Welcome back 2015 - Governor`s School for the Arts

Welcome Back Newsletter
September 2015 Volume 4 Issue 1
WE
LCO
BAC ME
K!
254 Granby Street | Norfolk, Virginia 23510 |www.gsarts.net
WELCOME BACK!
GSA MISSION
The Governor’s School for the Arts is a center
for innovation that develops excellence,
nurtures creativity, inspires artistic vision and
builds communities with a passion for the arts.
Some of our goals are to:
prepare students to engage the arts thoughtfully
& creatively while becoming life-long learners
and advocates of the arts.
offer instruction through classes, performances
and in cross-disciplinary opportunities by a
faculty of professional instructors, artists and
mentors.
encourage & provide opportunities for students
to use their talents in service to others.
provide exceptional performance & exhibition
experiences in state of the art facilities.
Create relationships with educational
organizations and partnerships with arts
organizations and the community at large.
Meet the Faculty & Staff
Dr. Andrea Warren, Executive Director
Deborah Thorpe, Assistant Director/
Foundation Director
Stephanie Outlaw, Office Manager/
Administrative Assistant
Kristen Outlaw-Hartman, Financial Assistant
Heather Bryant, Visual Arts Associate Chair
Shawn Crawford, Technical Theatre
Dr. Stephen Cook, Choral Director
Dr. Stephen Coxe, Artistic Director,
Instrumental Music
Steve J. Earle, Theatre & Film Chair
Alan Fischer, Vocal Music Chair
Chip Gallagher, Musical Theatre Chair
Liana Graham, Visual Arts Chair
Joni Petre-Scholz, Dance Associate Chair
Jeff Phelps, Instrumental Music Chair
Todd Rosenlieb, Dance Chair
Jeff Warner, Choreographer
find us on FACEBOOK | twitter @TheGovSchl | Instagram @govschool
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
It feels like just a few days ago we packed into the Roper
Theatre to celebrate the accomplishments of the 2015
graduating class. In a blink August is here and we are
preparing for a new school year. A new school year
means a new graduating class who have begun to stress
over college applications and auditions while The
Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA) faculty begin to
think about a new performance season and auditioning
for the 2016-17 school year. What happened to summer
vacation!
To our first year students, whom we affectionately call
“NEWBIES”, I want to welcome you to an educational
experience unlike any educational setting you’ve
experienced before. GSA is a learning community in
which the entire student population is passionate about
their learning, the faculty (notice that I did not say
teachers) are here to encourage and nurture your
creativity and failure is a part of the learning process.
For some of you this atmosphere will be a breath of
fresh air, for others you may struggle but give it time, you
too will learn to enjoy the experience.
Our motto is “Ichigo Ichie”, Japanese for “one chance,
one meeting”. For our newbies this means that your new
family will meet you for the first time on September 8th,
Opening Day. We hope that you will leave this day
energized, enthusiastic and ready to take on the
challenge. I realize that some of you have spent time in
the building taking dance classes and/or participating in
your department’s summer camp; however, this will be
the first time all departments will be together to open the
school year. It’s my favorite time of the year, but for our
newbies, it might be the scariest experience ever so try to
relax and enjoy the experience.
To our parents, especially our new parents, please
consider becoming actively involved by joining and
participating in The Parents of GSA (PGSA). This is a
wonderful organization who not only assist with
fundraising that supports all departments but they also
serve as an advocacy group for our students at their
home high school, home city and on the state level. In
fact, we continue to require your support in the
discussion of how the state funds all Governor’s Schools
throughout the state. You see, there are 19 AcademicYear Governor’s School (AYGS) programs throughout
Virginia who are financed not only through supporting
school district’s tuition but state funds that support gifted
education. That’s right, by being accepted into a
Governor’s School program, your student is a gifted
student in your school district. The concern that the
Governor’s Schools have is that the present funding
methodology used by the state to finance these programs
is the same formula that was created in 1973.
Unfortunately, AYGS do not receive equal funding as
provided to our districts. In other words, when school
districts receive additional funding for VRS, textbooks,
salary increase incentives or additional support staff,
AYGS receive no additional funding by the state. That
means that AYGS absorb the additional cost, which
impacts what we are able to do instructionally. For an
arts program that requires state of the art equipment
and lots of materials and supplies these additional costs
hurt.
A group of parents have banded together in support of
AYGS and have asked the state to review the funding
formula for AYGS. As a result, the Virginia Department
of Education has conducted a funding study and is now
reviewing two possible options. In fact the AYGS
Directors have been invited to meet with Secretary
Holton, Secretary of Education, about our concerns on
September 9th and I hope to attend that meeting.
As you see, your advocacy for GSA and all of the AYGS
programs throughout the state is needed. AYGS
provides opportunities for your students that might not
be available through their home high school, so I’m
asking for your continued support and advocacy within
your school district, local and state politicians.
Parents, please be reminded to read the Student
Handbook which your student will bring home on the
8th. In addition, when you shop for school supplies for
your student, please consider picking up a few item for
GSA such as paper towels, tissues, ibuprofen, antacids,
band aids, just to name a few. Any donations from our
families are so appreciated.
Finally, I’m so excited to welcome Liana Graham as the
visual arts department chair and Joni Petre-Scholz as the
dance department associate chair. Both have been with
GSA for several years serving as part-time faculty, so to
have them as a part of our full time team is exciting.
WELCOME TO A NEW ACADEMIC AND
PERFORMANCE YEAR!
Sincerely,
Andrea F. Warren, PhD
find us on FACEBOOK | twitter @TheGovSchl | Instagram @govschool
!
WH
AT
HAP
ON
OPE PENS
N
DAY ING
?
Opening day is one of the most exciting programs at GSA. It not only signals the first
day of school, but is an opportunity for all departments to exhibit what they do best. It is
an experience like none other and one that all students enjoy.
Before coming to the first day of GSA locate the GSA bus pick - up location at your
home school prior to coming to school....you do not want to miss your bus. Your
guidance counselor or gifted resource teacher should be able to assist you. If you have a
scheduled lunch at the same time as your bus pick-up you might want to consider
bringing a bag lunch to school; you may not have time to eat before your departure.
1ST SHIFT STUDENTS
Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach
Your GSA bus will bring you from your home high school to the GSA Building, located
at 254 Granby Street. You will arrive anywhere from 12:40pm to 1:00pm depending on
your home high school. Once you arrive at the building you will meet with your
department and then walk to the TCC Roper Performing Arts Center, which is one-half
block up the street from GSA.
The Opening Day Celebration will end at 4:00pm and you will then walk back to GSA
to catch your bus home.
The busses will leave PROMPTLY at 4:25pm. If a student misses the bus, parents are
responsible to pick them up.
2ND SHIFT STUDENTS
Chesapeake, Franklin, Isle of Wight, Southampton, and Suffolk
Your GSA bus will bring you from your home high school to the GSA Building, located
at 254 Granby Street. You will arrive anywhere from 1:40pm to 2:10pm depending on
your home high school. Once you arrive at the building you will meet with your
department and then walk to the TCC Roper Performing Arts Center, which is one-half
block up the street from GSA.
The Opening Day Celebration will end at 4:00pm and you will then walk back to the
GSA building to meet with your departments.
The busses will leave PROMPTLY at 5:25pm. If a student misses the bus, parents are
responsible to pick them up.
REMINDER
Instruments,
dance clothes &
art materials are
NOT needed
the first day of
GSA. It is
strongly
recommended
that all students
take their school
bus into Norfolk
on the first day.
!
DA N CE
photo by Wendy W. Maness
This year promises to deliver new
beginnings, new friendships, and a
wealth of Dance Department
traditions.
The dancers will hit the ground
running with auditions for
Nutcracker, our collaboration with
the Richmond Ballet, as well as
auditions for the first round of
choreographers for the GSA Winter
Dance Concert! Combining
tradition and new works is a great
way to start the year! Our master
class series and guest artist roster is
shaping up nicely. Our master class
series is strong this year with New
York City Ballet MOVES and Paul
Taylor Dance Company as a couple
of the highlights! Guest artist Ethan
Kirschbaum from River North
Dance Company will be joining us
this year to set a piece and teach
technique and modern partnering
for the department.
The fall includes preparations
for Holidays in the City, Winter
Concert, and the National High
School Dance Festival. Spring will
bring festivals and travels. In
March, part of our student body
will be traveling to Point Park
University in Pittsburg for the
National High School Dance
Festival where they will perform
and take classes with students from
around the country. Over Memorial
Day weekend, we will travel to the
Big Apple (NYC) for classes, dance
concerts, and a taste of Broadway.
The year culminates with our
Spring Concert, which will bring all
of our dancers to the stage for our
spring celebration of Dance.
The year ahead is filled with
endless possibilities, artistic growth,
and the joy of Dance.
I N ST RU M E NTA L M U SIC
The Instrumental Music department will
enjoy collaborations with the GSA Visual
Arts department, Virginia Symphony, Roy
Muth Big Band, Sentara Music and
Medicine Center, Virginia
Commonwealth University Orchestra,
Freemason Street Baptist Church Choir,
MacArthur Center (Regal Cinemas),
aLatte Café, and the Virginia Arts Festival
Rhythm Project. Ensemble repertoire will
include music of John Williams, Adams,
Brahms, Shostakovich, Mozart,
Muczynski, Haydn, Dvořák, myriad
chamber music and jazz. Please explore
our IM department calendar
at www.gsarts.net (Links > Link to IM
Calendar). !
THEATRE
& FILM
photo by Euniece Harris, class of 2017
The GSA Department of Theatre a & Film has an incredible year planned! We have visiting artists in residence from
all over the country: Jimon Cole, a Theatre alum from the 90’s who was in the national tour of PETER AND THE
STARCATCHER, is a working actor in New York and will be here the first quarter to direct FAHRENHEIT 451 and
teach acting classes. Douglas Hudson, an authentic movement specialist will be returning from San Francisco to teach
movement for the actor courses as well. We’d like to welcome Terry Jernnigan, a local actor on stage and in film who
will be teaching Performance Improvisation for us. In addition, we’d like to congratulate our resident acting, voice and
speech instructor, Ricardo Melendez for snagging the role of Bill Slank in the Virginia Stage Company’s upcoming
production of PETER AND THE STARCATCHER. We have three exciting main stage productions planned for the
year. In November we’ll produce Ray Bradbury’s FAHRENHEIT 451. In January, Shakespeare will return with
TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. Both shows will be in the GSA Dalis Black Box Theatre. Finally, we will be
collaborating with NSU, EVMS, ODU and possibly the College of William and Mary as we create an original work
about the stigma of depression in a multimedia performance piece we are calling REFRAME THE SHAME. It will
be performed on the campus of each of those universities and we will be bringing in the acclaimed Tectonic Theatre
Company (THE LARAMIE PROJECT, GROSS INDECENCY) for a week of master classes with our actors to help
us prepare the show. Finally, we have two field trips planned for the year. The first is to Washington D.C. on Oct. 10
to see a new version of SALOME as part of the Women’s Theatre Festival. And, of course, we will have our annual
New York City field trip on Memorial Day weekend. VISUAL ARTS
The Visual Arts Department will be off
to a running start this school year! Our
artists will be exhibiting work and
competing for awards at the following
shows: Neptune Festival Sand
Sculpture contest, Neptune Festival
Youth Art Show, Ocean View Art
Show and Stockley Gardens Arts
Festival Emerging Artists
Exhibit.
We will be featured artists in the
NEON Festival on Oct 15&16,
with a neon glass installation, a
mural, and a wearable art
parade all taking place in the
exciting Arts District. Come
celebrate the New Energy Of
Norfolk with us!
Be sure to check out our first
juried exhibition of the year, On
the Ledge. More information
soon...
art work by Camille Potvin, class of 2016
And to wrap up 2015, save the
date for our Fashion Show at the
Chrysler Museum on Dec. 17.
Join us for a night of music, fun
and fashion as our artists model
their works of wearable art! An
exhibition of their creations will
be on view at the Chrysler
Museum following an incredible
night!
We would like to welcome new
faculty to the department. These
artists are bringing their talents
and enthusiasm to help with the
rapid growth of opportunities
and experiences. Heather
Bryant is the new Associate
Chair and will lead Senior
Portfolio. Angela Douglas, a
GSA alum, will teach
Photography and Carlie Bagley
is our new Ceramics instructor.
This is an exciting time to be an
artist! Watch our students
emerge and expand our
department beyond the walls of
our building!
VOCAL MUSIC!
Vocal Music students have an exciting year ahead of them full
of performing and performances.
Concerts include a Liederabend (song recital) in November of
Italian art song, a performance of Handel's Messiah with Organ
in December, an evening of Cabaret in February, our opera
production of Mozart's The Magic Flute, in English, in March, a
concert of student directed Opera Scenes in April, and our
Senior Class of 2016 in May.
All GSA VM students get to experience professional
opera performed at the regional and international
levels. They attend the series of four Virginia Opera dress
rehearsals, and attend four MET Opera HD Transmissions as
part of the MET HD in the Schools programs.
Vocal Music is also looking forward to its annual trip to New York
City to see a musical and three performances of opera at the
Metropolitan Opera, and participate in two master classes singing
for professionals in the business.
MUSICAL THEATRE
photo by Alan Fischer
We need your help with The Neptune Festival!
The GSA Musical Theatre Department is the honored
charity of the festival. We have an opportunity to be
awarded a big chunk of money for our volunteer hours.
This takes alot of people power. Please sign up to help
at signupgenius. Your help is truly appreciated!
The Musical Theatre Department starts off the new year with “Catch Me If
You Can”, the fantastic musical comedy with music by Mark Shaiman and
nominated for 4 Tony Awards. Next we will collaborate once again with one
of our partners in arts education, Virginia Musical Theatre, in an original
musical production of “A Christmas Carol.” This musical version of the
classic holiday story features the music of our own Chip Gallagher. Our final
musical of the year will be the fun-filled“Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang”,
performed at the Sandler Center for the
Performing Arts in Virginia Beach. We
will have a flying car! This show will be
on Memorial Day weekend, and we will
honor our military with a big ticket
give-away.
We welcome our new and returning
students to an exciting year filled with
intensive learning and performing.
GET INVOLVED!!
• Join the Parents Group (PGSA) - Our first
meeting is September 15 at 6:30pm held in the
2nd floor conference room.
• Go Social with us! Fan our FACEBOOK
page, twitter @TheGovSchl, and instagram
@govschool Lots of information and pics!
• Attend Performances - we offer over 60
shows a year in every art form. Expand your
horizons and see a performance that your
child is not in. Invite your friends!
• Attend an Art Exhibition our visual artists
exhibit regularly throughout the year in
traditional galleries and non-traditional
venues.
Each art exhibition has it’s own
special opening which usually includes snacks
and makes it very celebratory.
• Visit our website often - our calendar
lists every activity happening during the school
year.
www.gsarts.net
• Be an advocate - Contact your state
politicians to help GSA get equal funding.
• Join the Parents Campaign contribute to our annual and capital
campaigns and have your name in our
building forever! You can help ensure that the
programs at GSA remain for decades to come.
Contact Deborah Thorpe at our Foundation
for more information
foundation@gsarts.net
254 Granby Street | Norfolk, Virginia 23510 |www.gsarts.net