always honored

to be a part of such a wonderful event.

The 8th grade band will also be participating in the WHS recruitment

day on Wednesday January 10th. The band, chorus, and orchestra will

travel to WHS and spend an

afternoon performing with their high school counterparts. The bands will

be rehearsing in preparation for a performance on the evening of the

10th, where they will join the 8th grade concert band from EIS, the

WHS Wind Ensemble, and the WHS

Marching Band for a concert in the high school auditorium. This is a

yearly event and is an excellent opportunity to see the wide range of

talent in the Westfield band

program. The concert begins at 7pm.

Mr. Doyle, Ms. Hauge, and Mr.

Freeman would like to thank the

entire Westfield community for their continued support for our students

and the arts. We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

RIS Chorus

The 6th Grade Chorus is busy

preparing for their Winter Concert scheduled for Wednesday December

20th at 7pm at Westfield High School. Students enjoy fun warm-

ups that help us achieve our “group

mind” and best possible sound. Favorite warm-ups include our

whoosh around the room, shake-down and solfege rounds. In

addition, we are brushing up on our music vocabulary and music reading

to help us improve our musicianship

and read music on our own.

The Sharps and Flats will be performing at the Winter Concert

scheduled for Wednesday December

20th at Westfield High School. They most recently performed the Star

Spangled Banner at the RIS

Veterans Day Assembly and sounded wonderful! In addition to

the Winter Concert, upcoming performances include singing for the

Elementary School Tour on Friday

December 22nd and Rotary Club Luncheon. We are very proud of

these very talented singers and appreciate all they do for RIS and

the Westfield community!

The RIS 7th grade chorus has been

doing great work through the autumn. We are using the Jenson

Sight Singing method to help students understand rhythm

reading. We are going to delve into

the pitch aspect of the method after our winter break. The students have

been having a blast using this method and it has improved our

reading skills after two months of

work. They will be performing their Winter Concert on December 20th

at WHS. The 7th graders will sing four selections showcasing their

talent as singers. We are having

great fun preparing the pieces and the students are looking forward to

performing them with an audience. It is going to be a great night of

vocal music!

In addition to preparing for the

Winter Concert on December 20th, the 8th grade chorus is working hard

practicing our sight singing. They are practicing from the Jensen Sight

Singing method, in preparation for

High School Chorus. Most recently, this talented group of 8th graders

performed at the annual RIS Veterans Day Assembly, and did a

fantastic job! In addition, they will be performing at the District Choral

Night on January 17th, as well as the

High School Recruitment Day. We are very proud of our students‟

progress and look forward to more wonderful performances!


Drama

Roosevelt Intermediate School

Presents

The 8th Grade Winter Scene Showcase

Come out and watch our 8th

graders in a winter scene showcase.

Monologues and scenes will be presented. So sit back, relax and

enjoy our show!

When: Friday Jan. 12th @ 7:30 pm

Where: RIS cafeteria

Edison

Intermediate

Art

The 6th grade students in Mrs. Frees class went to the library to do a

research project on endangered animals. They learned about Google

earth and the ability to watch

documentary and live Google images from different environments

on earth. It was an exciting way to learn more about the type of

environment and the visual images

of where the animals they researched were living. We wrote

down facts, took virtual tours, and

found images to help us understand better the world around us. The

students then came back to the classroom and began working with

simple shape to draw their animals. We will then utilize what we learned

throughout the marking period

about shading, value and color to complete a three medium project.

The project will have oil pastel, drawing pencils, and watercolor.

Seventh grade students in Mrs. Frees class were wrapping up the

marking period working with the element of line and using it to

create the principle of art Repetition. Students were asked to

draw a contour line drawing of an

animal. We revisited the concept of positive and negative space.

Students were asked to thoughtfully use color in their patterns and also

in their designs to create Variety

another principle of art. This drawing will be used later in a

sculpture.

The 8th grade students in Mrs. Frees classes are beginning a unit on

pottery. We are studying the work

of the Native American artists. They first were to build a pinch pot, which

is review from 6th and 7th grade ceramic work. They then were to let

the clay dry to leather hard and

then underglaze their work. They then were to carve using the Native

American technique of sgraffito to carve traditional designs into their

work. We watched a video of a

pueblo artist from start to finish, including building a fire kiln. We

watched to learn the artistic process and to discuss how much easier we

have it in our modern classroom to create works of clay.

Students in 6th grade art are focusing on learning about the

Elements of Art, what they mean,

and how they are applied to works of art. In addition, students have

studied several styles of art making including non-objective, abstract,

and realism. They are learning to use line to create a sense of space

in one point perspective drawings,

understanding how we perceive the world around us that includes

houses, buildings, sidewalks, roadways, etc., and the idea that as

objects move away from us they get

smaller, closer together, and less detailed.

Seventh grade students are focusing

on the Element of Art known as

Line, creating different line qualities, using line to create the illusion of

Form, as well as using line to create a sense of movement in a work of

art. They are practicing techniques related to Op Artists, who create

optical illusions through the use of

Line and Shape, often using only black and white. When done

properly, there is a visual vibration that is sensed based on how our

brain perceives and interprets the

visual information. Continuing on with their study of the Elements of

Art, students then continue to build on their knowledge of line in Linear

Perspective drawings, creating the

illusion of space within a work of art.

Crafts students finished up an

extensive unit on clay, using pinch,

coiling, and slab techniques to make a variety of decorative and

functional works of art. Having discussed techniques of glazing and

the chemistry related to ceramics, students practice using different

glazes to enhance the aesthetic

beauty of their functional creations. Moving forward, Crafts students will

be working on a sewing unit, creating original decorative pillows,

puppets, and banners.

Music EIS Bands

It is going to be a wonderful concert season for the EIS Bands.

Performing for the first time as Edison students, the 6th Grade Band

is looking forward to showing how

much progress they have made in only 4 short months of being in

middle school. The 7th Grade Band will perform a sure crowd favorite,

“Santa at the Symphony.” The 8th

Grade Band will cap the performance with a thrilling

rendition of “Ukrainian Bell Carol” which demonstrates their musicality

and expressiveness.

The 8th Grade Band will travel to

Westfield High School on January 10 to take part in their annual District

Band Concert/8th Grade Music Day. During the school day, students will

hear wonderful performances from

the WHS Choir, Orchestra, and Band. The 8th grade students will

get to sit side-by-side with the WHS Wind Ensemble and see what it was

like to take part in a high school

rehearsal. At night, the students have a performance on stage with

the RIS 8th Grade Band and the WHS Wind Ensemble which will

showcase the great band students

throughout Westfield.

This year, there continues to be a great number of students trying out

for Intermediate Band. The

students trying out have been working hard both at home and at

after school help sessions to fine tune their solos. Last year, 7

students from EIS made this prestigious group. We wish all these

students good luck on their

auditions this year.

The EIS Jazz Band is in full swing. Their winter concert performance

will be filled with many improvised

solos. The group will go on tour to the south side elementary schools

to perform for captive audiences. The Jazz Band is hard at work

preparing for the Breakfast with the

Bands coming up on March 3rd.

In very exciting news, the EIS Flute Ensemble has been selected to perform at the NJ Music Educators Conference in East Brunswick in February. The Flute Ensemble is comprised of students in grades 6-8 who meet after school working on music just for flutes. This is the first time that any group from EIS has been selected to perform at this premier conference.

EIS Chorus The EIS Broadway Singers are

gearing up for another terrific

concert season. On Friday,

December 8th, the Singers will be performing as part of the Westfield

Recreation Department‟s annual Holiday Concert. They will be

sharing the stage with the Westfield

Community Band under the direction of Maestro Thomas

Connors. The concert will be held in the Westfield High School

Auditorium and will begin at 7:30

PM. Other concerts include the Annual EIS Vocal Music concert on

Tuesday, December 19th at 7 PM, also held in the High School

auditorium. In addition to these two public events, the Singers will

also do outreach performances at

Lincoln, McKinley, Jefferson and Tamaques Schools. The Singers

perform under co-directors, Ken Horn and Steve Markowski, who are

excited to lead this dynamic group

of students.

The EIS Holiday Vocal Music Concert on December 19th will also include

performances by the EIS Sixth

Grade and Seventh Grade Choruses, under co-directors Kristine Smith-

Morasso and Ken Horn, as well as the Eighth Grade Chorus under

director Kristine Smith-Morasso. The concert promises to be a highlight

of the holiday season.

Franklin

Elementary

Art

The Art Students of Franklin School

are moving in a creative direction.

They are experiencing a wide variety of media with an extensive

exposure to many projects. Each project is designed for growth and

student learning.

The 2nd grade students under the

direction of Mrs. Coveney are


working on symmetrical and asymmetrical portraits. After

observation and discussion of Pablo

Picasso‟s faces, the student‟s interpretation of this concept

certainly developed. The difference could be seen and was appreciated.

Texture is the next element of art, which is being introduced.

Aluminum foil and sharpies are the

media of choice. Fish are the subject matter as they shimmer on

the background. The end result is always a success.

The 3rd grade students observed a Mask design and discussed its

purpose and symmetry. Symmetry was the essential question used for

this particular project. A mask was drawn and designed using a

technique of a black crayon line

which created shapes. The shapes were then colored in using bright or

neon colors. A black tempera wash coated the entire drawing and a

“wax resist” technique finished off

the creative process. Crayon was the medium of choice which proved

to be effective.

The 4th grade students are studying

value. Value is how much darkness and lightness appears in a color. A 9

step value scale is drawn up and the students can see and create many a

variety of gray. Once they experience and understand the

black and white scale, color will be

introduced and a still life will be drawn. Crayon will be used for

blending and shading. Their 2D flat work will begin to take on a 3D

effect. Success can be seen.

The 5th grade students are exploring

and creating Pop Art. This movement and style is when the

artist uses everyday objects to create Art. Claes Oldenburg is their

inspiration and their everyday

objects are a wide variety of food items. The understanding of a 3-D

shape and form can be seen in their sculptures. These will be enhanced

with utensils, straws or appropriate

cups. Excitement and creativity is evident.

The Art students are busy and

enjoying their opportunity to create!

Music

“It‟s a holiday of singing, listening, playing along.” At least that‟s what

the fifth graders have been singing as they prepare for their winter

choral concert on Tuesday,

December 12th at 7 PM. They have worked hard these past few months

to put this wonderful concert together. They‟ve learned how to

read an octavo score, blend their

voices, play a I-vii shift in Dorian on the Orff instruments, and much

more. This will be an exciting evening as we celebrate the holiday

season! In addition to our school

chorus concert, 42 fifth graders will also be performing with the NJ

Festival Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Wroe for their

“Home for the Holidays” concert.

Our 1st graders have been composing more using the

elemental rhythm blocks from their

known songs and rhythms. They then transferred their compositions

to instruments. In December, they‟ll discuss the four main families of the

orchestra and explore movement through their active listening during

each orchestral excerpt.

The 2nd graders have been busy reading and identifying through

listening to various melodic patterns

using the pentatonic scale as Mr. Geyer plays the recorder. They also

composed using their new rhythms and then added pitches with a

tetratonic scale. It‟s great listening to all of the creativity happening in

our classroom.

Our 3rd graders have been

exploring, practicing, and composing songs and chants using

their new rhythm the sixteenth

note. One of the games they played that incorporated this concept was

“Chicken on the Fence Post”, a concentric circle dance with an

exciting game at the end. They also

composed chants using their known rhythms in aabc form and discussed

the importance of using a cadence rhythm so that their composition

feels complete.

In 4th grade, our students have been busy composing using

concepts such as melodic and rhythmic ostinati, melodies, and

major and minor modes. As

complicated as this may sound, it‟s been simplified through the website

Isle of Tune, which allows them to apply these concepts while creating

their own island full of sounds.

Throughout December we‟ll sing Christmas, Hanukkah, and other

season favorites and even accompany one of these songs on

the tone chimes as we explore chord changes.

Jefferson

Elementary

Art

It was a very creative Fall season for Jefferson Students! I need to

especially congratulate the 5th graders on their Day of the Dead

sculptures, they were beautiful!

Fifth graders have moved on to learning about dynamic composition

and applying the Principles of Design in their Dr. MLK Jr. Poster

contest. Fourth graders are just

starting their One Point Perspective Unit. This is probably the most

difficult concept in Art to grasp, in their time in elementary school.

Because of its difficulty, the kids

work really hard and get more of a sense of accomplishment than with

any other art lesson during their entire elementary school careers.

At the end of 5th grade, when we

look back and pick our favorite art lessons from all 5 years, One Point

Perspective ALWAYS makes the list. It‟s difficult, and long, so we will be

taking a 2 week break in the unit to work on the MLK Poster contest

before December break.

Third Graders are having a blast

learning about Paul Klee‟s life and how he didn‟t want to be boxed- in

by one style or genre of art.

Realism, Impressionism, Surrealism, Cubism, he experimented with

everything that inspired him, like an artistic scientist. The children are

focusing on his surreal painting of

Bird on Cat, using chalk pastels to depict their own dreamy animals

with things on their minds. After this messy lesson we will be taking our

artistic journey to Australia to start planning our Aboriginal X-ray

paintings. Did you know that the art

teacher, Mrs. Ciotti, actually LIVED there for 6 months, working as a

wildlife ranger? There are a plethora of fun animal facts coming

their way!

Second graders have just started

their Facial Proportion Unit. In the fall we worked on body proportions

and now we are getting a bit more detailed. Did you know your eyes

are halfway down your head? This

is an astonishing revelation to second graders! We work on the

parts of the face, focusing on the Shape, Size and Placement of each

facial feature. No more “L” noses, or

“alien eyes” on your forehead! They will use and review these ideas

through all of their years in

elementary school, just ask a 5th grader trying to draw the portrait of

Dr. MLK Jr.; facial proportion is reviewed all the time.

CALL FOR DONATIONS… You

know those Chinese food bowls that you get when you order a lunch

special? (black or white plastic). Jefferson Art needs your throw

away plastic bowls! Please leave

them in the art office. Thank You!

The first graders at Jefferson have

been focusing on line, shape, pattern, color and form during the

first few months of school. We will

start building on these elements of art in December and January, when

we create Night Owls, and Snowman Prints.

Music

McKinley & Jefferson 4th & 5th Grade Strings

The McKinley and Jefferson 5th

grade string orchestra are hard at work preparing for their Winter

Concerts. Their concert will include

traditional holiday favorites, such as, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”

and “Chanukah, Chanukah,” as well as Vince Guaraldi‟s “Christmas Time

is Here,” from A Charlie Brown Christmas.

The 4th grade beginner string students are making great progress

learning a brand new instrument!

They are working hard to master the many skills that go into playing

a string instrument, including note reading, listening, and left and right

hand technique. The students are eager to perform in the Spring!


McKinley

Elementary

Art

In 1st grade, we will be working on

geometric shape robots. Students will be creating these robots out of

colorful construction paper. They

will practice overlapping shapes, as well as be able to create interesting

details using tin foil and sharpie marker. Each robot will be unique

and filled with personality.

Second graders will be working on

wild side/calm side self- portraits. For this project, we will be focusing

on how lines can be used to portray different feelings. Focusing on the

feelings of wild and calm, students

will create an original portrait that displays examples of each

throughout. We will be using a mixture or colored pencils and

watercolor paints to help bring

these portraits to life.

The 3rd grade students will be learning about how to create and

paint texture. We will be making an original owl drawing made up of

different lines and shapes. These

drawings will be traced in glue to create texture and painted using

metallic paints.

Fourth grade students will be

working on self-portraits. The purpose is to learn about the lines

of proportion and to be able to apply these concepts when placing

facial features on the human face.

Each student will work hard to create a unique self-portrait that

best represents them.

In 5th grade, students will be creating still-life sneaker drawings.

Together we will learn to break

down a sneaker into its simplest form. Students will start by creating

an outline or basic shape of the

shoe, then break it down into different lines and shapes, and

finally bring it all together, paying close attention to fine details. Once

students have a drawing that they are happy with, we will add color

using watercolor paints.

Music

The 1st and 2nd graders at McKinley have been busy learning

about rhythm! In the picture featured, students are creating

rhythmic patterns using Play-Doh and making the notes come to life

using makeymakey! Makeymakey

connects the computer to the notes to create a circuit that plays drum

sounds when the students touch the notes. Students will be focusing

more on musical instruments and

their sounds next month through famous pieces such as the

Nutcracker!

The 3rd and 4th grade Music students at McKinley Elementary

have been focusing on rhythm

during the month of November. The classes performed their own rhythm

trains and learned the song “No More Pie”. I hope that some of

these musical activities made it to your Thanksgiving table! The month

of December will bring lessons

about the timbre of the different instrument families and how they

produce sound. There are many great story books that further

explore the instruments of the

symphony orchestra, especially “The Remarkable Farkle McBride” by John

Lithgow that may be fun to read with your family. Explore and Enjoy!

The 5th graders at McKinley have

prepared a wonderful concert for

December 13th! The students will close the concert with the classic

holiday song, Jingle Bell Rock. In the classroom students observed

the week of code in music by using

Osmo Music Coding Jam as seen in the picture below. Students were

able to compose their own songs using the iPad and the Osmo

software.

Tamaques

Elementary

Art

The 1st grade students have just finished learning about real and faux

texture. They constructed bas-relief scarecrows with a wide array of

different textural materials such as

raffia, burlap, felt, and buttons. They also simulated texture and

created designs with tempera paint on the scarecrow‟s shirt. They look

fantastic!

Grade 2 is currently learning about

tints and shades. They started by creating small planets with oil

pastels to learn to balance the black and white with color. Next they will

compose their planets into super

galactic galaxies complete with space ships and alien beings! They

will further explore tinting and shading with paints when their

galaxies are complete.

The 3rd graders are hard at work on

their weaving unit. Always a class favorite, the students are exploring

textures and patterns as they weave their yarn into their looms. Many

students request to work outside of

class on this project because they enjoy it so much!

Fourth graders are finishing up their

unit on expressive landscape

painting. They analyzed Van Gogh‟s Starry Night and learned about fore,

middle, and background in composition. This super fun messy

project is accomplished using pastel chalk instead of paint brushes. It

also afforded the students an

opportunity to experiment with textural surfaces by mixing paint,

pencil shavings, and sand into their work. Soon they will begin drawing

one point perspective bedrooms.

Fifth grade has begun their Pop Art

unit. They learned about Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg and other

prominent Pop Art artists. Next they drew sketches of Pop inspired

sculptures. They have begun

constructing their designs with newspaper and other assorted

materials. They will begin the plaster and paint process soon.

Look for a super display of these

sculptures when they are complete!

Music

Tamaques & Washington

4th & 5th Grade Bands The Tamaques and Washington 4th

grade band students are off to a

great start! We have learned proper playing posture, correct

embouchure (the way in which a player applies their mouth to the

mouthpiece of a brass or wind instrument), and quite a few notes

already. We are making great

progress!

The 5th grade band students are so excited about our holiday concert!

We have been practicing The Good King Rocks, Chanukah Joy, Invasion of the Christmas Crabs, and First Winter‟s Sleigh Ride. We are excited about continuing the year with more

challenging repertoire. Have a

wonderful holiday!

To begin the winter months, many

vocal music classes include an introduction and review of the

various qualities and characteristics of the four instrument families. The

lessons are reinforced by the

holiday concerts presented by our Band, Strings, and Chorus

programs. In addition to performing a stellar program including crowd

favorites like “Do You Want to Build

a Snowman?”, “Hanukkah Nagilah”, and “The Christmas Song”, our 5th

graders enjoy a series of history lessons covering composers from

the 17th century to today. Through

various games and activities, our 3rd and 4th graders study how form

plays a part in composition, while our 1st and 2nd graders listen for

the instruments they have learned

through varying styles of music.

Washington

Elementary Art

First graders are combining literacy

and the arts while creating their watercolor mitten collages inspired

by Jan Brett's book The Mitten. Each

year I find myself more and more excited to teach this lesson, as a 1st

grader I LOVED The Mitten, and it's always so much fun for me to share

a piece of my own childhood with my students. After reading the

book, The Mitten students designed

their mittens with oil pastels added color with watercolors and then

collaged them onto their heart backgrounds. Keep an eye out

because these finished pieces will

soon be on display on the Washington School bulletin board!

The 2nd graders are combining

simple shapes to create more

complex forms as they put the finishing touches on their Winter

Cardinal Drawings. I love teaching a broad theme like "how to draw

birds" and following it with giving students the freedom to design their

own background. I love seeing

what students come up with when they are allowed to explore their

own ideas within a work of art.


Third graders are creating color wheel inspired eyes as they learn

more about primary, secondary &

complimentary colors. As part of the third grade SGO, students will

be required to learn these colors and their compliments. Folding

these broader art terms into hands-on lessons makes learning our

colors and making art feel like fun

instead of work!

The 4th grade is exploring the idea of creating collaborative art while

working in groups to create their

Keith Haring inspired drawings. While learning about Keith Haring

we discussed how his work has a narrative and often tells a story.

Students were encouraged to work collaboratively in groups to

brainstorm their own story and then

tell it through their collaborative artwork.

Fifth grade has been studying the

works of the famous American

painter Wayne Thiebaud while creating their own pastry inspired

still life drawings. The 5th graders have been paying special attention

to their use of light, shadow, and

color and have been working to create artwork that has a sense of

depth and realism. They created the pastries of their choice while

working on this Wayne Thiebaud inspired project and created artwork

that has a bold use of light and

color.

Music

The students at Washington School

are fresh off Thanksgiving break

and their Fall sing-along! The two sing-alongs were packed full of

songs about Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Veteran‟s Day

and the children all looked so festive

as they sang for their family and friends. It was a resounding

success, with smiles abounding through the whole school! Our next

Washington School performance will

be on December 5th at 7pm and will feature our fabulous 5th grade band

and 5th grade chorus.

Through the month of November, our focus was on rhythm and

tempo, and the whole school has

excelled at chanting, decoding, and reading rhythms. Third, fourth, and

fifth graders are now able to read these rhythms on their own, and

look forward to the time coming

very soon in which they will have all the knowledge and tools they need

to write their own music! The fantastic 1st and 2nd graders learn

their folk songs faster than they can be taught, and one of their favorite

songs is “Ram Sam Sam,” which

they can sing as a round with no help. Their musicianship blossoms

more and more each day.

All grades are looking forward to

learning more about the different sounds of the music around us in

the coming months. Tone and timbre will be explored as the year

comes to a close, and students will

use their knowledge about the particular sounds created by

different instruments to learn about the families that those instruments

fall into. In January our focus will shift to form and style, and we will

learn more about how music is

composed of different sections that repeat in a certain pattern to make

a whole work. We have already been exploring the idea of form all

year long with our guided

movement activities; ask your child which one is their favorite!

Wilson

Elementary

Art

First graders in Mrs. Massenzio‟s

classes are learning all about Eskimos. We read a story about a

little Eskimo boy who cared for an

orphaned wolf pup. The students were excited to create their own

little Eskimo, complete with a 3-D fur hood and fishing poles ready for

ice fishing! This lesson focused on

texture, shapes, and small motor skills.

Second grade students learned

about parrots and toucans from the tropical rainforest. After perfecting

their sketches, they transferred their

drawings onto large cardboard. The children enjoyed using feathers, and

tempera sticks to add details. This lesson emphasized form, color,

texture and shape.

The 3rd grade students were quite enthusiastic as they painted

beautiful cherry blossom branches in blue and white porcelain vases.

Students learned that Japan first donated cherry blossom trees to

Washington, DC in 1912. The

children enjoyed learning various painting techniques. This lesson

focused on symmetry vs. asymmetry, how to create tints and

shades, and how to create a

balanced composition.

Fourth grade classes at Wilson explored positive and negative

space within a picture. Positive

space is usually the subject, and negative space is all the space

surrounding the subject. The students were amazed when they

learned about a famous optical illusion, in which the positive and

negative space can be interchanged,

depending on which you focus your

eye on. Danish psychologist, Edgar Rubin developed this in 1915.

Depending on how you look at the picture, you either see two profiles

looking at each other, or you see a

vase. Students recreated Rubin‟s Vase, using their own profiles.

Flowers were added if they saw the vase.

The 5th graders in Mrs. Massenzio‟s classes created wonderful self-

portraits that will be used in their 5th grade yearbooks. Before cameras

were invented, artists used

paintings, drawings, and sculpture to record history. In order to make

the portraits look more realistic, they learned about shading, and the

proper placement of features. Symmetry, texture, color, and line

were highlighted in this lesson.

Lincoln

School

Our kindergarteners are working hard while in art class – painting

and drawing. In December and January, we will be working with

primary and secondary colors and

the book Mouse Paint, and creating perspective in a winter landscape

and adding a bit of sculpture in for fun.

Our littlest students in pre-k have been hard at work creating

wonderful art with a focus on the autumn holidays. In December and

January, we will be focusing on

warm and cool colors, 3-dimensional design including sculpture and

collage with some patterning mixed in. Should be a fun time for all!

Students at Lincoln are getting ready to celebrate the holidays with

our Polar Express day on December

22! Students have been working hard to learn some fun holiday

songs including the Polar Express‟ “Hot Chocolate” a favorite for the

kindergarteners!

The kindergarteners are also

preparing for Grandparent‟s and Special Person‟s day on January

26th. The special day will feature a few songs dedicated to the

student‟s favorite people! In the

featured picture students were composing rhythmic patterns of

quarter notes and eighth notes using different flavors of pie!

The Department of Visual & Performing Arts would like to thank the Westfield Coalition for the Arts for their generous donations benefiting so many students throughout the district this year. Wenger Cello Rack for WHS

iPad for RIS Art Classroom

Yamaha HD-200 keyboard &

stand for EIS Bands

HP Colorjet Laser Printer & Digital Cameras for Tamaques

Art Classroom

Please see page 19 for

ways you can help or donate to the WCA.


Support the Westfield HS Band and Choir programs!

$15 Per Tree

Email [email protected] to register

Pick-up will take place on Saturday January 6, 2018

We will not accept registration after 12/31/17. Trees will be delivered to the Westfield Conservation Center.

Questions? Call Chris Vitale at 908-4500 x4551

WESTFIELD COALITION FOR THE ARTS

Dear Westfield Arts Lovers! Fall 2017 The mission of the Westfield Coalition for the Arts is to act as an advocate for the arts in our schools, including music, fine art, theatre, visual art and dance. We speak out on behalf of the arts and their importance in our schools by raising public awareness of the arts‟ programs currently in our schools, supporting the schools when there is no room left in the budget, and encouraging our students‟ artistic endeavors. We cannot do this without your support!

We are very fortunate to live in a community that reveres the arts and strongly believes in nourishing the diverse talents of our youth. This community has demonstrated its commitment to the arts‟ programs by donating to the Coalition. Once again, last year you generously gave over $20,000 for us to support programs in all of the schools. For instance, with your donations, the Coalition

has helped to maintain our robust arts‟ programs and implement new programs such as: ★ Purchase of 5 marching baritones for the WHS Marching Band

★ A clinic and performance by the Rutgers Bassoon Ensemble and their leader, Dr. Chris Wickham for WHS Band

★ Entry fees and partial transportation costs for the WHS Concert bands to attend the CJMEA Concert Band

Festival ★ Shared transportation costs for the WHS Jazz band to attend the Holmdel Jazz Festival

★ Music staff-lined white boards for the Wilson School music teachers in conjunction with the Wilson School PTO

★ Purchase of equipment for working with glass for the Edison Intermediate School fine art and craft classes

★ Funds for opera singer, vocal clinician and music educator, Maureen Francis to work with the WHS choirs

★ Funding for heavy-duty storage shelving for musical instruments at Edison Intermediate School

★ Continuing education classes for WHS art teachers

★ Purchase of 3 double French horns for Edison Intermediate School

★ Purchase of a bass rack for WHS orchestra

The Westfield Coalition is an independent, nonprofit, organization, and we depend solely upon the generosity of supporters and

parents like you! We hope that you will once again demonstrate your commitment to the arts by making a donation today. With your support we can continue to make sure the arts are protected in our schools and that our children continue to have access to outstanding arts programs, supplies, teachers, and extracurricular offerings. We welcome your feedback or any ideas you have to help us with our mission. You can email us at [email protected], visit our Facebook page and visit our website: www.WestfieldCoalitionForTheArts.weebly.com. Please say you will stand with us as art advocates! DONATE TODAY! Simply return the bottom portion of this letter with your donation to WCA Treasurer, 562 Pierson St, Westfield, NJ 07090. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! ~ Margaret Smith, President ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Yes, I/we would like to donate!

Benefactor $500 Sponsor $75

Angel $200 Sustaining Member $50

Patron $100 Donation $_______

In appreciation of your gift of $75.00 or more, your name will be printed in the Winter & Spring concert programs. NAME: (as you would like it listed in the programs)__________________________________________ EMAIL:______________________________________PHONE:________________________________

Yes, I/we are interested in volunteering for the WCA________________________________________

NAME OF WESTFIELD SCHOOL THAT YOUR YOUNGEST CHILD ATTENDS:_________________________

Please make checks payable to Westfield Coalition for the Arts, and mail to: WCA Treasurer, 562 Pierson St., Westfield NJ 07090

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.westfieldcoalitionforthearts.weebly.com/

Arts a la Carte - Westfield Visual & Performing Arts · appropriate fonts for that time period. The...

Documents

Transcript of Arts a la Carte - Westfield Visual & Performing Arts · appropriate fonts for that time period. The...