Students Take to the Stage for Spring Arts Night!
Students took to the stage for another outstanding Arts Night on Friday, April 7. The event included a creative lineup of music, dance, improvisation, and more.
The Millbrook Singers opened the show with a vocal performance of Can’t Help Falling In Love, by Peretti, Creatore, and Weiss. Alumni and siblings Isabella and Sandro Buccellati ’16 also surprised the audience by joining the Millbrook Singers on stage.
“We have focused a lot on the value of each piece this year, in terms of how many times we get to perform it. This is because the more we can perform a piece, the more chances we have to challenge ourselves to get better and for the students to hone their skills as a group and as individuals,” says Vocal Music Director Joe Raciti. “For example, Can’t Help Falling In Love, is a versatile piece that we have been able to sing at a variety of events, including a recent performance at Dutchess Day School,” says Mr. Raciti.
Vocal and instrumental ensemble students followed the Millbrook Singers, and preformed songs from a variety of musical genres. Some tunes included Wildest Dreams, by Taylor Swift, and Fade Away, by Logic.
Following the Millbrook Singers, performance portfolio students dove into scenes from popular films, including The Breakfast Club, and Darjeeling Limited. Students studying Improvisation also took to the stage to engage attendees in short form games, as well as leap into a long-form improvisation performance inspired from single-word suggestions from the audience.
The evening concluded with performances from choreography students, starting with a performance that was inspired by observations of pedestrian movement.
“Movement, patterning, and organization, among other elements that effect dance are a central part of the curriculum for our Choreography Art Class,” says Director of Dance Leighann Kowalsky. “The challenge with this piece was to take the most simple everyday movements, such as walking, and make them appear bold and purposeful through dance,” she says.
The second piece, which was performed by students participating in private dance lessons, was also centered around the concept of strength in simplicity. “An interesting challenge for these dancers is that they learn the choreography separately in private lessons, and then come together for just one group rehearsal prior to Arts Night to work as a group,” says Kowalsky.
The hard work of our students and faculty was certainly evident, and the evening was enjoyed by all who attended. Congratulations to all of our students on their outstanding performances!
Please visit our online photo gallery for images from Arts Night.
