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Middletown Public Schools
Fine Arts: A Year in Review 2010-2011
Marco Gaylord, Fine Arts Department Head
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General Music: Grades K‐8 Bielefield Elementary School: Amy Chrzanowski &
Charlotte Soja
The Bielefield school music program
has been very busy this year. General music
students have worked hard on music from
different cultures and genres. The students
have learned concepts that start in
kindergarten with steady beat, high and low
sounds, and simple rhythms all the way up
to fifth grade where they learn how to
compose and perform in a major scale,
sight read music in a major scale, and read
and play 16th note rhythms.
Some exciting projects in general music include Saint Seans’ Carnival of the Animals in first grade,
and Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf in second grade. After learning about the musical fairy tail of Peter
and the Wolf in second grade, the students created their own soundscape to go along with the story
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, and performed it for the kindergarteners and first
graders at Bielefield. Third grade studied classical composers and their music, while fourth grade studied
famous jazz musicians and their music. Grade five learned all about musicals, the history of musicals, and
all the different jobs and people involved in putting on a musical. They sang songs from Hairspray, The
Music Man, The Sound of Music, and Grease.
The Bielefied fourth and fifth grade band has been learning to play and perform on their
instruments as well. The fourth graders start in the beginning of the
year and learn how to put their instruments together, care and
maintanence of their instruments, and how to hold and make
sounds. By the end of fourth grade they are playing simple band
songs as a group. In fifth grade band they start off where they left
off in fourth and continue to learn new concepts, such as dynamic
markings, tempo markings, staccato and tenuto markings, and more
complicated notes and rhythms. The great thing about music classes
and band classes is that the students get to show everything they
have learned and have been working on at their concerts. Bielefield
School puts on two performances a year, one in the winter and one
in the spring. These concerts are K‐5 chorus and fourth and fifth
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grade band. In addition to the school concerts the fourth and fifth grade students perform in the All‐City
Concert as well.
Finally, all music students are currently working on their exit exams, which is a formal evaluation
of all they learned throughout the year. Data from the results will available and evaluated at the end of
the school year.
Farm Hill Elementary School: Hallie Sorenson and Liza
Raboin
The students at Farm Hill worked very hard on becoming young musicians. The have improved in
their music literacy skills. The first and second graders have become independent singers and are
beginning to read music. Second graders began singing in pairs and demonstrated their skills in their
concert on May 20th. The third graders have been introduced to the recorder as a tool for reading music
and have studied the instruments of the orchestra. The fourth grade completed a unit on American jazz
and continued their study of the recorder. The fifth grade has learned about musical forms, continued
their study of the recorder as well as
completed a unit on musical
performing groups and musical
theater. Kindergarten children were
introduced to music through song and
movement as well as playing rhythm
instruments and music games. They
also prepared to perform in the
musical “Tikki Tikki Tembo.” This
musical was presented on June 7th.
The students performed in a
concert in December as well. This
concert featured seasonal and winter
music and included fourth and fifth
graders playing the recorder.
The Farm Hill Drama Club presented their musical production of “Clowns” in mid‐May. Forty
students participated in this musical. They did an outstanding job. This delightful musical featured the
clowns trying to find the secret to happiness. They discover that true happiness come from within. The
musical as a colorful, whimsical event and was enjoyed by the entire student population as well as a full
house for the evening performance.
Lawrence Elementary School: Farah DeAngelis & Charlotte
Soja
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The students at The Lawrence School
have been working hard all year on their
singing voices, playing instruments and moving
to music. All of the students participated in two
concerts. The first took place in December with
the theme “Music is SNOW much fun!” and
featured winter and December Holiday pieces.
The second concert took place in May. Trying
to tie the Jazz curriculum into the performance,
the students presented “Celebrating America”
by singing songs about America and in an
American style. Our general music classes were
based on a scaffolded curriculum. Kindergarten worked on learning vocabulary words to describe music
and how to perform and move to a steady beat. First grade began reading music notation using rhythmic
games and songs. Second grade started to learn about harmony by singing partner songs. Grade three
learned to play recorder and learned about classical composers. Fourth grade spent time on Jazz and
music tonalities. Fifth graders studied musical form and part‐singing. All grade levels were held
accountable for their learning this year.
The “Lawrence School Chorus” met Friday afternoons. There was such an interest in extra music
that fourth graders, who had previously been included, could not be included. About 98% of the fifth
grade class participated in this extra choral program. This group performed special pieces at both our
concerts and some of them even attended extra events outside of school such as the All‐City Festival
and the world premier of “Dear Mother Earth” at Wesleyan University.
Macdonough Elementary School: Farah DeAngelis
The students at Macdonough have been working hard all year on their singing voices, playing
instruments and moving to music. All of the students participated in two concerts. The first took place in
December with the theme “Music is SNOW much
fun!” and featured winter and December Holiday
pieces. The second concert took place in May.
Trying to tie the Jazz curriculum into the
performance, the students presented “Celebrating
America” by singing songs about America and in an
American style. Our general music classes were
based on a scaffolded curriculum. Kindergarten
worked on learning vocabulary words to describe
music and how to perform and move to a steady
beat. First grade began reading music notation using rhythmic games and songs. Second grade started to
learn about harmony by singing partner songs. Grade three learned to play recorder and learned about
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classical composers. Fourth grade spent time on Jazz and music tonalities. Fifth graders studied musical
form and part‐singing. All grade levels were held accountable for their learning this year.
A piano club was held after school on Mondays and Wednesdays. We received two grants to buy
eight keyboards with stands and headphones. Students in grades two through five participated in one of
four 30 minute sessions.
Moody Elementary School: Charlotte Soja
This year Moody’s General music classes had a busy year. The year began with a new curriculum
which was stimulating for the students and the teachers. Over the holiday season students performed
two winter concerts for an audience and one additional winter show in an all school assembly. In
addition, we performed a special assembly/song‐video for a Kindergarten teacher who is home bound
due to illness. The students learned a
special song for this video and it was
performed in a large assembly along with
messages to the teacher.
The spring concerts this year
featured Moody students singing with an
American theme. There were two
performances. In the last few weeks of
school teachers we perform a song and
dance routine for students to kick off the
summer reading program.
In addition to regular concerts an
after school enrichment group called
‘Music Tales’ was organized. Students told/created tales and added musical instrumentation to the
story. The students are completing their end of the year ‘Exit Exams’ which is a formal evaluation of K‐5
students based on the curriculum.
Snow Elementary School: Hallie Sorenson
The students at Snow School worked very
hard on improving their music skills through
singing, playing instruments and playing music
games. All of the students participated in two
concerts this year. The first took place December.
This concert featured music with a winter and
December Holiday theme. The second concert
took place in June. Grades one through three
performed. This concert was a celebration for
Flag Day. It featured patriotic songs. Grade four
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and five along with the Snow School band performed in early June.
The fourth grade performed songs in the style of jazz to culminate their study of American jazz.
The fifth grade performed songs from Broadway musicals. Their songs represented a culmination of
their study of musical theater. The kindergarten rehearsed for their musical “Tiki Tiki Tembo” on May 26.
There were two performances. The first one took place at 2:30 for the school children and then again in
the evening for the school’s curriculum night. The third grade completed a unit on the instruments of
the orchestra. The highlight of the unit was when students from the fifth grade we invited to play their
instruments for the third graders.
The Snow School Drama Club presented “December Nights, December Lights” this year. This
show featured December holiday traditions. Forty three, fourth and fifth graders participated in this
musical production. The program was presented on December 15th.
Spencer Elementary School: Liza Raboin
The students at Spencer School worked very hard this year on singing, playing instruments and
moving to music. All of the students participated in two concerts this year. The first took place in
December. This concert featured music with a winter and December Holiday theme. The second concert
took place in May. As the concert date was very close to Memorial Day, the students presented
“Celebrating America” by singing songs about America in an American style.
There are many curriculum
highlights to celebrate. Kindergarten
worked on learning vocabulary words
to describe music and how to show a
steady beat. First grade started to read
music notation. Second grade started to
learn about harmony by singing partner
songs. Grade three began to play the
recorder and learn about classical
composers. Fourth grade dove into Jazz
and improvisation. Grade 5 studied
musical form and part‐singing.
The Spencer School Chorus met
Wednesdays before school. This group successfully performed two musicals, “My Marvelous Magical
Sleigh” and “Americans All.” The fifth grade African Drumming Ensemble and the third grade Recorder
Club met during recess throughout the year.
Select Spencer School fourth and fifth graders participated in the Middletown All‐City Music
Festival along with Middle and High School students. These select students were also invited to perform
in the premiere of “Dear Mother Earth” that was performed at Wesleyan University.
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Wesley Elementary School: Jeannine Westbrook
Wesley School students have had an excellent musical
year. Kindergarten classes have built a solid foundation in music
reading skills while enjoying singing, playing, and moving to folk
and classical music. Both kindergarten and first graders worked
hard on developing singing voices with a focus on singing in
tune. First graders began learning to read, notate, create, and
play rhythmic patterns in addition to the first formal study of an
instrumental musical piece: The Carnival of the Animals by
Camille Saint Saens.
Second graders built on skills acquired in earlier grades
by taking performance of call and response songs and rounds.
Students learned to read and notate music on the staff. They
conducted and studied the classic musical tale Peter and the
Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev. Third grade students studied the
instruments of the orchestra and learned to classify them into families and identify them by sight or
sound in classical music. Music reading skills were put into action with the study of the recorder. Most
students are now able to read and play melodies with a 3‐5 note range at sight.
Fourth grade students continued to excel in performance on recorders while studying jazz as a
musical genre. Our generous PTA treated us to a performance by Professor Hoggard’s Jazz Orchestra
from Wesleyan University. Fourth graders continued to expand vocal ranges utilizing songs in both major
and minor tonalities. Music reading and notating skills were demonstrated by taking simple musical
dictation; both rhythmic and melodic. The Wesley fifth graders learned to compose short melodies in G
major and play them on recorders. Students expanded vocal ranges beyond a single octave and explored
the difference between reading in the keys of
G major and C major. Students compared
genres of musical theater. In addition classes
learned about the different simple forms of
musical pieces such as AB, ABA, and theme
and variations.
All grades performed in a holiday
concert in December as well as in our
“America” themed concert in June. Select
fourth and fifth graders also performed in the
All‐City Concert and at the world premiere of
“Letters to Mother Earth” at Wesleyan
University. Dance Club, which met Friday
mornings before school incorporated
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interested fourth and fifth grade students. Members of the Dance Club worked collaboratively to
choreograph a group dance that was performed at the spring concert.
The Wesley fourth and fifth grade
band learned to play and perform on
instruments as well. The fourth graders start
in the beginning of the year and learn how to
assemble and maintain instruments. By the
end of fourth grade they are playing simple
band songs as a group. Fifth grade band
continued to learn new concepts, such as
dynamics, tempo, staccatos, tenutos, and
more complicated notes and rhythms.
Students demonstrate skills by formative
assessments and public concerts from
kindergarten through high school.
Finally, all music students took grade level and instrumental music exit exams. Assessments are
written and performance based. Data from the results will be available and analyzed during the summer
in order to continue to improve music instruction at all levels.
Keigwin Middle School: Elisabeth Stevens
The general music program at Keigwin is a course that is intended to develop listening and
writing skills. Students experience many different styles of music through daily listening activities that
contribute to a broad exposure of genres including classical, jazz, and world music. A grade is given daily
for written responses to listening selections. Students are asked to describe the music using musical
terms, list instruments that they identify, and
rate the music. A monthly open‐ended response
writing sample using the TEEES format to support
the district’s writing emphasis in preparing
students for CMTs.
Students in general music also explore
numerous topics in music ranging from history to
theory to basic keyboard skills. All students are
required to keep a journal/notebook as note
taking skills are emphasized. Most exams are
“open notebook” to support the organizational
skills developed at Keigwin. Exit exams were administered in June and will contribute to reorganizing
units so that all students experience maximum success in reading notes and transfer that skill to playing
keyboard.
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Woodrow Wilson Middle School: Aaron Sinicrope & Justine
Gatti
After reviewing basic rhythms and note
names, students composed and performed
rhythms on various percussion instruments.
The students spent the rest of the fall learning
guitar chords and melodies, composing songs
with partners, and performing for the class.
After the winter break, classes spent
time on the keyboards. By playing piano, the
students improved at reading notated music,
and they also learned the basic theory behind
chordal accompaniments. We learned about
form by listening to and discussing music from several different genres: movie soundtracks, oldies,
classic rock, and modern.
Throughout the General Music course, students had the chance to learn about music in a hands‐
on interactive classroom setting. While students were not graded on their ability to sing/perform on
instruments, performing was a large part of the class. Students began the year learning about basic
music theory then had the opportunity to apply their knowledge to percussion instruments, piano, and
guitar. Students performed individually, in small ensembles, and as a class. Many of the students
enrolled in the general music course are not members of the band or chorus and do not necessarily have
the opportunity to experience performing in an ensemble. In an attempt to grasp student interest and
make the learning experience more meaningful for these students they are encouraged chose popular
songs from the radio that they wanted to learn. Through their personal interests, they learned about
major and minor chords, melody versus harmony, melody versus countermelody, and the different
responsibilities expected while performing in a musical ensemble.
Students also had the opportunity to
compose their own raps following specific
guidelines and rubrics, using both percussion
instruments and the keyboards. Students were
required to perform in front of the class and had
the opportunity to record their performances,
allowing them to listen and critique themselves.
In addition to the performance portion of
the class, we focused on the affect music has on
our everyday lives, the human brain, world music,
the evolution of music, and a culminating activity
called “Rock Band” where students combine and
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apply all of their instrument knowledge and skills obtained throughout the year to perform as one large
ensemble.
Middletown High School: Marco Gaylord and Kimberly Everson
AP Music Theory
This year, music theory was offered for the first time in three years. Students honed skills in music
reading, sight‐singing, and dictation. The AP theory exam was taken by 40% of the class on May 9th,
2011. Currently, students are working on arrangements for any ensemble they would like to write for to
develop and use and the skills they have learned.
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Choral Music: Grades 6‐12
Keigwin Middle School: Elisabeth Stevens
Chorus at Keigwin is more than
just a performing ensemble. Music
literacy has been a driving force this year.
Chorus class begins each day with either a
rhythm or pitch reading exercise.
Students receive theory sheets from the
“Sing at First Sight” method. Class then
segues into warm‐up where many aspects
of vocal production and technique are
addressed. The last component is the
learning of repertoire, when students are
encouraged to utilize all the skills
presented to produce a unified sound.
The chorus participated in three concerts this year. The first concert was video taped allowing
the students to watch themselves in order to write a reflective piece addressing what they can do better
as an individual to contribute to the improvement of the ensemble. The All‐City Concert gave chorus
students the opportunity to participate with numerous musical groups at the Freeman Hockey Arena at
Wesleyan. It was a truly spectacular night and was broadcast over the internet thanks to Middletown's
partnership with ihigh.com. Our last concert was on June 7th at Middletown High School.
Woodrow Wilson Middle School: Steve Matthews
The grade level choirs have been working
throughout the year on music fundamentals,
performing with musicality, and presenting a
positive and appropriate demeanor on stage. The
seventh grade chorus performed in the Winter
Concert in December, as well as selected members
in the annual Holiday on Main Street the Friday after
Thanksgiving. The seventh grade group also
performed in the Spring Concert at Woodrow Wilson
Middle School on Thursday, June 9th.
The eighth grade chorus, in addition to
working on proper presentation, concert etiquette, and overall musicality, is more heavily involved in
the performance end of things, having performed in the Winter Concert, Holiday on Main Street, and
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Spring Concert. In addition to these, the eighth graders performed in the town’s annual All‐City Concert
at Wesleyan University on April 2nd, where they were very well received with successful performances of
Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours”, and an
arrangement of the Journey hit, “Don’t
Stop Believin’”. Both songs featured the
talents of several individuals as they
showcased their abilities in solo
performances. This experience proved
to be especially positive for the eighth
graders, as evidenced by the
thunderous applause afterward and
enthusiastic clapping along with the
music.
Additionally, the eighth grade
chorus performed at the Music In the
Parks Music Festival at Hershey Park on May 13th. The chorus had the opportunity to perform for judges,
consisting of veteran collegiate level choir directors, and students from other schools participating in the
festival. Our chorus brought home a 2nd place trophy with an “Excellent” rating.
The select chorus, which is an audition only group that meets once per week after school,
performed with all of the above groups, both as a part of each grade level ensemble, and separately on
its own. The select chorus consists of both seventh and eighth graders, and is a treble choir, meaning it
consists entirely of sopranos and altos. The music of the select chorus tends to be more challenging, to
offer serious singers the opportunity to stretch their musical legs.
Middletown High School School: Michael Gosselin & Ali
Sinicrope
The Chamber Choir students sang the debut of the Glen McClure Oratorio “Dear Mother Earth”
on April 23, 2011 at Crowell Concert Hall with the
Wesleyan Orchestra.
Selected singers from Concert and Chamber Choir
performed in the Charter Oak Music Festival at
Lyman High School on October 9, 2010. Additionally,
choir students lead the singing on the town green for
traditional Holiday on Main Street tree lighting
ceremony.
Chamber Choir singers performed at The
Evening of Elegance on February 13, 2011, the Ryan
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Woods Autism Foundation Concert on February 24, 2011, the Keigwin Cultural Festival on May 18, 2011,
and the Exchange Club Concert on December 4, 2010.
Many music students auditioned for and performed in the Southern Region Music Festival
January 14‐15, 2011 and the All‐state Music Festival April 7‐9, 2011. Both of these events were
sponsored by Connecticut Music Educators Association.
75 selected music students traveled to Virginia Beach for the North American Music Festival’s
music competition from April 14‐17, 2011.
Groups placed either first or second in every
category and scored ratings of “Excellent.”
All choral students from Concert Choir,
Chamber Choir and Gospel Choir performed in
the bi‐annual concert, MHS Goes to the
Symphony. With the MHS band, orchestra,
chorus and soloists all performing their best,
the event was a huge success for the entire
music department!
Instrumental Music: Grades 4‐12 Elementary Schools: Cindy Peterson, Amy Chrzanowski,
Dave Daddrio & Steve
D’Amato
This year approximately 170 students
participated in the instrumental music program at
Farm Hill, Moody and Spencer schools. The fourth
grade bands, fifth grade bands and jazz bands
presented a total of seven concerts. Students also had
other opportunities to play, such as a performance of
the Star Spangled Banner on Flag Day.
We frequently reflected upon our performance
at lessons and concerts. Students were able to critique
their own playing as well as that of the group. Most
notably, students wrote about their experience at the All‐City Music Festival, the groups they enjoyed
the most and how they felt about their own band’s performance.
The band at Snow School has come a long way since September. The fourth graders started with
learning how to put their instruments together, care and maintenance, and how to make sounds. They
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are now playing multiple parts in a band
setting in preparation for their spring
concert. The fifth grade band started with
playing simple band songs before moving
on to playing more complex music with
tempo and dynamic markings, staccato
and tenuto markings, and more difficult
notes and rhythms. Along with the fourth
and fifth grade lessons and band
rehearsals, which are during the day,
Snow School had a fifth grade Jazz band
that practiced every Friday morning
before school. All Snow band students performed in a winter concert and a spring concert, as well as the
All‐ City concert. The fifth grade Jazz band also performs at the Snow School Curriculum night. The band
students are working on the end of the year exit exams.
Lawrence Band performances include: Morning Openings; Winter Concert; All‐City Festival
Concert; Spring Concert; Field Day. Performance based exit exams were given in May and early June to
all students. Exams will reflect the growth students have made throughout the year.
Keigwin Middle School: Dave Daddario
Keigwin Band 2010‐11 Performances include: Winter Concert; All‐City
Festival; 30th Annual Elementary Schools Concert Tour to all eight
elementary schools; Keigwin Cultural Dinner; Spring Concert
The Keigwin Band Web Page:
http://www.middletownschools.org/page.cfm?p=8340
Students and parents receive Keigwin Band and music fundamental
information, MP3 recordings are posted of music arrangements and scales.
Several software programs are used to create the MP3s as a practice aid for students. Every student
received a practice CD of scales and all concert music for the Winter Concert, the Spring Concert.
Woodrow Wilson Middle School: Aaron Sinicrope
This year in band, we began by playing duets and trios from the students’ books. After a few
weeks, we began learning the music for our holiday concert; the kids loved working on Jingle Bell Rock,
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies, and Winter Wonderland.
Soon after, the eighth grade band participated in All‐City, and then it was time for our spring
concert, which was a great success. We played Mission: Impossible and the popular band piece Aztec
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Fire, among others. Next, it was on to the Festival in the Parks competition in Hershey, PA, from which
the concert and jazz bands returned with two “EXCELLENT” trophies!
Middletown High School: Marco Gaylord & Kimberly Everson
The beginning of this year started off strong with the 200+ Marching Blue Dragons. The band students’
combined efforts with the dance team and color guard earned first place in the United States Scholastic
Band Association’s New England Championships in fall 2010. The show that won this title included
arrangements of Fall Out Boy, the White Stripes, and Lady Gaga. Not only did the whole group work
together to perform at competitions and football games, with rehearsals on Sunday evenings, but also
managed to participate in other musical areas as well. Certain students participated in the Charter Oak
Music Festival in October. This was the first year Middletown was involved and plans to continue in the
future. Shortly after COMF, MHS music students auditioned for Southern Regions. The day following the
Thanksgiving game, the band marched in Holiday on Main Street. A holiday concert was scheduled in
December just before the New Year. Once 2011 began, students that auditioned well for Southern
Regions participated in the festival and were able to audition for All State, which was held in April. The
band prepared for a March concert and simultaneously began work on the Hartford Symphony
Orchestra music to be performed in May. This performance would be the culmination of hard work
throughout the year by many devoted students and five spectacular student soloists. The All‐City festival
was held at the Freeman Athletic Center at Wesleyan University on April 2nd. The Wind Ensemble and
Jazz Band competed in the North American Music Festival in Virginia Beach two weeks later. Once
Middletown went to the Symphony on May 11th, 2011, pieces were rehearsed for the Memorial Day
parade on Monday, May 30th and the finale concert in June with the Middletown Symphonic Band. After
this performance, rehearsals will consist of music for the fall 2011 marching season.
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Strings Swaim Strings Program: Pinar Gosterisli, Coleen Weiner
and Danielle Salerno
This year the Elizabeth Swaim After
School Program had six classes of beginner
level violins, which is the largest class in all
eight years. Also, many classes surpassed the
playing levels of previous years. Students
performed successful winter and spring
concerts and also participated in the All‐City
Strings Festival.
As a whole, the Swaim After School
Program worked on pitch, rhythm, dynamics,
timbre, breath, bow or stick control and maintaining a steady tempo (using good posture and playing
position alone, in small ensembles and large ensembles). Students practiced performing in groups,
blending instrumental timbres, matching dynamic levels, and responding to the cues of a conductor.
String performers showed expression through a variety of repertoire, representing diverse genres and
styles.
Keigwin Middle School Strings: Pinar Gosterisli
This year, thirty‐eight beginner students for the strings
program at Keigwin were recruited. Students performed at the
Keigwin Winter Concert, participated in the All‐City Strings Festival,
and played at the Keigwin Spring Concert in early June.
The students in this program learned to perform with
expression and technical accuracy. Proper posture was enforced in
every lesson. Students learned proper names of an instrument’s
parts, strings, and the importance of the bow. Tone quality and
intonation became the crux of developing a desirable sound. Students
were taught the A and G Major Scales and were able to understand
the difference between whole and half steps. These scales, along with
repertoire, were performed in a variety of sixteenth note rhythms.
Prior to the Winter Concert, students were taught proper
concert behavior and the responsibilities as individual players. At the
concert they experienced performing together as a group and applied
the concepts learned thus far.
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In the spring semester, students exhibited understanding of dynamics and how to play with
legato bow strokes and slurred bows. Violin and viola students learned to play low second finger and
cello students learned high fourth finger. All instrumentalists learned extended positions on respective
instruments.
The final performance was the
Spring Concert using all of the concepts
learned throughout the year. Beginner
level students played pieces such as: Hot
'Cross Buns, French Folk Song, German
Folk Song, Allegro, Perpetual Motion,
London Air, Pirates of the Caribbean,
King's Court, Beethoven's Ninth, Twilight
Dancers and Gaelic Castle.
Advanced musicians played: Scherzo,
Pirates of the Caribbean, King's Court, Beethoven's Ninth, Twilight Dancers and Gaelic Castle.
Woodrow Wilson Middle School Strings: Pinar Gosterisli
Students performed at the Woodrow Wilson Winter Concert, participated in the All‐City Strings
Festival, and played at the Woodrow Wilson Spring Concert in early June.
The students in this program learned to perform with expression and technical accuracy. Some of
the seventh grade students and more advanced
eighth grade students came together in an
orchestra setting and played level appropriate
violin or cello parts. Students performed music
representing diverse genres and cultures, with
expression appropriate for the piece being
performed.
This program recapped the previous year's
concepts and techniques before beginning new
materials. Students learned two‐octave C Major
and A Major scales with extended positions. Cello
players learned second and fourth positions while
all instrumentalists learned to play with complex
bow strokes and exact bow lengths to get a unified,
good quality tone as an orchestra. Students learned
more sophisticated dynamics and accents as well
as the concept of form, such as: ABA, binary forms,
and Da Capo.
The Spring Semester brought about new
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concepts to be mastered. Students learned to play with detache and marcato bow strokes and to put
the arm weight into bow strokes. These bow techniques were transformed into spiccato bow strokes.
Students learned to create different tone colors with different bowing and were encouraged to
experiment with bow speeds and placements.
The year ended by perfecting the pieces for the Spring Concert applying all of the concepts
learned throughout the year.
This year’s students performed: Christmas Is Here, Nutcracker, Simple Gifts, Polar Express, Fiddlers, Overlords, Avatar, Black Diamond, Circle Dance, and Ob‐La‐Di, Ob‐La‐Da.
Middletown High School Strings: Pinar Gosterisli
This year has been extremely busy for the High School Strings students, performing in five concerts with two different ensembles. Students performed at the Middletown High School Winter
Concert, the Middletown High School Pops Concert, the Middletown High Goes to the Symphony and the All‐City Strings Festival with the String Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra (a combination of the String Orchestra and the High School Wind Ensemble), and the All‐City Concert with the Chamber Orchestra.
Students played a large repertoire of Christmas and Hanukkah songs for the Winter Concert. Arrangements were performed from the Beatles, Queen, and a suite from the musical "Chicago" for the Pops Concert. Students played classical music repertoire of Mozart and Bach as well as a number of original compositions in the two All‐City concerts and Middletown Goes to Symphony.
Both the ninth and tenth grade students performed music in an orchestra setting with the Wind Ensemble. This year there are no eleventh or twelfth grade string students. The program has not made its way through the high school.
After a short recap of last year’s concepts the 9th grade students began learning the A Minor and E Minor scales in two octaves, followed by the F Major scale. Next they learned to play with fast spiccato bow strokes.
Violin and viola students learned to play in third and fourth positions. The spring semester began with the ninth grade students experimenting with appropriate tonal
color and practicing three‐octave scales using third position. Then students learned to play with vibrato and unified tone color as an orchestra. Individuals listened and adjusted simultaneously for the orchestral balance in accordance with the indicated dynamics.
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All instrumentalists learned to fourth position including extended hand positions and began practicing all the major scales in three octaves. Minor scales in three octaves incorporate the newly developed fifth position. Students were encouraged to play with different vibrato and experiment with musical expression and tone color. Students were taught to play with very slow full length bow strokes while sustaining a loud, focused sound.
Tenth grade students studied the Sonata Allegro form. Students were then encouraged to experiment with orchestral tone colors and combining and implementing complex dynamics with complex bow strokes and bow techniques. Next, classes learned to play compound rhythms in changing time signatures and tempo indications as an orchestra.
In the spring semester students learned to construct and play pentatonic scales. Student learned jazz scales and modes in order to construct the blues formula. Violin and viola players learned the fifth position, while cello students learned the sixth and seventh positions. All instrumentalists learned to play a four‐octave scale. Students then worked on and experiment with bow strokes, speeds and placements for different orchestral colors for musical expression and continued to experiment with vibrato speed and oscillation.
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Theater Middletown High School: Chris Briggs
The Theater Arts Department
at Middletown High School continues
to grow and thrive. This year has been
marked by a variety of
accomplishments and every one looks
forward to expanding the reach of the
program as it moves forward.
This year, four different levels
of learning were offered through a
plethora of acting classes. In the more
basic classes, students are introduced
to improvisational acting. In Acting I
and II, students experience and
practice basic improvisational games. These skills help new actors become more comfortable with
playing different types of characters, but simultaneously become more comfortable with themselves.
Through these experiences, students build self‐confidence and explore performance in front of others.
Acting I students spend time working on theatrical monologues for performance. Acting II students work
together to perform scenes from famous plays such as A Streetcar named Desire, Our Town, and The
Glass Menagerie. At the end of the semester, students performed “perfected” pieces.
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Acting III and IV students expanded on basic
improvisational skills by working on a specific long‐form
improvisation called “The Harold.” This type of
improvisation is used in performances by the United
Citizens Brigade, Second‐City, and many others. It
involves a member of the “audience” throwing out a
topic and the performing group is then creates a 30 – 45
minute, three act play based on that one topic. This
allows the students to take the skills they learned in
Acting I and II and put them to use in a larger context.
The Acting III students also focused attention on studying scenes from classic playwrights like
Shakespeare, Moliere, and several Greek authors. The semester concluded with a fun performance of a
“Harold” based on the topic of “sneakers” and several perfected classic scenes. The Acting IV students
continue exploration of “The Harold” and will perform two,
one act plays from the Inside/Out collection by Michael
Scanlon.
This year, a Directing class was added into the
department. The class was able to learn and explore the basic
skills that help create a successful director: blocking
techniques, character analysis, creating stage images and
power positions onstage. Throughout the semester, the
students were able to put these theories into practice by
directing each other in small scenes. At the end of the
semester, the students wrote, acted in, and directed their own one‐act play they called “Dysfunctional
Family Reunion.” They created and designed every aspect of this play themselves and they were quite
proud of the finished product.
All of this learning has been put to practical use through our two major Drama Club productions
this year. In the fall, the Drama Club produced the play Alice in Wonderland. There were over eighty
students involved in every aspect of the production from acting, technical design, set building, lighting,
sound, and directing. While the club wished that
more people were able to attend the productions
in November, the people that did attend were
blown away by the amount of work involved in
such and undertaking and the level of
professionalism that the students exhibited. The
students worked extremely hard on this show in
many ways and the show was a success by all
accounts.
In the spring, the Drama Club produced
the musical Grease. The show sold out multiple
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performances for the first time in the new auditorium space. Grease was featured on the front page of
the Middletown Press’ Weekend section. Audience feedback was nothing short of glowing, and the
students could not have felt more proud of their work. This show also broke MHS Drama Club records
for student participation. 110 students auditioned for the show
and just over 100 students stayed on to see the show to fruition.
Students participated again in every aspect of production. A
student choreographed some of the dance numbers and another
student directed some of the scenes.
Next year, more students will hopefully be involved in the
Theater Arts Department and Drama Club. The classes’ end of
semester performances will be more open and available to the
public. Even more professional productions will be brought to the
stage of the Middletown High School Performing Arts Center.
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General Art: Grades K‐6
Bielefield Elementary School: Katrina Engelhardt and Julie
Dunn
At the beginning of the year preliminary assessments were administered. Bielefield participated in the Fire Prevention Poster Contest in October. Tools from the Connecticut Arts Educator’s Association Conference at the end of October aided students in the third grade Middletown architecture unit. Teachers spent enrichment time with students to create stage decorations for the winter and spring choral concerts as well as the school variety show, as well as helping students on poster designs for ROARS rallies. Bielefield students displayed 2‐D and 3‐D
work in the Middletown Public Schools art Show at Wesleyan University. On May 4th all fifth grade classes attended the Wadsworth Athenaeum Field Trip focusing on observation skills and visual arts vocabulary. The students concluded their visit by writing a paper about a selected artwork. Some student artwork was selected and is displayed at the Board of Education Offices. Currently, teachers are working with the PTA to create a memorial ceramic mosaic to be installed in the lower grades’ wing of Bielefield, dedicated to Dottie Solek who worked with most students and ran many charities at the school.
Farm Hill Elementary School: Sean Callahan and Julie
Dunn
Under the supervision of department head Marco Gaylord the art team members have worked to refine the written exit exam to assure that the art curriculum is in accordance with Connecticut Standards for the Arts. This process has helped guide instructional decisions that allow students at Farm Hill School to be successful and creative. The students at Farm Hill School have worked hard in the Art room this year, as is evident by the artwork displayed in the Zilkha Gallery at Wesleyan University and the art show at Central Office. The art enrichment group at Farm Hill worked to discover processes not covered in art class, including creating a
27
3‐dimensional, two‐foot by four‐foot yearbook. A Farm Hill Student was selected as one of twelve finalists for the state’s “Fire Prevention Poster Contest.”
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Lawrence Elementary School: Alison May
At Lawrence school, students in each grade completed numerous two‐dimensional artworks using a variety of media. Each class in grades K‐5 completed a clay project. Students in kindergarten and grades one and four had a chance to create prints using Styrofoam and collograph printing plates as well as found objects. Grade four students created low relief assemblages using found and recycled materials. Students in grade four attended the Wesleyan field trip and grade five students visited the
Wadsworth Atheneum. Both field trips included a writing component where students reflected on their experiences with various art forms. In addition to written reflections, students were encouraged to reflect on and critique one another’s artwork. In all grades students began the practice of sharing their artwork with a partner and commenting on a point they liked and made a suggestion for improvement.
Select students had their artwork displayed at both the district art show and the Board of Education art show. Lawrence school students also worked towards earning the “golden paintbrush” which provides them with an extra art class. This extra art class occurs during the enrichment time at Lawrence.
The Lawrence art room is equipped with a mimio projector, which has allowed third grade students to take a virtual tour of the Lascaux caves, present multiple artworks on a large scale and show grade five students tutorials on one point perspective.
Macdonough Elementary School: Alison May
At Macdonough, students in each grade completed numerous two‐dimensional artworks using a variety of media. Each class in grades K‐5 completed a clay project. At the beginning of the year many classes chose clay as their medium of choice during the “golden paintbrush” awarded extra art class. Students in grades one and four have also had a chance to create prints using Styrofoam and collograph printing plates. Fourth grade students attended the Wesleyan field trip and fifth grade students visited the Wadsworth Atheneum. Both field trips included a writing component where students reflected on their experiences with various art forms. In addition to written reflections, students were encouraged to reflect on and critique one another’s artwork. In all grades students began the practice of sharing their artwork with a partner and commenting on a point they liked and made a suggestion for improvement.
Select students had their artwork displayed at both the district art show and the Board of Education art show. In addition, a select group of students participated in the after school art club. The club was formed so students could create posters for the Long Island Sound calendar contest. One of Macdonough’s fifth grade students won honorable mention for his drawing in this contest and his work will be published in the calendar.
29
Moody Elementary School: Megan Martin
The students in kindergarten through fifth grade learned
about a variety of styles, artists, cultures, history and
techniques this year. They studied famous artworks in depth
through class discussions and critical analysis. The students
have been given opportunities to view actual artworks in a
museum setting to enrich the art experience. Grade four
students visited several art exhibits at Wesleyan University in
the fall, and grade five students visited the Wadsworth
Atheneum in the spring. Famous works of art inspired many
student projects.
The field trip to Wesleyan University with the fourth graders was filled with fun exciting activities
for the students to partake in. The students learned about the Indonesian art of shadow puppetry as
well as visiting the art galleries on the Wesleyan campus. Exhibitions at The Ezra and Cecile Zilkha
Gallery, The Davidson Art Center, and the Mansfield Center for East Asian Studies were all viewed by the
students in small groups.
The field trip to the Wadsworth Atheneum with the fifth grades was a magnificent experience.
Students viewed a special exhibit of Claude Monet’s paintings of water lilies and landscapes. Video
footage of Claude Monet in the process of painting was also viewed. Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali,
Norman Rockwell, Stuart Davis, Andy Warhol, and Vincent
Van Gogh’s works were viewed by students. The fifth
graders completed a written activity at the conclusion of
the museum tour to analyze one specific work of their
choice.
The kindergarteners have learned about line,
shape, color, and texture by studying the artwork of
Wassily Kandinski, Piet Mondrian, and Hokusai. Students
made mixed media line sculptures, tempera paintings,
clay, and crayon drawings. Illustrations from a variety of
stories have also been used as inspiration for art making.
First graders have studied Vincent van Gogh’s
“Sunflowers” painting and made a painting/collage of their
own flowers in a vase. Next, they made a three‐
dimensional paper bedroom inspired by van Gogh’s “Bedroom at Arles” painting. The have made their
own portraits after viewing self portraits by several artists. Claude Monet’s water lilies were also studied
and the students tried to emulate his painting style with oil pastels. A variety of cultures were studied,
including African Masks, Indian Navaratna Jewelry, and Japanese Gyotaku (fish printing).
Second graders studied the art of Henri Matisse and made story collages using a variety of
papers. Henri Rousseau was another famous artist they studied to learn about imagination and
30
landscape drawing. Student made jungle
scenes that show depth with relation to the
size of objects in the drawing and they studied
the artwork of Mary Cassatt and made their
own family portraits.
Third graders studied the art and
writing of Faith Ringgold and made geometric
drawings inspired by her quilt designs.
Students drew pictures of their aspirations and
dreams inside the quilt designs. The students
studied the artwork of Grant Wood and
discussed how his “rural” artwork compared to
the environment in which we live. Students
made portraits of themselves in front of an important place in Middletown. This lesson connected to a
unit based on local architecture where the students made pencil drawings of Greek Revival, Gothic
Revival, and Federal style buildings. Some of the cultural projects studied in third grade include
aboriginal drawings from Australia, and Jade paper mosaic masks inspired from the Mayans.
The fourth graders studied large flower paintings by Georgia
O’Keeffe and used color blending with oil pastels to create their own
close up of a natural object. Students also practiced several watercolor
techniques and the Japanese art of Sumi‐E painting with bamboo brushes
and ink and they made many different origami folds during a unit on East
Asian art.
The fifth graders studied form and value at a still life drawing by
utilizing different shading techniques. Pablo Picasso’s are inspired the
creation of abstractions from realistic objects and folk art of African
American slaves was studied. The final unit for the fifth grade was based
on linear perspective drawing of a city scene where each student created
their ideal city. Each student was encouraged to express their
individuality with the details in their city scene.
Snow Elementary School: Megan Martin and Julie Dunn
The students in kindergarten through fifth grade learned about a
variety of styles, artists, cultures, history and techniques this year. They
studied famous artworks in depth through class discussions and critical
analysis. The students have been given opportunities to view actual artworks
in a museum setting to enrich the art experience. Grade four students visited
several art exhibits at Wesleyan University in the fall, and grade five students
visited the Wadsworth Atheneum in the spring. Famous works of art inspired
31
many student projects.
The field trip to Wesleyan University with the
fourth graders was filled with fun exciting activities for
the students to partake in. The students learned about
the Indonesian art of shadow puppetry as well as
visiting the art galleries on the Wesleyan campus.
Exhibitions at The Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery, The
Davidson Art Center, and the Mansfield Center for East
Asian Studies were all viewed by the students in small
groups.
The field trip to the Wadsworth Atheneum with
the fifth grades was a magnificent experience.
Students viewed a special exhibit of Claude Monet’s
paintings of water lilies and landscapes. Video footage
of Claude Monet in the process of painting was also
viewed. Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Norman
Rockwell, Stuart Davis, Andy Warhol, and Vincent Van
Gogh’s works were viewed by students. The fifth
graders completed a written activity at the conclusion
of the museum tour to analyze one specific work of their choice.
The kindergarteners have learned about line, shape, color, and texture by studying the artwork
of Wassily Kandinski, Piet Mondrian, and Hokusai. Students made mixed media line sculptures, tempera
paintings, clay, and crayon drawings. Illustrations from a variety of stories have also been used as
inspiration for art making.
First graders have studied Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” painting and made a painting/collage
of their own flowers in a vase. Next, they made a three‐dimensional paper bedroom inspired by van
Gogh’s “Bedroom at Arles” painting. The have made their own portraits after viewing self portraits by
several artists. Claude Monet’s water lilies were also studied and the students tried to emulate his
painting style with oil pastels. A variety of cultures
were studied, including African Masks, Indian
Navaratna Jewelry, and Japanese Gyotaku (fish
printing).
Second graders studied the art of Henri
Matisse and made story collages using a variety of
papers. Henri Rousseau was another famous artist
they studied to learn about imagination and
landscape drawing. Student made jungle scenes that
show depth with relation to the size of objects in the
drawing and they studied the artwork of Mary Cassatt
and made their own family portraits.
32
Third graders studied the art and writing of Faith
Ringgold and made geometric drawings inspired by her quilt
designs. Students drew pictures of their aspirations and dreams
inside the quilt designs. The students studied the artwork of
Grant Wood and discussed how his “rural” artwork compared to
the environment in which we live. Students made portraits of
themselves in front of an important place in Middletown. This
lesson connected to a unit based on local architecture where
the students made pencil drawings of Greek Revival, Gothic
Revival, and Federal style buildings. Some of the cultural
projects studied in third grade include aboriginal drawings from
Australia, and Jade paper mosaic masks inspired from the
Mayans.
The fourth graders studied large flower paintings by
Georgia O’Keeffe and used color blending with oil pastels to
create their own close up of a natural object. Students also practiced several watercolor techniques and
the Japanese art of Sumi‐E painting with bamboo brushes and ink and they made many different origami
folds during a unit on East Asian art.
The fifth graders studied form and value at a still life drawing by utilizing different shading
techniques. Pablo Picasso’s are inspired the creation of abstractions from realistic objects and folk art of
African American slaves was studied. The final unit for the fifth grade was based on linear perspective
drawing of a city scene where each student created their ideal city. Each student was encouraged to
express their individuality with the details in their city scene.
Spencer Elementary School: Kinga Zinowko and Sean
Callahan
Spencer students were introduced to variety of cultures and experienced painting techniques used thousands of years ago. For example, third grade students learned about Australian Aboriginal artwork. They used sticks and earth tone paints to simulate the techniques used by the Aboriginal
people. Students were also introduced to variety of
contemporary and master artists. In addition to studying the designated curriculum, fifth grade students used their recess to paint ceiling tiles. So far Spencer students have recreated paintings of Vincent Van Gogh, Franz Marc and Jim Wilson.
Fourth grade started a collaborative project in which they painted a United States map on the playground. Students had to work together to recreate the exact shape of each state and paint it.
33
Now the whole school can admire our work.
Wesley Elementary School: Kinga Zinowko
Spencer students were introduced to variety of cultures and experienced painting techniques used thousands of years ago. For example, third grade students learned about Australian Aboriginal artwork. They used sticks and earth tone paints to simulate the techniques used by the Aboriginal people.
Students were also introduced to variety of contemporary and master artists. In addition to studying the designated curriculum, fifth grade students used their recess to paint ceiling tiles. So far Spencer students have recreated paintings of Vincent Van Gogh, Franz Marc and Jim Wilson.
Fourth grade started a collaborative project in which they painted a United States map on the playground. Students had to work together to recreate the exact shape of each state and paint it. Now the whole school can admire our work.
Keigwin Middle School: Sue Meehl
Keigwin students worked on three units over the course of the school year. Each unit was 60 days, with a final project due at the conclusion of each. These units were: Radial Name design, Op Art design and Molas from Central America, masks changed to coordinate with World Cultures. Students worked with World Culture teachers to create more meaningful masks. Many of the projects were enriched by looking at other subjects for inspiration and meaning. Many students took part in the art show at Weselyan’s Zilhka Gallery and some have pieces on display in the Board of
Education offices. Art was supplied to all in attendance at the Cultural Night at Keigwin and the Cancer Survivor’s Day on May 17th, 2011. Students donated Paper Mache tropical fish and butterflies to the survivors in an effort to express faith and hope.
34
Specified Art: Grades 7‐12 Woodrow Wilson Middle School
2D Art: Stacy Buckley
35
Sculpture Course: Julie Dunn Seventh and eighth graders focused on
the following sculpture topics: Clay, Paper Mache/Plaster, Mixed Media Sculptures, Paper, Relief Radial Design, and Landscape Collage. Students completed some of the following projects: clay boxes, clay masks, coil pots, Pinch pots, Oaxacan animal sculptures, tree sculptures, bowls, 3D letter sculptures, wire trees, wire sea creatures
Student’s artwork was entered in two art shows; the Middletown Public School’s Annual Art Show at Wesleyan’s Zilkha Gallery and the Board of Education Art Show.
Middletown High School
General Art: Charlotte McCoid The class introduces students to basic 2‐D skills along with some 3‐D skills. The main objective of
the course is student understanding of composition. This is coupled with building basic drawing skills of line, shape, texture, value and color.
Personal insight and interpretation, along with a variety of media, are incorporated into all lessons. Students range from ninth to twelfth grade. Skill levels vary and often depend on age and maturity as an indicator of success.
Pottery & Sculpture: Charlotte McCoid The class introduces students to basic
3‐D skills. Clay is the primary medium used for both hand building and wheel‐throwing skills. Students come with very little skills and only basic techniques are addressed at this level. Student’s age and maturity are important indicators of success.
Advanced Pottery & Sculpture: Charlotte McCoid Students at this level are second year to fourth year students and a wide
range of abilities are exhibited within the class. Motivation is much higher than the introductory classes.
This year at the state level, two pottery and sculpture students had their artwork accepted for admission to the Connecticut Art Educators Association’s annual art exhibit. They won silver and honorary awards.
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Photography: Nicole Iovanne Photography classes at Middletown High School have become more streamlined since the
renewal of the program within the art department. Since the opening of the new darkroom, we continue to build up a supply of cameras & enlarger accessories. Funding has allowed us to afford the paper and film necessary for darkroom work. The flow of lessons allows students to gain more experience with group work, flash and studio lighting and good strategies for using natural lighting in the school environment. A PTA grant enabled us to purchase some professional studio lighting.
Beginning class enrollment is higher than ever, with class at capacity. Darkroom photography is a highly technical process that requires problem solving skills and patience. Large classes take approximately 8‐10 weeks to become self sufficient with the equipment and development processes. High achieving and creative students were encouraged to experiment with various darkroom techniques such as solarization and selective development. Special Education students were given the opportunity to overcome the challenges of the darkroom to find enjoyment in the images they are able to create. Mature students from across all grade levels have been highly motivated by the excitement of this unique and accessible medium.
Experimenting with last year’s CAUSE grant lessons have allowed for the incorporation of alternate methods in the Photo II course. These methods include cyanotyping and brown toning. Students in Photo II spend time developing advanced Photoshop skills by participating in the State of Connecticut Board of Education’s Common Arts Assessment Initiative by completing a Digital Media
Task. A spring Photography field trip to The
Bruce Museum and the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art exposed students to photographers and artists such as Cindy Sherman. Docents led tours and gave students extra insight into the work and how it was created. This trip was partially funded by the PTA and museum grants and scholarships.
Several photography students that completed Photo I and Photo II were able to work as peer tutors within Photo I classes. They helped beginners develop their own personal photography work.
At least 100 photography students were had the opportunity to display their work at Wesleyan’s Zilkha Gallery, The Board of Education and in the Senior Art Show in the MHS Media Center, as well as
37
through the regular MHS changeable exhibit spaces in the MHS Media Center and a special configuration of frames located outside the classroom.
Drawing and Painting, Studio Art, AP Studio: Patrick Shugrue The scope and sequence of these classes are designed on a spiral
approach to learning. The introduction class to drawing and painting is the starting point. There are two types of drawing that we focus on, the first approach is “structural drawing” in which the students learn to draw key shapes from all different points of view. These views include the cylinder, cube and cone. Students advance to drawing buildings and the human body from many different view points. Then they have to memorize how to draw the human form in proportion and how to for shorten the figure. This is called “structural drawing” in that it gives the student the tools to use their imagination or to make a number of compositions with confidence.
With the tools to be successful at basic drawing they can move on to composition. They learn about placement, the echo theory, the golden ratio and are able to make some basic compositions. This is evident with their value drawings and their product designs.
The students then learn about the color theory and the application to different types of art. They have many exercises to develop their understanding of color.
The second part of the year they learn about drawing from life with different approaches that foster success. This takes much practice but ensures that the student can become fluent at drawing from life. After a few weeks they are able to draw a number of student models in one setting and were in a good position to use their imagination for the background.
Focused was put on the first year, for the foundation is crucial for the success of the art program and the advanced placement program. More time was spent on the drawing skills and smaller paintings. The results produced much better vacation paintings with a theme. They were able to make a product design value drawing with much better results. The drawings from life were equal to that of the
advanced placement class this year and superior to that of the advanced placement class of 2009‐2010!
The advanced class went through a similar process but with more advanced work. They made drawings and posed for drawings in period costume.
The AP class will serve as a barometer for our art program in drawing and painting. We will start to see the evidence with next year’s studio class.
The High School now has an art club that meet twice a week. The goal is not only to have the students better prepared but to
have the art program become an important part of the culture at Middletown High. This is one of the reasons behind the yearbook theme drawings and the senior murals.
38
Successes:
Students partook in four art exhibits. The largest and most extensive is the system‐wide annual art show at Wesleyan University’s Zilhka Gallery in March. Two more exhibits took place in May. The first is held at the Board of Education. The second is at MHS for senior art students to exhibit their achievements. For this show, Purchase Awards are given by the MHS‐PTA. The Middletown Commission on the Arts selects one senior artist for a $150 honorarium along with the prestige of being exhibited in the town hall for a year. Finally, for the first time, MHS students will show represented work at the Buttonwood for the month of June.
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