Arts

Fine Arts News

List of 9 items.

  • SJS Sets School Record for Participation in TPSMEA All-State Choir

    The SJS Upper School Choral Department is proud to announce that 35 students were selected to participate in this year’s TPSMEA All-Region Choirs and 20 students were selected to participate in All-State Choir. Prior to this year, the highest number of SJS students selected for the All-State Choir was 13!
     
    TPSMEA (Texas Private School Music Educators Association) consists of more than 50 private schools from all over the state of Texas. Students wishing to be considered for the TPSMEA choirs submit audition recordings in October and are judged at a regional level. Students whose recordings place high enough are invited to participate in either the All-Region Treble Choir or the All-Region Mixed Choir. The top recordings from each regional round are then judged at a statewide level for the All-State Choir. Of the many hundreds of students who submit auditions from across the state, only 200 are invited to participate in the All-State Choir.
     
    The Region 3 All-Region Choirs met in Houston in mid January for a clinic and concert with guest conductors. The All-State Choir meets in Richardson, Texas at the end of January for their clinic and concert. The conductor of this year's All-State Choir is Dr. José “Peppie” Calvar of Syracuse University. 



  • US Winter Play - Eurydice January 25, 26, and 27 at 7:00 p.m Black Box Theater

    In Eurydice, Sarah Ruhl whimsically reimagines the classic myth of Orpheus through the eyes of the heroine. Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her lost love. This magical, dreamlike, weird, and poignant elegy is a love story that is between a father and daughter as much as between a husband and wife. Eurydice reminds us that love transcends time and space, that a loss is bearable, that memories can hold us together and ultimately help us to move on.

    The St. John’s School production dates of Eurydice are January 25, 26, and 27 at 7:00 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre. Tickets go on sale the week before. Eurydice is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, an imprint of Concord Theatricals Corp.


  • TPSMEA All-State Band, Choir, and Orchestra and TMEA Orchestra

    Joining our twenty All-State choir members are four students from Upper School Strings and four from Band, together totaling the highest number of All-State music students in SJS history. All students will engage in intensive workshops and rehearsals with master clinicians and conductors from some of the most prestigious universities across the country. The culmination of this event is a concert given by the All-State Choir, All-State Orchestra, All-State Band, and All-State Jazz Band. It will truly be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for these students.  We are so proud of their hard work and success!

    Representing SJS in the TPSMEA All-State Concert Band are Enbao Cao on the clarinet, who is in his third consecutive year with the All-State Band, and several new members to the ensemble; Ayaan Dhuka on clarinet, and Lynn Pham on bassoon. Many congratulations to these fine musicians for their hard work. We are sure that it will be a wonderful weekend of music-making for all!

    The SJS Orchestra will be represented at TPSMEA All-State by four outstanding string players: Alexa Curtis, viola, is a first-time All-State musician, Helen Yang, violin, and Michelle Liu, viola, are returning to TPSMEA for the second year, and Jennifer Liu, violin, will play with the TPSMEA All-State Orchestra for the third year. Congratulations to all four musicians for their achievements!

    In addition to the success of orchestra students at TPSMEA, two members of orchestra earned places in TMEA (Texas Music Educators Association) All-State Orchestra. The TMEA All-State ensembles - band, choir, and orchestra - are among the most prestigious in the nation and membership in these ensembles is highly selective. Michelle Liu, viola, has been selected for a second year, and Jennifer Liu, violin, will participate in the TMEA All-State Orchestra for the third time. Congratulations to these outstanding musicians for their successes!


  • Winter Piano Recitals Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., and 2 p.m. Lowe Theater

    The SJS Winter Piano Recitals will take place on Saturday, February 3, in Lowe Theater over the course of three performance times: 10 a.m., 12 p.m., and 2 p.m. Each recital will showcase approximately 30 individual musicians from our program, ranging from students in classes Kindergarten through Class 12 and from Elementary to Advanced levels. We look forward to welcoming several first-time recitalists, including those from our Beginner, Elementary, and Intermediate classes, as well as those enrolled in private lessons. Students will perform solo repertoire from a wide array of stylistic periods in the classical tradition. 

    We extend a warm invitation to the SJS community as well as family and friends to attend and support these students in the culmination of their hard work this semester. Following each recital, we invite attendees to join us for a reception in Stasney Hall.

    Contact Joanna Reeder for detailed information, including student performance lists for each of the three recital programs. Click here to read more about the SJS Piano Program and learn how your student can get involved.
  • Middle School Pop Show: You’re a Star, Baby! Friday, February 9, 4:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Lowe Theater

    The Pop Show culminates two trimesters of dedicated rehearsal by the Middle School treble choir, Cantatores. This year’s Pop Show, You’re a Star, Baby!, will feature the members of Cantatores and the Boy Choir. We invite you to join us for a thrilling program of music from the 21st-century pop charts. We will feature musical numbers from One Direction, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Dua Lipa, and more! We hope you will join us for this wonderful production!

    Brendan Emig and Megan Henry direct the Pop Show.  They have been working with Cantatores since the fall to find suitable songs. Students from Class 8 had the opportunity to suggest songs they wished to perform, and then Mr. Emig found appropriate arrangements. Because the Pop Show is accompanied by a live band, Mr. Emig extracts instrumental parts if none are available. Scott Bonasso leads the Boy Choir. Mrs. Arouty and Ms. Wilson expertly choreographed the performance.

    There is no admission charge. DVD recordings of the performance may be purchased online at Jim Stamos Productions. You won’t want to miss this night of wonderful singing and dancing!



  • Upper School Choral-Orchestral Festival Tuesday, February 13, 7:00 p.m. The Church of St. John the Divine

    All of our amazing Upper School ensembles are busily preparing for February’s magical festival of music, to which our entire community is warmly invited.
     
    Symphonic Winds will make their sophomore appearance at the festival, performing the emotional “To Light” by Jared Barnes, and the lively “Bourrée” by Carl Strommen. Philharmonia will perform two movements of “Pendleton Suite” by M.L. Daniels, as well as an arrangement of “Celtic Fiddles” by Kathy Fishburn. Chamber Strings will play two movements of Gustav Holst’s iconic “St. Paul’s Suite,” as well as “Rhosymedre” by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
     
    There are also some treats in store from SJS’s wonderful Upper School choirs: Les Chanteuses will perform “Lux Aeterna” by Z. Randall Stroope, “Hodie, nobis de caelo” by Alessandro Grandi (1586-1630) and “Spirit Moving Over Chaos” by Houston composer David Ashley White. Kantorei will perform pieces from the concert repertoire for their March tour of Austria & Hungary, including Felix Mendelssohn’s grand motet for double-choir “Heilig,” Tarik O’Regan’s experimental arrangement of the spiritual, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” and Philllip Dietterich’s rousing version of the Shaker folk song “Followers of the Lamb.
     
    Chorale and members of Chamber Strings will join forces to perform movements from the obscure masterwork “Missa Brevis in C” by Czech composer Franz Xaver Brixi (1732-1771) with SJS accompanist Aaron Hervey on the organ. SJS band director Nick Thomas will perform on timpani drums along with two guest trumpet players. All performers are working hard on this lofty repertoire; this is a treat not to be missed!


  • Middle School Winter Studio Play: Superheroes, With Great Power Comes Ordinary Responsibility Thursday, February 22, 4:30 p.m. Friday, February 23, 4:30 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. Black Box Theater

    For superheroes saving the world is tough, but the time spent away from work is tougher. The Hulk has to do taxes, a crime-fighting sidekick joins a support group, and Batman goes stir-crazy without enough criminals to take down. Superheroes is a funny, fast-paced series of vignettes that explores how the caped crusaders deal with life in street clothes.

    Featuring performances from Class 6 and 7 students.

    The production is directed by Brooke Wilson and stage managed by Upper School students Andrea Trejo Escalona and Marley Brailey Harris. Scott Alan designs the inventive and colorful costumes and Sean Morgan shows off his amazing talents with his set and lighting design. Tickets may be purchased at the door or online via credit card. Seating is general admission and ticket cost is $13. As seating is very limited in the Black Box Theatre, please consider purchasing your tickets in advance here.


  • Upper School Musical: Something Rotten! February 29 - March 2, 2024 Thursday, February 29, 7:00 p.m. Friday, March 1, 7:00 p.m. Saturday, March 2, 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. Lowe Theatre

    Set in the 1590s, brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a hit play but are stuck in the shadow of that Renaissance rock star known as "The Bard." When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing, and acting at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first musical. But amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being true to thine own self, and all that jazz.
     
    Something Rotten! features large song and dance numbers, and a crazy cast of over-the-top characters, each given their own special moment in the show to shine. Brush up your Shakespeare and your musical theatre trivia. It’s clear that “nothing’s as amazing as a musical,” so don’t miss your chance to see this hilarious production this spring.

    The St. John’s School production of Something Rotten! will be performed February 29 through March 2, 2024 in the Lowe Theatre. Tickets will go on sale February 21. Seating is reserved and tickets are $13. Look for more information coming soon.

    Something Rotten! is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. The book was written by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell. The production was conceived by, and music and lyrics were written by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick.
  • Alumni Spotlight: Bonnie Bering Class of 2014

    When I was a senior at St. Johns, I took Digital Applications with Mr. Leakey to simply fulfill my required fine arts credit. His encouragement, paired with Mrs. Shafer’s observations that I was able to relate anything we were discussing back to pop culture, and Mr. Nathan’s enthusiasm to talk about any and all movies with me, were the reasons I decided to apply to film school after graduation. I majored in creative producing at Chapman University, and worked a number of internships in the Los Angeles area that helped me get where I am today.

    My first job out of college was in the mailroom of United Talent Agency in New York City. After a couple of years with the company, I decided to pursue other opportunities. I was searching for the perfect job for a long time, and I was lucky enough to work two Olympic seasons with NBC Sports during my job search. Little did I know that one of those part-time jobs would lead to earning an Emmy with my name on it—I still can’t believe it.
     
     I had a small part in something very cool, and I’m so grateful for that opportunity. Shortly after my time with NBC Sports, I did find my perfect job at the TODAY Show. I wear a lot of hats at TODAY: I’m the Executive Producer’s assistant, I produce my own segments, and I even traveled to London to assist in coverage of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral services. If you’re ever on the TODAY Plaza, don’t hesitate to come say hi to a fellow St. John's Maverick!
     
     
     


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