2021 Virtual Showcase

The 2021 Opening Minds through the Arts / Fine Arts Department Virtual Showcase

A collection of 20 student works produced during distance learning.
Thank you to all our OMA and Fine Arts Teachers for their dedication during this challenging time!
Playlist also on YouTube

Musical Performances: Burst! (1:49)

TUSD Middle School Honor Orchestra play “Burst!” by Brian Balmages. The following schools and their orchestra directors comprised the ensemble: Booth-Fickett - Kim Grosvenor, Dodge -Miller Asbill, Doolen - Paul Ensey, Magee - Danielle Applegate, McCorkle - Joanna Hoover, Miles - John Ensey, Secrist - Jose Moore, Vail - Alina Taylor. Overseeing the facilitation of the MS Honor Orchestra were Alina Taylor, Middle School Honor Orchestra Chairman; Carol Reeves, TUSD Orchestra Mentor and Project Coordinator; and Paul Ensey, Video Performance Editor.


Dance: ABSTRACTCITY (2:43)

Tucson High Magnet School student, Madeline Mitchell, who was mentored by Sara Stewart, described what she hoped to accomplish, “I would like to explore abstraction in modern dance and the ways it can be portrayed. I want to push the limits and take advantage of creative possibilities through unconventional music, sharp editing, and different locations.” The adjudication panel was most impressed with her success and awarded her the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency. Madeline included no credits or titles in the work she choreographed, videoed, and edited. The performers were her and fellow dance student, Eva Schmidt.


OMA Audio Book: The Grand Burglary (15:42)

Mr. Clark’s 5th Grade at Henry Elementary & OMA Opera Team East (Juan Aguirre, Kim Chaffin, and Gregg Reynolds) present an original student-written story.

 


OMA Audio Book: The Grumpy Sharks (3:41)

Mrs. Soberg’s 1st Grade at Henry Elementary & OMA Opera Team East (Juan Aguirre, Kim Chaffin, and Gregg Reynolds) present an original student-written story.


OMA Visual Arts: Picture Gallery (2:31)

Ford and Banks Elementary students, directed by OMA Teaching Artists Sarah Howard, present 22 student drawings. Musical accompaniment by Stefan Vikingur of Tucson High Magnet School who was a recipient of the 2021 Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency, Chizuru Jurman, mentoring teacher.


OMA Visual Arts: Picture Gallery (1:34)

Warren Elementary students, directed by OMA Teaching Artists Joshua Floyd, present 9 drawings from kindergarten and 5th grade students. Musical accompaniment by Stefan Vikingur of Tucson High Magnet School who was a recipient of the 2021 Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency, Chizuru Jurman, mentoring teacher.


OMA Musical Performance: The Corona Blues (3:12)

Ms. Boatner's Class at Henry Elementary, under the direction of OMA Opera Team (Juan Aguirre, Kim Chaffin, and Gregg Reynolds) created a blues song appropriate to the times.


OMA Storytelling with Musical Accompaniment: Up, Up, Down (2:33)

Mrs. Burrell’s 3rd grade students at Peter Howell Elementary, directed by OMA Arts Integration Specialist Miranda DeBretto’s student teacher, Kasey Leighty, integrate music and sound design with the language art of storytelling with Robert Munsch’s children’s book, Up, Up, Down.


OMA Theater Arts: 3 Monologues (3:45)

Bloom Elementary 5th grade students, directed by OMA Arts Integration Specialist Robin Colwell, perform three monologues, “Smart,” “Baby Sister,” and “I Can’t Believe I Did This.”


OMA Musical Performance: Bucket Drumming (3:19)

Davidson Elementary Students, kindergarten through 5th grade, directed by OMA Arts Integration Specialist Chach Snook, engage in a virtual, all-school, community drumming.


OMA Theater Arts: And Now A Word From Our Sponsor – The Disappearing Beanie (1:39)

Ms. O’Brien’s 4th grade, directed by OMA Teaching Artist Angela Horchem. Student written, student produced, student performed - they worked in a medium they are all very familiar with, TV commercials.


Theater and Visual Arts: The Raven (abridged) (3:27)

Sabino High advance visual arts students, directed by Michael Speir, and advanced theater arts students, directed by Kris Kissel collaborate in a performance the Edgar Allan Poe’s classic.


OMA Musical Performance: Eleanor Rigby (2:06)

Lineweaver 4th &apm; 5th grade students, directed by OMA Arts Integration Specialist Karen Fields, sing and perform the Beatles classic on recorder, ukulele, and metalophone.
 


Dance: I’m Not Hungry (2:50)

University High students, Sierra Bogner and Nicole Lee, mentored by Allyson Yoder, were awarded the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency for their dramatic choreographic exploration of eating disorders.
 


Media Arts/Theater Arts: Anime (17:29)

University High Senior, Tristan Gegantoca, who was mentored by Maryann Green submitted a somewhat auto-biographical anime to qualify for the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency.
 


Musical Performance: We Are Young (2:33)

Doolen Middle School Thunderbird Band, directed by Dr. Barbara McLain in their end of year performance, play “We Are Young” by Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost, and Nathaniel Ruess, arrangement for band by Michael Story.


Musical Performance: The Magic of Harry Potter (6:34)

Doolen Middle School Thunderbird Band, directed by Dr. Barbara McLain as part of their end of year performance, play music from the popular Harry Potter movies. Composers who have written music for the Harry Potter movies include John Williams, Patrick Doyle, Alexandre Desplat, and Nicholas Hopper.


OMA Dance: Thriller (2:15)

Fruchthendler Elementary 2nd grade, directed by OMA Arts Integration Specialist Catherine Gale, celebrated Halloween last fall by performing a Zoom version of “Thriller.”
 


Video Collage: The Arizona State Arts Seal of Arts Proficiency – selected capstone projects from TUSD High School Seniors (5:53)

The diplomas of 48 seniors from the class of 2021 will display the Arts Seal of Proficiency. The students will also wear the Seal Honor cord as part of their graduation regalia.
These talented students are art scholars in the truest sense of the word. Here are brief excerpts from just a few of their culminating artistic projects.


Music Video: Carry On, Wayward Son (7:33)

Mark Wood, formerly of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, along with his music education project, Electrify Your Symphony, collaborated with 78 student musicians and singers from 9 high schools to produce this music video.


Posted/Revised Date
2-14-2023
Summary
A collection of 20 OMA student works produced during distance learning.
Keywords
article, 2021, school, tucson, student arts,OMA