 | Welcome to the Fine Arts department at Savannah Country Day.
The center for creative, expressive, and meaningful learning.
At Savannah Country Day, the Fine Arts program exposes students to visual art, general music, choral music, dance, jazz band, theater, drama, photography, orchestra, and technology-based visual arts. Much of the program is performance and studio–based, culminating in exhibits and performances by individual groups as well as performances and exhibits collaboratively produced by the whole department. Class instruction focuses on process, the enhancement of technical skills, communication, performance skills, art criticism, and aesthetic awareness with reference to historical and cultural perspectives. Instruction is augmented by supplementary reading, research, discussion, technology, and exposure to professional artists and performing groups.
Our talented Fine Arts instructors work to develop the student’s ability to access, interpret, and evaluate imagery ,movement, and sound; develop visual/spatial/hearing intelligence; and to build a life-long appreciation and understanding of the arts. Both independent and ensemble work is encouraged to develop self-reliance and confidence and to offer opportunities for social interaction and ethical development. Opportunities exist for student growth through local, state, and national festivals; conferences; and competitions. Students are offered a variety of formal, expressive, and technical experiences with the arts in grades kindergarten through twelve, with traditional Fine Arts Nights serving as cumulative performance assessments.
The arts curriculum reaches students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in obligatory classes. Middle School students are required to take a full year of a fine arts discipline each year. Upper School students are required to have two semesters of fine arts for graduation. Opportunities exist all four years for both exploration and in-depth study in art and music through a variety of electives including advanced placement courses. The ensemble performs each semester and is often involved with school musical productions as choreographers and dancers.
Fine Arts students and faculty receive additional support from the Arts Alliance, a parent-formed and run organization that celebrates the arts at Savannah Country Day.
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Lower School Spring Concert
5/22/2013
Parents, families and friends gathered in Demere Gym on Friday, May 17 to celebrate the end of the school year with a spring concert! The Spring Concert showcased the 3rd, 4th and 5th Grades. There were Strings, Chorus, General Music and even a dance at the Spring Concert. Thank you to all of the parents, teachers, maintenance and staff who helped make the concert a success!
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Upper School Fine Arts Nights
5/3/2013
Upper School student artists recently hosted two evenings to showcase their work. Tuesday, April 30, featured performances by the Orchestra and Varsity Jazz students, along with a fantastic display of fine arts. The infamous Savannah Moonrakers even decided to reveal themselves at this event! On Thursday, May 2, the Chorus students and JV Jazz Band performed for friends and family in Jelks. These evenings illustrate the important role creativity plays in developing self-expression, imagination and confidence in our students. It is truly an integral part of the Country Day experience.
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The Good Doctor
4/29/2013
The Upper School production of The Good Doctor received rave reviews from audience members during their three shows this past weekend! The comedy, directed by DJ Queenan and starring the Amazing Students of the SCDS Drama Department, did not disappoint! The hilarious show by Neil Simon & Anton Chekov elegantly weaves eight of Chekhov’s stories into a laugh-out-loud experience complete with tricky con artists, ridiculous slapstick, and heartwarming musical numbers.
Congratulations to DJ and his students for a show-stopping performance! Click here to see photos from the show!
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Savannah Youth Sings
4/16/2013
On Monday, April 15, the heart-warming Savannah Youth Sings concert raised money to help Hurricane Sandy victims who are still in need of our support. The SCDS Middle School and Upper School chorus students performed with other local schools on the Lucas stage in downtown Savannah. The singers were thrilled, as this was the first year the students were part of the Lucas Performance! Congratulations to Maaja Roos and the Middle & Upper School Chorus students who made us so very proud! Click here to see a video from the evening.
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Chorus Students to perform in Lucas Theater!
4/2/2013
It seems that not only spring is in the air, but that music is in the air as well! On April 15, SCDS Middle School and Upper School chorus students will perform with other local schools on the Lucas stage in downtown Savannah! The students are very excited to perform in the Lucas Theater, especially knowing that they are singing for a cause greater than themselves: for those that have suffered from Hurricane Sandy. This will be the first year that SCDS Middle School singers will be part of the Lucas performance.
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Georgia Governor's Honors Program
3/22/2013
The Georgia Governor's Honors Program is a summer residential instructional program (four weeks in 2013) designed to provide intellectually gifted and artistically talented high school students challenging and enriching educational opportunities not usually available during the regular school year. This year, two SCDS students, received this prestigious honor. Congratulations to Sophomores Danny Park and Rachael Tao!
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Jungalbook!
3/18/2013
Under the direction of Cristina Rodriguez-Carretero, the Middle School Drama Department proudly presented Jungalbook. Elaborate set design transformed the Middle School's Andrews Assembly Room into a magical jungle setting. This adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, embodies the spirits of loyalty, adventure, and betrayal. Congratulations to these talented students and their families!
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Chrissy Glover Awarded a National Silver Medal
3/15/2013
Congratulations to Chrissy Glover ('13) on her National Silver Medal through the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards program. Her oil painting is one of 52 artworks from Georgia that will advance to the 2013 National Celebration Event in New York City on May 31 and June 1. National Medalists are celebrated at a prestigious Carnegie Hall ceremony and have their work showcased in reputable galleries in New York City. Chrissy is one of 8 SCDS students whose work will be shown at the State Awards ceremony on the 23rd of this month in Atlanta.
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have an impressive legacy dating back to 1923 and a noteworthy roster of past winners including Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Robert Redford and Joyce Carol Oates.
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A Jazz-Sea Weekend
3/11/2013
Congratulations to the Varsity Jazz Band, who performed on the Fantasia Stage onboard Carnival's "Sensation" ship during a cruise to Nassau. They sounded amazing, so much so that the appreciative audience gave a standing ovation & called for an encore! The ship's director of music was also impressed with the band's level of professionalism--something we love to hear. THANK YOU to Dave Elliott and the Varsity Jazz Band for representing SCDS so well on land & sea! And, as always, thank you to the Arts Alliance for supporting the most exciting Arts program in Savannah!
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All-State Chorus
2/27/2013
Eleven of our Chorus students joined others from around Georgia to sing at the All-State Chorus Concert at the Civic Center. To be selected for All-State Chorus, students must sing 3 different scales, perform a solo, and sight-read 3 increasingly difficult pieces, with only 30 seconds to look over the music. In addition, they are given a music theory and listening test to complete the audition. Students accepted into the Honors Chorus must then participate in a 2nd audition to determine whether they have learned the designated music. Ms. Roos says, "It is indeed a great honor to be invited to participate in this event, and students are often heard to say it was one of their 'best-ever' experiences in high school, that the joy of singing with the finest students in the state, in a highly charged and motivated environment, is electrifying!"
Our 11 All-State Chorus students are: Evan Blasy, Regan Bowers, Bayne Brannen, Chloe Dunston, Marcus Hardrick, Maya Hardrick, Vu-Anh Nguyen, Andy Paul, Anna Stone, Tristan Tait, and Kate Templeton. Congratulations!
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GMEA All-State Orchestra
2/26/2013
GMEA All-State Orchestra auditions are comprehensive and competitive at each level. Students prepare three octave scales, arpeggios, etudes, and sight reading for the district audition, are evaluated by judges in person, and compete against themselves for a passing score before going on to the state level audition. At the second audition they prepare excerpts and more sight reading and compete against students from across the state. Those earning the highest scores make it into all-state orchestra ensembles. The All-State Orchestras will rehearse and perform this weekend in Savannah. Last year GMEA instituted statewide honor orchestras, and these students will travel to Atlanta in April for a day of rehearsals and a performance in the evening.
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Upper School Chorus Performs at Telfair Museums
2/25/2013
On the evening of Saturday, February 23, the SCDS Upper School Chorus performed as part of the Annual Telfair Ball. In addition to a smaller performance later in the evening, the full chorus performed at the start of the event's white-tie dinner. The evening was such a treat for our students as they were thrilled to be part of such a magical event!
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Visiting Choir on Campus
2/19/2013
The SCDS chorus students were thrilled to have The Georgetown Day School choir stop by today during their concert tour. The students at Georgetown Day School performed concerts in Chapel Hill and Charleston and made sure to stop by Savannah before they returned home. Their Director, Ben Hutchens, was excited to collaborate with our Country Day singers on this visit. The students established friendships through music as their 40-voice choir sang for our students and we returned with some songs of our own. Thank you so much to the choir at Georgetown Day School for stopping by!
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Drowsy Chaperone
2/15/2013
The Upper School Drama department brought the house down with three fabulous performances of The Drowsy Chaperone. Jelks Auditorium was filled each night with friends, family and members of our community as the students put on an incredible show filled with music, dance and lots of laughter. The hilarious show-within-a-show began when a die-hard musical fan played his favorite cast album, a 1928 smash hit called “The Drowsy Chaperone” and the show magically burst to life. Congrats to the amazing Upper School students along with the Drama teacher, DJ Queenan!
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Upper School Fine Arts Night
2/15/2013
On Wednesday evening, the Upper School Fine Arts Department provided family and friends with a wonderful showcase of music and art. The evening began with an interactive art studio where students screen printed t-shirts, threw pottery and painted. The crowd then moved into Jelks Auditorium where they were treated to a fantastic performance by the jazz bands, orchestra, chorus and drama department. These evenings illustrate the important role creativity plays in developing self-expression, imagination and confidence in our students. It is truly an integral part of the Country Day experience.
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Upper School Chorus Students Perform over the Holidays
1/7/2013
On Saturday, January 5, Upper School chorus students traveled to Hilton Head to perform at All Saints' Episcopal Church. The fantastic performance included numerous holiday-related songs and selected works from Handel's "Messiah." Congrats to Maya Roos and the chorus students for spreading holiday cheer throughout the community!
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Congrats!
12/17/2012
David DeVaro and Richard Chen were both chosen as First Alternates at the annual Georgia Music Educators Association piano competition/auditions held at Mercer University! Each student played an 8-10 minute piece from memory before a judge. The students have the potential to be called up for one of 5 recitals/master classes to be held in Athens, GA in January! Congrats to David and Richard!
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Winter Holiday Concert
12/14/2012
The Lower School Fine Arts students spread holiday cheer during their Winter Holiday Concert at Armstrong Atlantic State University. For the first time ever, the program took place in the Fine Arts Hall of the college and the students shined on stage. Third, Fourth and Fifth graders showcased their voices and musical talents for friends, family and the community. Chorus students, Strings students and General Music students were thrilled to share their Christmas and Hanukkah tunes with the packed house. Thank you to all of the music teachers, parents and volunteers that made this fantastic holiday event possible!
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Visiting Artist
12/12/2012
Upper School Fine Arts students have been busy learning from many talented visiting artists lately! For the past couple of weeks, local Ceramicist Rebecca Sipper has been visiting students in Ms. Mulzer's Ceramics class and teaching them about her craft. The students have been learning how to screenprint onto clay and look forward to furthering their technique after Rebecca's departure. Thank you so much to the Arts Alliance for generously funding the Visiting Artist Series!
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Middle School Fine Arts Night
12/7/2012
Country Day parents and community members filled Jelks Auditorium for two evenings to celebrate the Middle School fine arts program. In addition to a showcase of pottery, photography, painting and mixed media, attendees enjoyed performances by the chorus, orchestra, jazz band and drama team. Bravo to our talented Middle School students and their dedicated teachers!
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Outdoor Inspiration
11/30/2012
Many teachers have been taking advantage of the cooler weather by taking their students outside to work on projects or assignments. In Mrs. Eswine's fourth grade art class, students have been using the trees and the nature around them as inspiration for their work. Building on their knowledge of value and how to render forms, the students ventured outdoors to draw and shade images of trees. When the initial drawings were complete, they used oil pastels to apply color to their tree shape for a very realistic finished product.
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SCDS Chorus Performs with the Savannah Philharmonic
11/18/2012
On the evening of Saturday, November 17, members of the Country Day chorus joined the Savannah Philharmonic for a thrilling performance of the cantata Carmina Burana. The evening was especially memorable as it was the first time the Savannah Philharmonic performed at the Johnny Mercer Theatre. Soprano Rebecca Patrick Flaherty, tenor Cooper Nolan and baritone Keith Harris of the VOICExperience Foundation, an educational training program for opera singers, joined the 200+ musicians on stage. SCDS students were honored to be selected as the only upper school chorus to participate in this outstanding evening.
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Upper School Students Shine
11/16/2012
Upper School student artists recently hosted two evenings to showcase their work. Monday, November 12, featured performances by the orchestra and drama students, while the jazz bands played following a fine arts exhibit on the evening of Thursday, November 15. These evenings illustrate the important role creativity plays in developing self-expression, imagination and confidence in our students. It is truly an integral part of the Country Day experience.
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Scholastic Art Awards
11/13/2012
Congrats to the following students for their recent Scholastic Art Awards! All Gold Key and Silver Key award recipients, parents/guardians, and teachers will be invited to an awards ceremony held at SCAD Atlanta on March 23. The Gold Key winners are automatically entered into the national judging with a chance to be exhibited in New York!
Honorable mention:
Justin Chang
Connie Chu (2)
Amanda Edwards
Chrissy Glover
Erika Lewis
Gabrielle Rashleigh
Lily Stephens
Harrison West
Silver Key:
Sarah Boland
Olivia Buelvas
Henry Christian
Ashton Green
Mary Talbot Skinner
Gold Key:
Connie Chu
Sumaya El-Khalidi
Chrissy Glover
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Award Winning Artist Visits Upper School
11/10/2012
As part of the Upper School Fine Arts curriculum, visiting artists often stop by Country Day to teach a variety of master classes to the students. This week, award-winning artist Juliana Peloso dropped by Ms. Mulzer's Honors class to teach realistic renderings using oil paints. The Master Class Series is funded by the Arts Alliance and allows students to focus on different art forms and work with different mediums from professionals in that field. Thank you to Juliana for stopping by and to the Arts Alliance for making this possible!
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Ceramics Students Help Feed the Hungry
11/5/2012
The SCDS Ceramics students are donating homemade bowls to the “Empty Bowl” fundraiser at the Emmaus House Soup Kitchen. The event will take place on Sunday, November 11 from 12-2pm at the Emmaus House and all proceeds from the event will go toward providing critical services to the homeless and hungry of Savannah. To purchase tickets, please call 912.495.8828 or email emmaushousesavannah@gmail.com.
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Jazz Band Rocks out with Christian Tamburr
10/31/2012
Mr. Elliott's Jazz Band was thrilled to have guest artist Christian Tamburr and his quartet stop by and play for them on Wednesday, October 31. Christian Tamburr is a multi-instrumentalist, accomplished on the piano and trapset as well as world and orchestral percussion. His true talent is exhibited on his instrument of choice, the vibraphone. Christian and his band talked to the students about the study of jazz, the importance of practicing and the importance of listening. They talked about what all it takes to make a band sound great together and shared some of their own personal experiences with the students. After playing a few tunes of their own, Natalie Goodman ('14) sang Fly Me To The Moon with the band and both Jack Considine ('16) and Kelly Bouchillon ('14) played solos on guitar.
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Maya Hardrick and Grammy Award-Winning Sherrill Milnes
10/30/2012
SCDS Sophomore, Maya Hardrick, was chosen to attend a Masterclass given by one of the greatest operatic voices of our time, Grammy Award-winning baritone Sherrill Milnes. Maya was one of six local voice students chosen by audition, with only two being in high school. At this special event, sponsored by the Savannah Philharmonic Chorus and Telfair Museums, the opera legend passed on his vast musical knowledge and nurturing educational tools. The event took place on Monday, October 29 and was live-streamed to 20 universities. Congrats to Maya Hardrick!
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Annie, Jr.
10/29/2012
The Middle School Drama department brought the house down with three fabulous performances of Annie, Jr. this past Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Jelks Auditorium was filled each night with friends, family and members of our community as the students put on an incredible show filled with music, dance and laughter. Congrats to the amazing Middle School students along with the Middle School Drama teacher, DJ Queenan!
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SCDS Students at Forsyth Park
10/22/2012
On Saturday, October 13, Ms. Hannon's Lower School music students headed to Forsyth Park to play for the Zoe Foundation's A Walk to Remember. It was a beautiful day for such a fantastic and successful event and the students loved performing in the park. Thank you to the Zoe Foundation for allowing us to take part in your event.
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Lower School Students Take their Music Outdoors
10/19/2012
As the weather finally starts to cool off, music students delight in taking their instruments outside to the campus gardens to practice. Lower School music teachers, Ms. Hannon and Ms. Neal, encourage their students to take their studying outside where they can enjoy the weather and practice in different environments. The next time you visit campus, make sure to look (and listen!) for the music coming from the gardens!
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SCDS Concert Choir Travels to Boston!
10/17/2012
After a visit from Phillips Andover Academy Choir last year, the SCDS Concert Choir travelled to Boston to join Andover on their campus at Cochran Chapel, where the 100 students sang together. Next, our Chorus sang at the Follen Community Church in Lexington, which has a reputation as an "acoustical jewel." SCDS alumnus Jessica Boven, current president of the Boston University Choir, was able to attend and was very impressed with the performance. Great job students!
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Advanced Drama Class WINS One-Act Play Competition
10/16/2012
The SCDS Advanced Drama Class travelled to Americus to compete in the Georgia High School One-Act Play Competition at the Georgia Theater Conference...AND THEY WON!!! Performing "The Laramie Project" at the historic Rylander Theater for a packed house, our 11 students WOWed the crowd. There were over 20 theater groups competing. The Drama Class will be traveling to Louisville, KY in March to represent Georgia in the Southeast Regional competition. CONGRATULATIONS to our Drama students and Director DJ Queenan!
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Mark your Calendar for Annie, Jr.
10/9/2012
Savannah Country Day presents Annie, Jr. starring the amazing students of the SCDS Middle School Drama Department!
Thursday, Friday & Saturday, October 25, 26 & 27 at 7pm in Jelks Auditorium
Directed by DJ Queenan, Musical Direction by Warren Heilman and Choreography by Muriel Miller
Tickets: Adults $12.00/Students $8.00
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Music Alive! at Country Day
10/5/2012
The Country Day strings students were delighted to have two extremely accomplished alums back on campus last week - and in their classrooms! Joseph Conyers('99) and Blake Espy('99) brought fellow musicians to Country Day for an afternoon of music and storytelling. The students learned about the instruments, sang and played along and asked the musicians questions about their craft. According to alum Joseph Conyers, "We turn to Savannah as often as we can to provide educational programs, teaching kids about classical music, giving kids different outlooks on life, about what they can do with their life." Thanks to these talented and inspiring musicians, these SCDS students will continue to pursue their dreams.
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Monet's Garden
10/3/2012
Fifth graders enjoyed the nice weather as they were artistically inspired by our outdoor gardens during Mrs. Eswine's art class last week. As some students remained inside to work on an encaustic painting of our Monet Garden, others spent the class outside painting flowers and greenery and being inspired by the blooming flowers and vibrant butterflies. What an amazing way to spend an afternoon!
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Circle Singing
9/6/2012
SCDS chorus teacher Maya Roos is trilled to introduce Circle Singing to her students in Lower, Middle and Upper School chorus classes. After attending a masterclass led by world-famous musician Bobby McFerrin, she is anxious to implement the concept with her students. Students will gather in a large circle and begin to improvise music. Since there is no left-brain analytic thinking involved, it becomes a marvelous exercise in connectivity and community spirit.
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