The Middle School Performing Arts Program isa place that many students learn and grow as mu-sicians, actors, and artists. The Middle SchoolPerforming Arts Program not only helps studentsto become more educated in drama, music , andart but it makes students more confident in theircreativity, stage skills, and overall passion forthese electives.

Middle School students have an opportunityeach year to select three elective choices that theywould like to participate in. The students can se-lect countless options. Many of the options stu-dents pick include art, drama and music.

Mr. Winters is the Middle School director ofmusic. There are five middle school musicclasses those of which are Early Bird Orchestrawhich meets before school in the morning to prac-tice string instruments, wind class, intermediateband, concert band, pop band class, and choruswhich is a vocal class. There are also MiddleSchool students who are in intermediate EBO andadvanced EBO. Eighth grader, Isabella Pedrazasaid, “I enjoyed Mr. Winters's class because Iliked hanging around with friends but the class it-self is sometimes challenging.”

Mr. Winters has played the upright bass sincehe was a small child. He enjoys teaching EBOwhere the students learn how to play string in-struments. Mr. Winters has gone on tour for manyyears as well as working for Columbia and EpicRecords. Mr. Winters also enjoys band music aswell as rock, pop, and R&B.

Mr. Winters has been teaching string instru-ments for 20 years. The goal for students whocomplete a beginning class is that it leads directlyinto an intermediate class. After taking an inter-mediate class the students should have gained allthe knowledge to be in the intermediate class andafter finishing these two classes they should have

a solid foundation and learn the basics of their in-struments as well as good technique while playingwhenever they play their instrument. This waythey can build on their knowledge of their instru-ment and slowly move onto an advanced class.

In EBO you can learn violin, viola, cello, andthe upright bass. Intermediate and beginningband: clarinet, trumpet, trombone, flute, and sax-ophone. These are all wind instruments. Concertband allows multiple different instruments andthese students who take this class need to try outbefore they can be enrolled in this class.

When they are trying out for the class they needto know the instrument they are playing at an ad-vanced level as well as play all their scales andread their music. Mr. Winters teaches them howto work as a band and they learn about their in-struments and the equipment used. In chorus thestudents learn how to read music and how to prac-tice basic music theory.

The goal at the end of the year is for them toread any piece of music whether it be classical orpop. In band Mr. Winters's favorite instrumentsare the saxophone and trombone. In the orches-tra he enjoys the upright bass the most because hehas been playing for over 20 years.

First Finger Phocketbell is one of the studentsfavorite pieces to play and in the beginning of theyear competition has done well. The middleschool performing arts program has grown vastly.In the years before there was a minimal amount ofstudents who participated. Now the classes havegrown and the classes have a lot more studentsparticipating.

The Orlando Fest in the spring is a favoriteevent amongst the students. Mr. Winters also en-joys taking the students there. One of the biggestchallenges is creating a trip which is both fun andeducational. Eighth grader Isabella Pedraza said,“I loved the Orlando Fest because I planned to doevery single roller coaster with my friends”.

Continued on next page

Photos by Arushi Beohar

Above: Alexis Waserstein in Art; Below: 8th graders Claire Kanners and Layla Goldberg practice a scene in drama class.

Exceptional Arts!By Arushi Beohar

Middle School Arts

Playing with Phil Collins was one of the great-est accomplishments. A Youtube video whichhas been posted of the Middle school studentsplaying with Phil Collins has reached almost halfa million views. Another great accomplishmentamongst the middle school students is the stu-dents individually who learn and then try out forAll States which is a challenging music compe-tition. Mr. Winters has seen a lot of students thathe’s taught make it into All States throughout theyears.

Playing in Mr. Winters's class and then per-forming on stage is a great way to build confi-dence for any of theperforming arts classes.This class is a great

way to learn to becomea leader and to buildconfidence on stage.

Mrs. Mahoney is theart teacher for the Mid-dle School.

Art 1 for some peo-ple is a matter of build-ing creativeconfidence. Art 2 stu-dents are passionateabout art and more in-dependent. Sculptureclass is the most flexible class. Everyone workson 3D projects. Eighth grader Alicia Kelly said,“I really enjoyed sculpture class because of thegiant shoe we made at the end of the year.”

In sculpture Mrs. Mahoney is intrigued by thefashion design project because they use recycledmaterials such as paper, wood, metal, and plas-tic. Mrs Mahoney said, “It’s fascinating to seewhat they come up with at the end of the proj-ect.”

In Art 1 the human figure sculpture project isher favorite. The students capture the essence ofan action. In Art 2 the two point perspectivedrawing of a city is her favorite. Mrs. Mahoneysaid, “It’s very technical and it has to be createdin an unusual place."

Mrs. Mahoney has been teaching for 35 years.One of the things she really loves doing is build-ing a huge bamboo sculpture. She had a Japan-ese Art teacher come to help build a bamboosculpture. One time she did a tile wall of thefootprints of every middle schooler’s foot.

The school has allowed Mrs. Mahoney to be

very creative in her classes.Mrs. Mahoney is looking forward to the new

facility and a new room with better lighting.Mrs. Mahoney said, “I would love to be able tobe assured enrollment in all three levels of art."

Mrs. Mahoney is always impressed with thehigh quality of work she gets from her students.The Evening of the Arts is an event where theyshowcase the students' work.

Middle School drama is a great elective whichis taught by Mrs. Jarvis- Guerra or “ Pops” as wecall her.

Pops's said that it is because of Middle SchoolDirector Steve Mathes that she enjoys teachingmiddle school drama. Pops said, “The kids havea lot of energy and are motivated to perform.”

The students are theprime motivator forPops's energy. Seventhgrader Jackson Jimenezsaid, “I really love dramabecause of how fun andexciting the class is. Popsis a great teacher”.

Each year the Dramaclasses put on severalproductions, includingRed Ribbon Week. Popsloves all the shows be-cause they are eachunique in their own way.But her most memorable

show was the “The Wiz."Pops and her crew work very hard to perfect

each production. Although at times it is stress-ful, Pops enjoys it. She explained, “I feel ex-cited, and anticipation sets in when the day forthe production finally comes."

There are many factors that go into putting ona production, including rehearsal time. Popssaid, “The biggest thing is the fear of disruptingthe schedule of other teachers, coaches, and par-ents.”

She wouldn’t change anything about drama,although she would love to see more people at-tending the shows. Pops said, “Drama should behighlighted more. If more people came wecould draw attention to larger crowds.”

She hopes that she has inspired students tohave creative skills and opened their minds tounlimited ideas. Pops said, “I hope students canlook back on fun memories and hope that theyhave built confidence and have learned to act ina believable manner and seek the arts in the fu-ture."

A lot of new students have joined themiddle school at the Miami Country Day.The new students are enjoying the middleschool so far.

Romeo Curcio is anew student here who isin the eighth grade. Hecame from Holy Cross.Romeo’s favorite thingabout this middle schoolis having more freedom.What he means by free-dom is that at his oldschool they did not havebreak. Romeo said, “Ifelt like at my oldschool it was not hardenough and I wanted anenvironment change andto meet new people.”

Paul Clifford is a new student in the sev-enth grade coming from Cushman. Hewanted to come here because he thoughtthat this school would give him more pos-

sibilities for activities he likes. His favoritething about this school is the amount ofgym equipment because it opened morepossibilities for activities. Also, Paul likesit here because of the schools large size andmet new friends and saw old friends.

Jordan Sheppard isa new student in thesixth grade comingfrom Lehrman Com-munity Day School.She wanted to comehere because she re-ally likes it here.Her favorite thingabout this school isthe academics andathletics. She saysthis because the ath-letics are really niceand she thinks shewill learn a lot. Asyou can see, Jordanlikes it here very

much. Jordan said, “The campus is verynice and so are the people.”

Continued on back page

Photo by Arushi Beohar

Samantha Green plays the flute in Mr. Winters's class.

Philip Steinberg

Below: Paul Clifford, Patrizia Pup-pin, Romeo Curcio

New Students Come to MCDS

Continued from previous page

By Philip SteinbergStudents Lovethe Arts!

- Jackson Jimenez

"I really lovedrama because ofhow fun and ex-citing the class

is."

Page 11Around MCDS