Celebrating Arts Month at SMCS
While the month of May typically sees students wrapping up summatives and preparing for final assessments, it is also a time dedicated to celebrating the arts and recognizing the incredible artistic contributions of students at St. Michael’s College School (SMCS).
“A ‘celebration of the arts’ is yet another example of how we, as a school community, celebrate and praise the achievements of our students and educate the whole student in a Liberal Arts education,” says Mark Viola ’97, visual arts and technological design teacher at SMCS.
Throughout Arts Month, each of the departments within our arts programme takes time to showcase our students’ exceptional work and talents.
Media Arts
Featured outside of the media arts room this month is a Grade 12 student’s photographic work.
“Henry Li is pursuing Grade 12 art with a concentration in fine art photography,” says Gustavo Escobedo, media arts teacher. “His project is inspired by two of the pioneers of colour photography, Saul Leiter and Ernst Haas. Utilizing reflections and combining poetic text and portraiture with views of a hyper-urban environment, Li created a subtle landscape; part documentary, part dreamlike exploration.”
Music
During the month of May, the Music Department is buzzing with activities showcasing the abilities of our students through numerous events.
At the beginning of the month, Club Bluenote made its return to our cafeteria, with a night featuring student and faculty performances, including our Jr. and Sr. Jazz Ensembles.
May 16 through 18 saw almost 250 music students take the stage for the annual Spring Music Concerts to celebrate the musical achievements of our students with our community.
“Arts Month helps bring to focus the amazing talents of our vibrant arts community here at SMCS,” says Jamie Oatt, Music Department Head. “It comes on the heels of our Spring Musical, another incredible achievement and further evidence of what incredible programmes we offer our students. The student concert on May 17 allowed our full student body to attend a 30-minute performance by our Sr. Concert Band and Sr. Jazz Ensemble, an opportunity for the music students to be fully appreciated by an audience of their peers.”
Oatt adds, “May is a time when the arts students’ abilities come to fruition after a full year of personal practice and full ensemble rehearsals. For our graduating students, May marks the end of their artistic journey with us, but hopefully just the beginning of an appreciation for how art and music can continue to impact their lives.”
Visual Arts
Student artwork, including paintings, t-shirt designs, comic books, and other illustrations, is prominently displayed in the school’s main hallway across from the main office and is among the first things students, staff, and other guests will come across upon arriving at the school.
“May presents the St. Michael’s College School community with an opportunity to celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of our students within the arts,” says Viola. “The Visual Arts department uses this as an opportunity to display work created by many of our students throughout the year in various displays throughout the school. Special congratulations to our graduating students, many of whom will continue their studies within the arts.”
Related links: