Arts
Performing Arts
The Performing Arts curriculum assists students in developing the vocabulary, skills, and attitudes necessary for a high level of accomplishment and a deep understanding and appreciation in music, dance, and theater arts. Courses emphasize the historical and theoretical foundations of these three related disciplines. In addition to exploring a myriad of performing opportunities, students come to view the arts through a number of different lenses, acting as creator, interpreter, and critic. Students apply theory directly to performance in class and before audiences.
Performance-based ensembles are offered for students who have the desire to perform outside of the classroom.
Courses for the 2022-2023 school year:
Music
- Learning Music through the Lens of The Beatles, Rock History, and Hip Hop
- Learning Music through the Lens of World Cultures
- Music Technology and the Recording Experience
- Songwriting
Learning Music through the Lens of The Beatles, Rock History, and Hip Hop
Trimester - 2 credits
Open to all grades.
Through the music of The Beatles, who incorporated traditional “Tin Pan Alley” writing with “the Blues,” examining “the Blues” and its powerful influence on Rock History, and exploring the development of “hip hop” from its rhythm and blues roots to the cultural force and influence it is today, we will learn the basic elements of music such as form, scales, triads,
melody, and rhythm. Elements of the African-American creation, “The Blues,” permeate all our contemporary musical styles. A course teaching music essentials does not have to be cold and predictable. This course is designed to listen to the music of our lives, the music we listen to everyday, the music that means the most to us, with a better understanding and “feel.”
Learning Music through the Lens of World Cultures
Trimester - 2 credits
Open to all grades.
In this course we will be studying styles of music from around the globe, while learning the important elements of music. World music has come to include not only traditional music from various cultures, but also the cross-cultural music influence that has contributed to creating new styles of music. City as Our Campus℠ experiences will be an integral part of this course, and we will welcome to our class such performers as the Klezmatic Klezmer Group, a virtuoso bagpiper, Brazilian vocalist, Kenia, authentic African Drummers, and the Purple Bamboo Chinese Ensemble, all to broaden our understanding of the cultures, instruments, and traditions that enhance our appreciation of music from around the world. Students will complete a research project presentation further examining a music and culture not covered in class, such as delving into the music of their own family culture.
Music Technology and the Recording Experience
Trimester - 2 credits
Open to all grades.
This class, for both musician and non-musician, aims to release the creative energy and talent within each individual student. Students will learn to use the computer and piano keyboard to compose, notate, analyze, and improvise music, as well as engage in real time and real life experiences in a major recording studio. We have partnered with Mr. Small’s Recording Studios, Larry Luther, recording engineer, through our City as Our Campus field trips over the past four trimesters. In Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), students will compose original pieces, both in performance playback and printed material formats. Finale, Garage Band, Musescore, and Ableton are the primary software programs used. The topics for exploration in the studio include: MIDI, basic audio theory, equipment, studio design, mixing with pro tools, and the mastering process.
Songwriting
Trimester - 2 credits
Open to all students
Did you ever listen to a tune and wonder why it’s a hit? Did you ever hear a song or a lyric and think, “I could write a better song than that?” Through analyzing all styles of famous tunes through the years, paying careful attention to the art of writing a hook, performing specific writing exercises, and developing your listening habits, students can unlock their creativity and songwriting potential. Activities in the class will include writing exercises such as original titles and analysis, the “laundry list” technique of lyric writing, blues analysis and original composition, lyric completion exercises, and practicing chord progressions at the piano. Major scales, triads, common chord progressions, melody writing knowledge and skills, and other general music knowledge will be incorporated. The course will culminate in students applying their skills to create a fully-realized, completed song.
Ensembles
Guitar Ensemble
Year - 3 credits
Open to all students
Prerequisite: Ability to read music on guitar, at beginning level (basic position)
Students will play in a group and perform different styles of music such as contemporary rock, classical melodies, and light jazz compositions. . Performances include a winter performance in December, a spring performance in May, and occasional outside performances. All dress rehearsals and performances are required and are a part of the student’s grade. Though our main purpose is to prepare for our concerts, students will also learn skills such as note-reading, sight-reading, the art of ensemble playing, elements of “time,” phrasing for the style of music being played, “guitar-centric” chords and rhythms, and scales for improvisation.
Jazz Band
Prerequisites: Ability to play brass, woodwind, percussion, or keyboard instruments at the advanced beginner level or higher; ability to read music.
Students will play in a group and perform various styles of music such as traditional and contemporary jazz, big band swing, and pop and rock classics. Performances include a winter performance in December, a spring performance in May, and occasional outside performances. All ensemble members are required to perform at daytime assemblies and some evening performances. All dress rehearsals and performances are required and are part of the student’s grade. Though our main purpose is to prepare for our concerts, students will also learn skills such as sight-reading, the art of ensemble playing, elements of “time,” how to “swing,” appropriate phrasing for the style of music being played, and scales for improvisation.
Orchestra
Prerequisites: Open to students who play string, wind, brass, percussion, and keyboard instruments at the level of advanced-beginner or higher.
Students play in an ensemble and perform various repertoire from concert bands, wind ensembles, and symphony orchestras. Some members may be asked to play for the Upper School musical. Performances include a winter performance in December, a performance in March, and occasional outside performances, such as in the Carnegie Music hall foyer prior to Chamber Music Pittsburgh concerts. All dress rehearsals and performances are required and are part of the student’s grade. Though our main purpose is to prepare for our concerts, students will also learn skills such as sight-reading, the art of ensemble playing, elements of “time,” and appropriate phrasing for the style of music being played. The orchestra will perform pieces from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary periods, as well as the best in pop music and movie and television themes.
Chorus
This course is designed for students interested in performing as a member of a vocal ensemble. Students will learn music of various styles, languages, and time periods as they prepare for on and off-campus performances. Repertoire may include selections from, but not limited to, the great Western art music (sacred and secular), folk and multicultural music, vocal jazz, pop, and musical theater. Students will strengthen individual vocal technique and enhance music listening and reading skills. This course requires some evening and weekend commitments. All dress rehearsal performances are required and are part of the student’s grade.
Dance Ensemble
This fun-filled, upbeat class will get your heart rate going and your creativity flowing because here at WT we don’t just think we can dance … we know we can dance! Dance Ensemble is a performance-based course where much of the class time is devoted to learning and developing specific choreography for performance. No previous training or experience is required—just an interest in learning dance skills, getting in shape, and experimenting with dance styles you’ve always wanted to explore. A variety of dance genres and skills are covered including but not limited to: jazz, musical theatre, tap, hip hop, and modern dance. Student choreographers and soloists are encouraged to stretch their talents and to challenge themselves both physically and creatively. All students in the dance ensemble are required to perform in the annual spring dance performance and participate in the mandatory dress rehearsal that takes place after school prior to the performance.
Theatre Arts
Theatre Arts
Trimester - 2 credits
Open to all students
This course introduces and explores theater from page to stage as a live performing art. It is designed to combine an overview of the art with as much creative and practical experience as possible. Areas of study include theater history, dramatic action, comedy improv, acting, directing, and playwriting. Students will also complete a project in an area of their own choice.
Technical Theater Design
Trimester - 2 credits
Open to all students
This course will introduce the student to the fundamental elements and principles of theatrical design. Students will read a script, and create designs in the areas of scenery, lighting, sound, props and costumes. . Each area’s practice is explored and analyzed through a series of exercises that incorporate design projects.
Technical Theater Production
Trimester - 2 credits
Open to all students
This course is for students who want to avoid the spotlight and explore the behind-the-scenes, hands-on, technical aspects of theater production. Areas of study include drafting, set construction, stage management, props, lighting, sound, costumes, and stage makeup effects. This is a hands-on course in which students use building tools, run sewing machines, apply stage make-up, and operate lights.
Visual Arts
The visual arts department seeks to allow students to experiment with a variety of materials and processes and develop the confidence to tap into their own creativity. Intimate classes focus on a variety of mediums including drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, ceramics, decorative glass, digital art, and art history. Students are encouraged to develop their critical thinking skills by analyzing and interpreting artistic expressions found throughout history, and have the opportunity to meet and work with local visual artists as well as explore the rich cultural institutions and community resources that Pittsburgh has to offer. By providing an understanding of the role of art in both historical and contemporary culture, students of all abilities are encouraged to find their artist voice and explore their ideas and experiences visually.
Courses for the 2021-2022 School Year:
- African Art
- Contemporary Sculpture
- Decorative Glass
- Digital Art
- East Asian Pottery
- Filmmaking
- Functional Pottery
- Fundamentals of Drawing and Creative Art Journaling
- Handmade Book Art
- Handbuilding Ceramics
- Metalsmithing Level 1
- Metalsmithing Level 2
- Painting: Acrylic, Watercolor and Mixed Media
- Photography: Introduction to Photography
- Photography: Advanced Photography
- Printing
- Public Art
- Urban Art
- AP Art History
African Art
Trimester – 2 credits
Open to all grades.
This studio course explores the various art forms of the continent of Africa ranging from the pre-colonial to contemporary times. Students will be introduced to the various aspects of traditional and contemporary African art through lectures, film, field trips, music, artifacts, and visual art. The objects, images, and sites featured in this course represent only a small cross-section of the diverse ethnic and cultural traditions found throughout Africa. Students will create art pieces using methods such as: textiles, sculpture, metalsmithing and painting in response to the topics covered in class. The class will include a student research assignment, reading assignments, student visual art projects, and City as Our Campus experiences inspired by the thematic studies of the rich and diverse expressions found within this vast continent.
Contemporary Sculpture
Trimester – 2 credits
Open to all grades.
This course is an introduction to traditional and non-traditional sculpture techniques. Students will learn how to create three-dimensional works inspired by various themes. Field trips will occur to view and discuss sculpture masterpieces, both ancient and contemporary. Students will explore wood, plaster, clay, mixed media, and paper to broaden their understanding of contemporary sculptural art trends in Pittsburgh and beyond.
Decorative Glass
Trimester – 2 credits
Open to all grades.
This course introduces students to the use of glass as an artistic medium. The students create a variety of colorful, imaginative projects using the following techniques: decorative mosaics and stained glass.
Decorative Mosaics: The students explore the potential of mosaics as a medium of personal expression. Color, pattern, and texture combine to make mosaics visually appealing art forms. Each student uses materials such as glass, beads, pebbles, shells, china, and ceramic tiles to create a variety of projects, including mirror/picture frames, pots, coasters, wall plaques, or paving stones.
Stained Glass: The students use the copper foil technique of stained glass art (used to produce the famous Tiffany windows). Each student draws patterns, cuts and foils the glass pieces, solders the pieces together, and applies patina finishes. This results in a variety of projects, such as unique sun-catcher window hangings or picture and mirror frames.
Digital Art
Trimester - 2 credits
Open to all grades.
This course introduces students to the use of the computer as a tool for making creative, artistic, and personal images. Students will learn about different types of cameras, scanners, storage devices, and printing techniques used in the imagery industry. They will learn how to capture, store, manipulate, and output images. Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign will be used as students create original images, design for print materials or webpages, and manipulate existing images or photographs artistically. This course will also provide opportunities for students to design and produce projects such as logos, posters, brochures, and presentations for their other classes and/or extracurricular activities.
East Asian Pottery
Trimester – 2 credits
Open to all grades.
This studio course serves as an introduction to the role of traditional and contemporary ceramic forms from China, Japan, and Korea. Each unit of study will explore the intersections of art, politics, religion, culture, and the natural world. Students will study ceramic forms through various formats: lectures, guest artist presentations, field trips, student ceramic projects, and City as Our Campus experiences. The course will introduce specific styles and techniques that highlight the various ceramic arts forms in relation to the history and culture of their respective time periods and places.
Filmmaking
Trimester - 2 credits
Open to all grades.
This course provides an opportunity for students to learn and apply skills involved in filmmaking and digital video production. Students will focus on planning, shooting, and editing a variety of creative projects. They will explore the aesthetic and technical aspects of writing scripts, drawing storyboards, capturing images with still and video cameras, and editing content properly and creatively. Students will concentrate on subject matter of personal interest while producing their media projects. A major video assignment will culminate in shooting footage on a site off-campus, and students may visit institutions such as Pittsburgh Filmmakers for inspiration.
Functional Pottery
Trimester - 2 credits
Open to all grades.
This course introduces students to a variety of fundamental techniques for creating functional pottery. Students will explore both wheel throwing and handbuilding techniques. Emphasis will be placed heavily on function, form, and surface treatment. Students will learn to construct tableware items such as bowls, teapots, cake platters, and vase forms of various sizes. Students will also explore the history of ceramics through the ages by viewing original works, screening demonstration videos, and interacting with a guest ceramic artist.
Fundamentals of Drawing and Creative Art Journaling
Trimester – 2 credits
Open to all grades.
Discover the fun and mindful qualities of drawing. This course is suitable for both beginning artists and more advanced drawing students. This is an essential class for any student hoping to submit a portfolio for college admission or who is interested in continuing their art studies at a more advanced level. We will explore various projects intended to enhance your observational skills and drawing abilities. Projects covered in this course will include: gesture and contour drawings, negative and positive space, shading and tonal studies and perspective drawings. You will use a variety of drawing media such as ink, charcoal, pencil, colored pencil and pen. Additionally, many projects will involve using an art journal creatively. Develop your own expressive style while mastering the fundamentals of drawing. Artistic experiences such as outside workshops and museum excursions are an essential part of this course.
Handmade Book Art
Trimester – 2 credits
Open to all grades.
This course introduces students to various techniques for constructing handmade books. Students will experiment with various contemporary and traditional bookmaking methods and material. A strong emphasis will be placed on creating books that are sculptural. Each project will be inspired by specific material, method, and theme. Students are encouraged to incorporate drawings, photography, collage, and other materials into their works. This class will cultivate innovation and experimentation. A field trip to Carnegie Mellon University’s Rare Books Collection will be incorporated into the course to offer inspiration.
Handbuilding Ceramics
Trimester – 2 credits
Open to all grades.
This course introduces students to various handbuilding techniques for constructing ceramic forms: pinch, coil, and slab building methods. Students will learn to glaze, carve, and add texture to their projects. The class will view and discuss the techniques used in both ancient and contemporary ceramic masterpieces. Student projects will include explorations of figurative sculpture, functional pottery, and decorative tiles.
Metalsmithing Level 1
Trimester – 2 credits
Open to all grades.
This course will explore introductory techniques for metalsmithing. The course will begin with learning basic metalsmithing skills. Student projects will include original jewelry designs bracelet, earrings, key chain, and a ring made using various metals. Through this course, students will gain knowledge of how to manipulate metal using equipment and power tools. Students will also have an opportunity to study with a regional artist from a local arts organization to learn a traditional method that has a contemporary twist.
Metalsmithing Level 2
Trimester – 2 credits
Open to all grades.
Prerequisite: Metalsmithing Level 1
This course will expand on the basic skills learned in Metalsmithing: Level 1. Students will learn more advanced metalsmithing techniques and processes. Concept development and sophisticated design is emphasized. Students will be given the opportunity to develop independent projects and to cultivate their own artistic style. Students will explore techniques and processes using non-ferrous metals while creating design solutions to challenging assignments. The course emphasizes active participation, technical skill development, conceptual thinking, and problem solving. A guest artist will also engage with students to inspire independent explorations and class assignments.
Painting: Acrylic, Watercolor and Mixed Media
Trimester - 2 credits
Open to all grades.
Discover the powerfully expressive potential of color in art through the techniques of acrylic painting, watercolor and mixed media. You will learn about color theories, color mixing, blending, and the individual properties and qualities of each technique we use. Develop your observational skills, your mastery of a variety of painting media and your own personal expressive style while creating frame-worthy paintings to hang on your walls. Provisions are made for more advanced students to explore more creative, personal innovations and more advanced artistic expressions in their paintings. Artistic experiences outside of the classroom are an essential part of the course.
Photography: Introduction to Photography
Trimester – 2 credits
Open to all grades
This is a practical and theoretical course that introduces students to the art of taking, developing, printing, and evaluating black-and-white photographs. Students will learn to use a 35mm camera and the darkroom techniques for developing film and printing from negatives. Shooting and printing assignments teach students basic principles of design, including visualization, composition, and perspective. For this course, students will use 35mm SLR film cameras (the traditional manual cameras with a full range of aperture settings and shutter speeds).
Photography: Advanced Photography
Trimester - 2 credits
Open to all grades.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Photography 1 or Introduction to Photography.
This course allows students to further develop the photography skills they learned in the Introduction to Photography course. Shooting and printing assignments involve topics/themes of personal interest. Creativity and the application of good design principles and darkroom techniques are encouraged and expected in this course. For this course, students will use 35mm SLR film cameras or digital cameras, depending on the projects pursued.
Printing
Trimester - 2 credits
Open to all grades.
Develop your two-dimensional artistic skills and your own expressive personal artistic style by using a variety of printmaking techniques. Create multiple copies of a single design or image through the exploration of a simple Styrofoam relief project, monotype prints, linoleum block projects, a dry point and a silk screen project. City as Our Campus experiences will include a silk screen workshop at AIR and a tour of the Warhol Museum.
Public Art
Trimester - 2 credits
Open to all grades
Students will have the opportunity to work individually and collaboratively on various proposals for public interventions. We will study the history of public art and also the current international trends. This course will require students to express their proposal ideas through drawing, mixed media, collage and other graphic media. There will also be opportunities to create small scaled site specific interventions. City as Our Campus field trips will be designed to engage the various urban interventions found locally in Pittsburgh. Local public artists and art practitioners will also be engaged to inspire and to give critical feedback on the direction of student projects. The course culminates with an exhibition and/or public installation that will allow the students an opportunity to express their ideas in a public venue.
Urban Art
Trimester - 2 credit
Open to all grades
Students will work in depth with traditional and non-traditional methodologies to explore the multiple facets of street art forms. Mediums such as stencil art, street photography, painting, graffiti, found object sculptures, and portraiture will be explored. Student projects will challenge and expand their personal interests, while also creating opportunities for creating art that communicates ideas to an audience that exists beyond the classroom setting. This dynamic course will integrate the expertise of regional artists and other local resources. Both individual and collaborative projects will be explored.
AP Art History
Year - 6 credits
Open to juniors and seniors
Discover the power of art as we decenter the traditional canon of art in order to make it vitally and critically relevant in our time. AP Art History is a thematic course in the history of Global art traditions that examines works of art and architecture from the time of Prehistoric peoples to the present. This course focuses on relating works of art and architecture from the College Board 250 list of works to the historical contexts within which they were created. The course, therefore, is designed to facilitate your understanding of how works of art and architecture may be interpreted as historical documents or artifacts, and as vital aspects of our contemporary human experience. You will question what is a work of art, how is it made, why is it made, and how does it both reflect and influence its historical and cultural context. As you learn to address these vital questions about art, you will master essential art historical thinking skills such as visual analysis, contextual analysis, comparative analysis, art historical interpretation and argumentation. Some of the themes covered in this course are: What is Art?, Public Art and Architecture, Representing the Self and Others—Identity, Power and Status in Art, Installation Art, and Race, Gender and Class in Art. You will actively be engaged in the course material through in-class discussions, presentations and other activities. Numerous trips to local museums, galleries, and walking tours of public art and architecture are an essential aspect of this course.