ARTS PHILOSOPHY
The purpose of Art Education at MacDuffie is to facilitate the student’s needs to express himself/herself, to help the student develop empathy for others, and ultimately to enhance the student’s life-long after he/she has completed formal education. We teach the skills and knowledge necessary to create and appreciate art. To create all art, visual and performing, the student must develop creative thinking, learn to work in a cooperative fashion, learn how to express creative ideas in verbal and nonverbal ways, and present a finished product. In order to appreciate visual and performing art, the student is exposed to performances and to actual works of art. He/she also studies art history and examines the relationship between art and culture.
MIDDLE SCHOOL ARTS PROGRAM
The Middle School Arts Program reinforces the integrated Middle School Curriculum. Students not only use the skills developed in the other classes, but they learn to appreciate the relationships between visual and performing arts. Sixth graders study dance, music, and the visual arts. The seventh grade students study theater, visual arts, dance, and music.
In the eighth grade, students study visual arts, theater, and music.
1632 – Middle School Chorus
This chorus is a place for students in grades 6-8 to come together and sing. This beginning-level choir addresses such areas as vocal health, breathing, diction, pitch, tone, rhythm, harmony, phrasing, dynamics, blending, energy, posture, performance preparation, working with sheet music/musical notation, and expression through singing. A variety of musical styles are explored and performed. Students participate in both the Winter and Spring Concerts.
SIXTH GRADE
1600 – Dance 6
This course integrates the element of dance and the study of the cultures of other countries. The students study creative movement, improvisation and find connections between dance and mythology. The course culminates with a movement based project on the twelve hour journey of the Sun God Re.
1610 – Visual Arts
The sixth graders learn to see the relationship between the part and the whole in their study of cartooning. With the study of sculpture, students create an imaginary animal. They classify it using knowledge from their science class and name it using vocabulary from their Latin class. While the subject matter for the drawing might change to integrate with the rest of their academic program, sixth graders improve their basic rendering skills and their shading techniques.
1626 – Music 6
The sixth-grade course will concentrate on learning about the history of American music, including Native American music, folk songs, blues, jazz, rock, and musical theatre. In addition to this focus, sixth graders will also begin gaining skills for reading, writing and understanding music notation, including pitch, rhythm, music symbols and terms. Students will regularly be applying these skills in the classroom with the use of keyboards and rhythm instruments, and also by way of group singing, movement and dancing, listening to music and composing their own music.
SEVENTH GRADE
1612 – Visual Arts 7
The seventh graders will work on proportions and drawing by studying the human figure. They create a drawing emphasizing line variety and value. After they have completed their drawings they move on to color usage and painting. They are introduced to various mediums and painting techniques. The last project they work on is sculpture. Using a wire armature, the seventh graders create a polymer clay sculpture. As much as possible the visual art projects integrate with the middle school academic program.
1628 – Music 7
The seventh-grade course will concentrate on learning about and analyzing American popular music of the 20th century. In addition to this focus, students will also continue basic (to intermediate level) skills for reading, writing and understanding music notation, including pitch, rhythm, music symbols and terms. Students will regularly be applying these skills in the classroom with the use of keyboards and rhythm instruments. Students will also work together in small groups to create their own music video.
1602 – Dance 7
Seventh-grade students learn the basic tools of choreography necessary to create a dance. Students team up and prepare daily choreographic studies that they present to the class. They give and receive constructive criticism, watch a variety of dance forms on video and write critiques. The emphasis in this course is on teamwork and overall acceptance of individuality. Students finalize their quarter in dance with a mini-performance for their classmates.
1620 – Theater 7
This is an introductory theater course in which students learn basic theater terminology and stage directions. Students work creatively on cooperative activities, theater games and improvisations with other class members. Students study the construction of the play and its similarities to the short story, reinforcing the English curriculum. The course culminates in a major project in which the students script, memorize, and perform an original scene.
EIGHTH GRADE
1622 – Theater 8
This course is designed to improve communication, cooperation, and organizational skills. Students are reacquainted with basic stage terminology and theater craft. They study character development and play writing through improvised exercises and basic text analysis. If time permits, they perform either poetry or scenes in morning assembly; this is in preparation for their eighth grade plays. At the end of the semester, each class produces an original play; they write, direct, design, and perform it. The themes of the plays vary from year to year, depending upon the curriculum and the needs of the students.
1614 – Visual Arts 8
Students study the basic technical skills for drawing, painting, and sculpture. They also study the various components of a city. Students use this information to develop a plan for “their own city.” In the second half of the course the students apply the art skills they have learned to create a display that includes a drawing, painting, and written work describing their city. The eighth graders present their projects at the end of the year for their teachers, family and friends at the Eighth Grade Rite of Passage.
1630 – Music 8
The eighth-grade course will concentrate on learning about music from around the world including theMiddle East,India,China,Africa,EuropeandLatin America. In addition to this focus, eighth graders will also continue working towards gaining an intermediate (to advanced) level of skills for reading, writing and understanding music notation. Students will regularly be applying these skills in the classroom with the use of keyboards and rhythm instruments, and also by way of group singing, movement and dancing, listening to music and composing. They will also participate in a performance piece in the annual Winter or Spring Music Concert.
UPPER SCHOOL ARTS PROGRAM
Students in the Upper School (class 2013) are required to take a minimum of one and one half years (1.5 credits) of art for graduation and the first class to meet the new requirement of two years (2 credits) will be the class of 2014. The art credit (s) may be in visual or performing arts or a combination of the two. Students who enter MacDuffie in grade 9 are required to take “Arts in Perspective” as a prerequisite for the individual electives in the arts. If a student has completed two years of the MacDuffie middle school program and has maintained a B- (or above) average, he/she is not required to take “Arts in Perspective” but would be allowed to select any of the arts electives.
1648 – Arts in Perspective
In this year-long course, students move at a quick pace through each of the arts: music, visual, theater, and dance. They study the basic terms and concepts of each discipline in order to gain an understanding of the process of creating art and the contributions art makes to society. This course is designed as the primer course for beginning art students. It is also a course for students who love art and want a better general understanding of all the arts. This course, however, is not a rehash of the middle school curriculum, but is designed to accommodate the requirements established in the National Standards for Arts Education for high school students. This course is a technical and academic course where students work in both the studio and the classroom.
VISUAL ARTS PROGRAM
Students in the Visual Arts Program require no previous art training or skill. They work with professional-grade art materials and tools in an informal setting with large work tables and separate work areas for specialized arts. There is an in-class library with “how-to” books, “idea” notebooks, reference and art history books, slides, video tapes and files of reference pictures. Students have storage spaces for their works in progress. Art history integrates with the studio arts throughout the various courses. Students’ art work is displayed on a regular basis.
1640 – Applied Art History
Art is the result of an artist’s experience and environment. Art reflects the daily life and aspects that are most important at that time. Examining the art of a period gives the viewer an idea, not just of what was happening, but how it affected the people. Art is a growth process, not just within an artist’s life, but from one time period to the next. As knowledge of the world around them increased and skill in handling materials improved, artists were able to show more and more of the reality of life. This course will study development of people through the artworks of the artists. Students will create artworks based on the readings and discussions.
1642 – Visual Art
Each semester-long art course covers skills, knowledge, composition, and application. The students work on a range of projects using a variety of materials. The courses can sometimes be customized to meet the particular needs of a student, for example drawing for architects, drawing for fashion designers, fantasy drawing, or drawing nature.
Drawing
Drawing is a way to see…really looking at an object and seeing the relationship between the parts. Drawing is not a talent, but a learned skill in seeing and rendering the image. Additional specialized semester courses: Pencil and Ink.
Painting
The student studies color theory and produces a variety of paintings using assorted paint materials. Additional specialized semester course: Acrylic, Colored Pencils, and Watercolors.
Sculpture
Students in this multimedia course create artworks that have a front, back, top, bottom, left, and right side. Additional specialized semester courses: Jewelry, Glass, Leather, and Fiber.
Architecture
In this course the student studies the art and science of space. The student sketches, drafts, renders, and makes models. The student learns the basics of spatial design. Additional specialized semester courses: House Design and Interior Design.
Graphic Design
Visual communication – getting your message across is the work of the graphic designer. In this course, the student works on creating artworks using images and words. Additional specialized semester courses: Cartooning and Photography.
Portfolio
This course is for students with strong visual arts backgrounds who wish to add artworks to their college portfolios. Having already developed basic art skills, the students apply them to more complex projects. The students create a series of artworks using a variety of media and techniques. It is strongly recommended that students interested in developing a portfolio take this course in the second semester of their junior year and continue the program into the first semester of their senior year.
Senior Art
Seniors who have fulfilled their arts credit for graduation and have taken visual arts in theUpperSchoolmay take this visual arts course. Students get the opportunity to explore different mediums and subject matter.
DANCE PROGRAM
1644 – Modern Dance and Repertory
This year-long course offers an intense training for students seriously interested in dance. While the emphasis of the course is primarily on modern dance, students spend one day a week studying ballet to strengthen and improve their technique. There is also a focus on dance history, choreography and improvisations.
Please note that this class also fulfills a student’s Physical Education requirement.
THEATER PROGRAM
1660 – Acting
Grades 9 – 12
Acting is a year-long course. No previous acting experience is required to enroll in this class. There is no text for the class. Students become acquainted with basic stage and theater terminology. They study basic acting craft. They develop the necessary skills for researching and performing a role. The primary methods for learning these skills are improvisation and original scripting. The first semester culminates in a performance for the entire student body in morning assembly. The second semester is devoted to the study of comedy. The students study a range of comic styles: comedia del arte, slapstick, romantic comedy, high comedy, black comedy and satire. The primary methods for learning these skills are films, improvisation and original scripting. The semester culminates in a final performance at the end of the semester, usually a comic Melodrama.
1664 – The Acting Ensemble (Advanced Acting)
Grades 10 – 12
Department Approval Only
This is a year-long academic advanced level theater and acting class that prepares the more serious-minded student for college level work in theater. The class meets four days a week, but extra rehearsal time is often necessary for productions. This class performs full scripts with the intent of touring. The scripts range in scope from performance art to pre-modern drama, children’s and readers’ theater to realism. Students take a mid-term exam often in the form of a project.
Their final exam changes as they progress from year to year. The first-year student performs an original one-person show. The second-year student performs an adaptation of a short story. In the third year of enrollment, the student directs a one-act play. Each year, returning students confront new challenges. A theater history text is required for the class.
MUSIC PROGRAM
The MacDuffie School Music Program is founded on the premise that music education is an important component for every student as part of a well-balanced academic program. Our curriculum incorporates the National Standards for Music Education and the Massachusetts Arts Curriculum Framework. The nine national standards are listed below:
1) Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
2) Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
3) Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments
4) Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines
5) Readingand notating music
6) Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
7) Evaluating music and music performances
8) Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
9) Understanding music in relation to history and culture
The ultimate objective of the program is to help students become well-rounded musicians, which enhances their ability to express themselves musically and critically.
1646 – MacDuffie Singers
Grades 9 – 12
This year-long choral performance course works toward well-rounded vocal musicianship by strengthening students’ skills in such areas as enunciation, breath management, posture, sight-singing, part-singing, understanding music notation, sheet music, and performance readiness. Students gain experience with repertoire that represents various cultures and musical genres. Members of the chorus are expected to attend all rehearsals and take part in all concerts.
1663 – Advanced Music Theory (AP)
Grades 9 – 12
This year-long course assumes a solid grounding in the basics of music theory – notation, scales, rhythms, and triads – and explores the vocabulary of tonal music theory in depth. Students will learn about the rules of voice-leading (tonal counterpoint) and harmonic progression, leading to the analysis of major pieces of classical and popular repertories. In addition to written work, there will be a strong practical component of singing, listening exercises and dictation, and basic piano work. At the end of the course, students will create their own compositions based on their knowledge.
Students are required to take the AP Music Theory examination in May.
1666 – Music Theory (One semester)
Grades 9 – 12
In this course students study the building blocks of tonal harmony, the theory that describes the substance of the vast majority of Western music. Students begin with a quick review of basic notation and pitch-matching before launching into scales, key signatures, and triads. Practice in these elements will inform the study of the chord progressions that govern any number of pieces of music, ranging from early Classical music to the music of today. Alongside the study of theory will be a practical exploration of singing, keyboard, and listening techniques to apply this new knowledge.
1671 – Basic Musicianship (One semester)
Grades 9 – 12
This semester-long course is designed to welcome all beginning/inexperienced students wishing to gain a basic understanding of music through performance and theory. Students will gain knowledge of proper singing technique, practice rhythms on percussion instruments, and learn the essentials of music theory (notation, scales, triads) through an introduction to the piano. Students will be evaluated most heavily on their participation and effort in class, though there will be some written work to supplement the music theory component.
FILM PRODUCTION PROGRAM
1665 – Intro to Film Production (One semester)
Grades 9-12
The film production course offers students interested in film-making a practical and hands-on introduction to the field. The semester long course will allow students to study the relationships between photography, graphics and film and take part in the initial conception and writing all the way through production and post-production, all the while experimenting with their own aesthetic visions. Students will take part in a series of filming and editing exercises and gain competency in Final Cut Pro that will lead to completion of a final project. A brief history of film and production will also be applied to the course. Projects will be screened to the school and showcased on the website. Students will be expected to engage in work outside of class time.
1682 – Advanced Film Production (One semester)
Grades 9-12
The advanced course will be a continuation for students who took the Intro to Film Production course. The primary focus of the course will be production and post-production of a short narrative film. Becoming confident with editing in Final Cut Pro X will also be a goal of the class. Students will experiment with aspects of editing such as sound overlay, color correction and title generators.
NON-CREDIT ACTIVITIES IN THE ARTS
MacDuffie Dancers
The MacDuffie Dancers is open to any upper school student who is very serious about dance. To become a member of the MacDuffie Dancers students must audition a piece of work to be considered for the Winter or Spring Concerts. These auditions take place at the beginning of each semester. Students meet monthly to share the progress of their work and give and receive constructive criticism regarding their choreography. Students are also encouraged to dance in each other’s works. Students who participate in The MacDuffie Dancers are strongly encouraged to enroll in Modern Dance and Repertory.
Dance Company:
By Audition Only. This after school course will meet one or two days a week and is for a select group of students who show not only a solid technical background in dance, but also have a love and passion for learning dance. Students enrolled in Dance Company will attend field trips to see professional dance companies and will also be invited to attend The National or Regional High School Dance Festival as well as participate in faculty choreography during our winter and spring dance concerts. Students enrolled in Dance Company must also be enrolled in Upper School Dance 2 or 3. Not for credit.
Dance Team:
Quarters 1,2 & 3. Dance Team is offered for students in grades 9-12 and is by audition only. Students who participate in Dance Team learn jazz dance choreography during quarters one and two and then perform at basketball game half-time shows during quarter three. Dance Team is not taken for credit but is a club/team which meets during one of the two lunch blocks twice a week or after school. This course is not for credit. All students registering for Dance Team must purchase Capezio split sole E – Series slip on jazz shoes in the caramel color
Acting in School Plays
MacDuffie presents two main stage productions a year. Auditions are open to all students in the school regardless of the student’s age or experience level. The types of play vary from year to year, but traditionally, the fall play is a comic or straight play and the spring production is a musical. In the late spring more experienced students will, on occasion, direct one-act plays. All students are also welcome to participate in these productions as well.
Technical Theater
Students may learn stage management, lighting, set design and construction, make-up skills and costuming by volunteering to work behind the scenes on the school plays.
A Cappella Ensemble
This musical group is for interested students, faculty, and staff to work on singing without accompaniment. Members help to select repertoire. An audition is required prior to acceptance. The group is student directed.
Jazz Ensemble
This group is for faculty, students, and staff who wish to explore the jazz medium. Members must provide their own instruments (a piano is supplied), and availability depends upon interest. Improvisation, reading charts, arranging, and fulfilling specific roles within an ensemble are several areas that are addressed.
