Page 10 - Priorities #16 2001-February

Briefly, what else would students do if we had more time and better tools?
I would like to give our students chances to perform bigger plays for larger audiences and to do musical theater. I would like to see student musical ensembles performing off campus and reaching the level of expertise that will count in college applications.
The new advanced vocal ensemble is a great example of what some of our students want to do. They are coming at 7:15 a.m. three days a week to get in more practice time, and the difference in their performances is obvious. The students are so much happier with what they can do as a result of just that one extra opportunity.
Our other music students only get 11/2 hours of class time a week. You simply can’t develop a voice that will impress a college or a quality ensemble off the campus with that limited amount of time to practice and learn. If you check schools with established programs, they offer three or four times as much rehearsal and training.
Let’s talk about the facilities. The “little theater” effect you create with the Visual Arts department is charming. Why isn’t it enough?
There are a few reasons. The multi-purpose room, the space where we create the little theater, is used first as a classroom and second as meeting room. It is used for literally everything requiring a large space.
Setting up the little theater is monumentally disruptive to these other uses, and the resulting space is too small to seat the audiences we have, let alone a larger audience for a bigger production such as a musical.
Since the room wasn’t designed to be either a classroom or a theater, it’s just not equipped as it optimally should be. And our music room was designed for seminars and receptions, not optimal music instruction.
I think most people here don’t know what the students are missing, because this campus has never had “real” performing arts facilities. There would be an amazing difference in productive use of time if we stopped “making do” and were able to focus all our energies on great work in a great space.
It sounds as though you are saying better facilities are necessary, not just desirable. Is that accurate?
To me, the most obvious reason they are a “need” is that I want the students to have the quality of music and drama they should expect at a school of the Priory’s caliber. Academically talented students these days usually expect to achieve in an academic field and in one or more of the arts. You can’t escape the talk these days about the crossover skills between arts and academics.
Colleges know the importance of arts—they appreciate high-quality arts experience in student applications. Students who can produce impressive videotapes or CDs have a competitive advantage.
Finally, from the Priory’s point of view, we are compared with schools that have well-established performing arts departments. I think we probably lose some applicants who may like our work but don’t see us offering the experiences they want for themselves.
Would you describe what you think we need?
First, it would be great if we had a space big enough for the whole Priory community to meet. The assembly hall no longer fits that description. It would also be helpful to have classroom space more conducive to teaching the subject matter - with practice rooms where the music students can work in smaller groups, and with space to store instruments.
The theater space could use a larger stage, more storage, a shop, a legitimate dance floor that could also be used for school dances, and an orchestra pit. It would be wonderful to have a lobby where people could get tickets, meet during the intermission, view
Academically talented students these days usually expect to achieve in an academic field and in the arts. You can’t escape the talk these days about the crossover skills between arts and academics.
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