Arts

The arts program at Drew allows students the fullest range of options and resources for artistic expression, be it aural, visual or theatrical. Students are exposed to both academic criticism of the arts as well as hands-on artistic experience. Arts faculty and school facilities come together to offer a broad and ever-growing stage for student artistic growth and accomplishment.

Visual Arts:

Drawing and Design
This course covers introductory concepts and approaches to drawing and design. Students brainstorm, create, and critique works of art. Basic drawing skills such as contour line drawing, value, and perspective are taught. Topics covered include still life, portrait, model, relative color, and product design. Materials include charcoal, conte, pencil, paint and collage. Students keep a notebook for drawing and class notes.

Advanced Drawing and Design
This class offers advanced drawing and design students opportunities to further develop their skills. Drawings from observation and the imagination are used to help students push themselves on both technical and expressive levels. Design for product and print as well as architecture are covered.

Painting
Painting class is an in-depth exploration of both technical skills/approaches to the medium and ideas and subjects. Washes, glazes, color mixing, palette knife, masking, impasto and use of binders are covered. Water-bases paint (acrylic) is used throughout on a variety of surfaces. Subjects range from still-life to figure to working from the imagination on an assigned topic. This course gives students the opportunity to develop their own iconography and to discuss broader issues relevant to painters such as the nature of inspiration, beauty, and expression.

Printmaking
Printmaking explores a variety of media and techniques including linoleum, etching, woodblock, collagraphs, monoprints, transfers, screen printing, and mixed media. The class covers all aspects of printmaking from set up and registration to papers, inks, and editioning. Students keep a notebook for drawing and class notes. Emphasis is on both experimentation and technique mastery.

Sculpture
The goal of this survey course is to explore three dimensional form working through a variety of mediums and projects including low relief, wire, additive and reductive structures, assemblage, ceramics, molds and casts. Emphasis is on experimentation, exploration and process. Students keep a notebook for drawing and class notes.

Advanced Studio Art
This course focuses on both technique and concept development. Assignments are highly structured to increase technique including value, rendering, relative color, and composition. This course may lead to the fulfillment of the AP portfolio if a student chooses. Students must be willing and able to explore either one medium or connected ideas in several media. Students will need to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of a variety of approaches to their medium of choice. Students keep a notebook for drawing and class notes.

Art History
This course explores the history of modern art from the 19th century to the present. Students will explore a range of genre from realism to abstract expressionism to contemporary performance art. Course work will focus on class readings, slide viewings and trips to local museums and galleries. Students will master the basic vocabulary and analysis categories essential to the study of art.

Photography
This is a foundation course emphasizing camera control, image visualization, and traditional methods for printing. Students must obtain a manually operated 35mm camera. Materials for shooting (film), printing (paper and chemicals), and presentation (matte board) will be provided.

Music

Music Fundamentals
Students learn basic musicianship, listening and analysis skills through performance, notation and discussion of musical examples from a wide variety of styles and cultures. Students identify elements of musical expression within and across boundaries of style and genre, paying special attention to the significance and role of music as it articulates cultural values.

Beginning Ensembles (1/2 Credit)
Students arrange and perform beginning/intermediate literature from a variety of idioms to include: classical, modern, jazz, Dixieland, blues, swing, salsa, Afro-Cuban, rhythm & blues, rock, and hip-hop. Rehearsal, preparation, and performance skills will be developed. Students also develop theory, musicianship, and analysis skills with special focus on proficiency in major scales.

Intermediate/Advanced Ensemble
Students arrange and perform advanced literature from a variety of idioms to include: classical, modern jazz, Dixieland, blues, swing, salsa, Afro-Cuban, rhythm & blues, rock and hip-hop. Rehearsal, preparation, and performance skills will be developed. Students also develop theory, musicianship, and analysis skills through improvisation and focus on improving instrumental technique.

Music and Culture
Introduction to world music and the study of music-cultures. Students develop models for musical analysis, paying special attention to the social context that defines distinct musical styles. Students will explore the relationships between music and the people who create, preserve and market it. Students will complete an ethnography project to be presented in written or digital form; students are encouraged to use digital audio/video in their fieldwork.

History of American Music
Traces the history of American popular music from the 1870’s through the Twentieth century. Students will recognize and describe features of musical examples from the musical traditions represented in the course-material.

Students will demonstrate an understanding of form and structure through analysis, discussion and writing about specific musical styles/genres.

Advanced Music Theory
Students develop theory, musicianship and analysis skills, working with scales, modes, metric/rhythmic organization, form, structure, counterpoint, and diatonic harmonic progressions in four voices. Students apply listening, analysis and sight-singing skills across a broad selection of styles including western and non-western musical traditions.

Applied Music
Students develop instrumental technique and musicianship skills in private study on their instrument of choice. Students will meet once weekly with instructor and are expected to practice daily. Students are encouraged to be concurrently enrolled in an ensemble

Digital Media

Introduction to Recording Studio
Students compose, notate, and create audio recordings using digital sound-synthesis and recording equipment. Students are introduced to basic studio techniques and equipment including microphones, stereo editing, sequencing and MIDI.

Composing with Digital Media
Students compose, notate, and create audio recordings using digital sound-synthesis and recording equipment. Students compile a portfolio of polished pieces that reflect a clear concept of form and structure through the controlled use of specified musical elements. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the mechanics and psychology of sound production, propagation and perception and will use a variety of equipment to create/collect sound sources and apply editing and production techniques.

Computer Art and Animation
This course focuses on 2D and 3D computer art and animation. Students learn to create and edit images in Photoshop, and to make animations and cartoons in Flash. In addition, they learn to model, texture, and animate 3D objects using 3D modeling applications including Lightwave.

Digital Video
In this hands-on course students acquire the skills required to design, shoot and edit digital video. The class combines demonstrations, lecture, exercises, projects and critiques. Students will then learn how to use a professional camera and also how to shoot & edit videos, taking into account lighting, background, and other aspects of proficient filming techniques. Topics include but are not limited to: digital camera operation, lighting, audio recording, scripting, non-linear editing using Final Cut Pro and audio mixing. Students are expected to focus on designing and producing an effective final project. Grading is based on the quality of work produced and performance on written exams.