Fine Arts

Course Descriptions:

ART: The Sacred Heart Art Program engages students in a number of artistic media, including drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, fiber arts, photography, and printmaking. Students enhance their skills and build a visual art portfolio.  We will connect to cultural celebrations, current events, art museum exhibitions, and school-wide themes while exploring different techniques and styles.

DRAMA: In Middle School Drama courses, students will participate in improvisational activities using effective vocal expression, gesture, facial expression, and timing to create character and well-told stories. Sixth graders will focus on historical dramas such as Greek and Medieval styles. Seventh graders will focus on cultural drama from Asia, Italian Commedia dell'arte, as well as Shakespeare studies. Eighth-grade electives will focus on film studies and one-act play creation. All of these explorations will enhance creativity, improve self-esteem, and develop collaborative work habits.

MUSIC

• SYMPHONY: Symphony immerses students in a musical community.  Symphony progresses through advanced skills and refines core musicianship. Symphony members learn about leadership, diligence, critical listening, collaboration, and the creative process. Students learn classical playing technique and appreciation for classical masterworks, and also experience modern original works, improvisation, and contemporary styles.
• CHORUS: Middle School Chorus is for students with all levels of experience, where they will learn the basics of performing in a choral ensemble. This program will be dedicated to a quality, comprehensive, sequential, California Standards and National Common Core Standards-based curriculum. Students will develop the skills to sight-read music and sing with proper and healthy vocal technique, as well as study and perform works from various musical genres and in a variety of languages while building the sense of community that is central to the Sacred Heart tradition.
  
  
• BAND: The Middle School Band program provides exciting, interactive experiences for students of various musical levels on all wind and percussion instruments. The program is dedicated to a quality, comprehensive, sequential, California Standards and National Common Core Standards-based music education.  Objectives include learning music theory, reading and writing music, and demonstrating instrumental skills in solo and ensemble settings. Students exercise critical listening skills through individual practice and group rehearsal while preparing for multiple performances with music from a variety of genres.