Here’s a look at the exciting activities that have been happening in our art and music courses!
What’s Going On In Our Classes – FPPA
Mrs. Patricia Blanchard – RHS
- The Rutherford High School Concert Choir is busy preparing for our upcoming Winter Concert. We will be presenting a variety of choral pieces, including A Festive Gloria, O Magnum Mysterium, The Christmas Song, and The Hallelujah Chorus to name a few. The concert is on Thursday, 12/07 at 7:30 PM.
Mr. John Brigante – UMS
- The UMS Band students performed Pep Band stand tunes at Back To School Night on 9/27/17. Select UMS Band students performed Pep Band stand tunes with the RHS Marching Band in the bleachers at the Homecoming RHS Football game on 10/21/17. Select UMS Band students performed Halloween parade tunes at the Rutherford Halloween Ragamuffin Parade on 10/28/17.
Ms. Robyn Cafiero – RHS
- Foods: Foods courses first covered MyPlate, which is the foundation of the course. The students have learned and cooked a variety of dishes that include grains, quick breads, yeast breads, fruits, vegetables, and meat.
- Fitness through Nutrition: Fitness through Nutrition began their course with learning about the three aspects of wellness, which include physical, mental, and social health. The classes have covered a variety of topics including factors for why we eat, digestive system and digestive disorders, and nutrient guidelines where the students learned how to read food labels, calculate calories and analyze their own diet based on a 24-hour recall. Once a week the students of this course engage in an active meditation session, where they practice proper breathing methods, reduce stress levels, increase self-esteem, and gain a better understanding on how to effectively communicate, listen to others, and advocate for themselves. Writing assignments are given based upon each meditation session.
Mrs. Stephanie Castellano – RHS
- Photography 1 spent the first quarter learning the basic techniques of the advanced digital camera, including using P and S shooting mode in order to create an interesting composition, using the elements of design and capture motion and different depth of fields in their photographs. Photography 1 is currently finishing up a still life shoot where they worked in groups to photograph a product of their choice, and will be starting an advertisement poster in Photoshop.
- Ceramics 1 has learned three of the most basic handbuilding techniques; pinch, coil, and slab, and will be moving into more elaborate techniques, such as relief sculpture, mosaic, hollowed sculpture, and draped slab.
- AP Art History began Semester 1 with a study of the Prehistoric cultures, and have worked our way through the Ancient Near East, Egyptian, Greek, and Roman cultures. Currently we are completing “Art through Religions of the World”, and analyzing the various ways people have interpreted and created artwork from different religions over the centuries.
Mrs. Veronica Grillo – RHS
- Basic Drawing 1 spent the first quarter focusing primarily on observational works in a variety of dry media. Over three projects, they explored accuracy, value, contrast, and mark making in graphite, charcoal, and mixed media (graphite, marker, pen, and colored pencil). These three projects involved students creating intricately detailed studies of personal objects, fabric, and plant life to strengthen their visual acuity and through the work, develop a personal style of mark-making.
- Basic Drawing 2 explored framing and composition by doing in depth studies of the same living object, such as birds, insects, or flowers, and arranging it on the same page. They demonstrated repetition, variation, focal point, and selective color through informed decision making about composition and advanced drawing techniques. Following this work, they created linoleum carvings in order to investigate and demonstrate mark making on a new/complex surface. Currently, they are engaging in printmaking using the blocks they carved and are exploring creative ways to present their prints using various colors and print techniques.
- Studio Art students spent the first quarter exploring technical drawing skills with various different media. The first drawing was the bic pen challenge, where students were asked to create a full range of value and develop accuracy using an original image all while using a single pen. From there, we began our skeleton studies where students explored the technical physicality of bones in the skeletal system and interpreted proportion and space in the skeletal figure in order to translate it to a concept and medium of their choosing.
- AP Studio Art has been very busy! Students have created nine projects so far to continue to build their portfolios based on the requirements of the AP College Board, studio art drawing section. Students have created works based on the study of chiaroscuro, narrative art of Jacques Louis David, the intricate study of forms, investigating the visual interpretation of memories and the relationship a person has to a place, art as activism, and moving away from the “static” image.
Mrs. Geraldine Howard – RHS
- During the first quarter students in Textiles classes learned how to use the sewing machine and hand stitches necessary for everyday repair. They made small pillows by hand and a nine patch pillow by machine to reinforce skills learned.
- Advanced Textiles learned about why we wear clothing and a bit about fashion trends They also learned the differences between fabrics and fibers. And created projects that were made with woven fabrics and knit fabrics. Additionally they practiced some quilting skills by making pot holders and mug rugs.
Mr. Jonathan Kinne – RHS
- Concert Band and wind ensemble are preparing for the winter concert on December 7th. We are playing a variety of music, Baroque to contemporary, from a number of different composers and genres. We are featuring a composer Mr. Larry Neeke from Upstate NY. Mr. Neeke will be traveling to RHS this February to be our featured clinician for our bi annual band day. More on band day to come.
- AP theory is has moved through notation, harmony and rhythm/meter and we are now finishing chord ID and construction. We will be moving into part writing and ear training in the coming weeks.
Ms. Alexis Klubeck – UMS
- The students have been very busy making art at Union School! Over the past quarter, Drawing and Design students have been working on advancing their drawing skills by experimenting with the different elements of art. These students have just finished their intricate sugar skull projects, which were made in celebration of Dia de los Muertos! Now, we are learning how to shade as we prepare for our realistic eye drawings. As for 3D Design, students have been learning how to construct sculptures out of various materials. Projects completed this quarter include paper food sculptures and origami figures. Currently, students are working collaboratively in teams to plaster each other’s hands. After, they will transform these plaster casts into zombie hands. Stay tuned for more exciting updates!
Mr. Steven Mett – RHS
- The TV Production 1 classes have completed Q1 by creating a three-episode Web Series. In these projects the students explored camera angles, camera movements, camera composition and technical camera operation. The TV1 classes are currently working on their Lead-in projects creating a title sequence for the RTV Morning Show. Up next, the TV1 classes will move into the studio and learn all of the jobs needed to produce a live studio production.
- The TV2: Studio Workshop classes have completed their Campus Story projects and Tutorial projects. They are currently exploring new camera and editing techniques in their Free Choice projects. They will soon begin their Documentary projects and the process of planning for our “Short Film projects included a Q2 Treatment and will lead into Q3 with script-writing and the production of the opening title sequence.
- The TV 3: Portfolio Development class closed out Q1 with the production of a series of ENG productions. They are currently working on their EFP projects and will soon come back into the TV studio for the second project of Q2.
- The Photography 2 classes concluded Q1 with a unit on Portraiture. In this unit, the students completed studio portraits, environmental portraits and sports photography assignments. They are now working through a unit on landscape photography with several small shoots along with larger panorama and accordion projects.