The Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts, commonly known as CAPA, is a magnet school in South Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is a part of the School District of Philadelphia. Students major in one of seven areas: Creative Writing, Instrumental Music, Visual Arts, Theater, Dance, Vocal Music and Media Design & Television (MDTV). Students may also minor after their freshman year as long as they meet the audition requirements. The school is located on South Broad Street, in the former Ridgway Library.
Video Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts
History
CAPA was started on February 6, 1977. It was originally located in the Atlantic building at Broad and Spruce Streets. Here CAPA shared space with the Philadelphia College of the Arts (now the University of the Arts (UA). CAPA was located in rented space at 260 S. Broad St. Beginning in September 1984, it moved into Palumbo Elementary School in South Philadelphia, a school that was directly adjacent to a now demolished high rise housing project. Originally the school board was planning to close Palumbo, but it canceled the closure so CAPA could have space. The staff and administration worked for years to find a new space for the school.
In 1997 CAPA moved to the restored Ridgway Library building at Broad and Christian Streets. The school received a large budget ($80,000) to help create the tools needed to succeed in the arts: film studios, dance studios, lights for professional theatre and a backup generator for them.
In its new location, CAPA has become a permanent part of the Avenue of the Arts.
On Saturday, June 24th, 2017, the stretch of Broad Street in front of the school was renamed Boyz II Men Boulevard before a performance with the CAPA Vocalists. The R&B group attended CAPA when it occupied space in Palumbo Elementary School.
Maps Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts
Notable alumni
- Boyz II Men, male R&B vocal group.
- Black Thought, MC of The Roots, formed group with friend, Questlove, while students.
- Joey DeFrancesco, organist.
- Anye Elite, singer-songwriter and community activist
- Robert X. Golphin, '99, actor and screenwriter.
- Amel Larrieux, Soul and R&B singer-songwriter and keyboardist.
- Aaron Levinson, record label owner and producer.
- Tony Luke, Jr., '80, actor, screenwriter, songwriter, restaurateur, and entrepreneur.
- Christian McBride, bassist.
- Jamar Nicholas, graphic novelist.
- Angela Nissel, author and television writer.
- Questlove, drummer of hip-hop band, The Roots.
- Leslie Odom Jr., actor and singer, known for his performance as Aaron Burr in Hamilton (musical).
- Kurt Rosenwinkel, guitarist.
- Jazmine Sullivan, R&B singer-songwriter.
- Stephen Tirpak, jazz recording artist.
- Karen Malina White, actress.
- Bryce Wilson, record label executive/producer, actor, and musician.
Basic academic courses
Creative writing
Creative Writing (CW) is responsible for various school publications and events. Many writers are also a part of the yearbook staff.
Every year, under faculty supervision, the creative writing majors get together to put on their own show, the Writers' Cafe, an expose where many creative writing students perform original pieces they have authored, ranging from simple poetry reading to dramatic performance art.
Course syllabus
- Screenwriting
- Students write movie scripts based on original ideas and concepts and learn the basics of writing for the "Big Screen."
- Poetry I+II
- This course uses personal reflections in developing individual poetic style.
- Critique
- Pupils learn how to analyze both works of literature and film.
- Fiction I+II
- Writers gain experience in fiction through reading and writing short stories in Fiction I and II.
- Nonfiction I+II
- These courses explore the creative aspects of essay writing. Freshmen writers take Nonfiction I and senior writers take Nonfiction II.
- Journalism
- In Journalism I students write editorials, news and feature articles and even write their own newspapers.
- Memoir
- Students are tasked with writing chapter by chapter accounts of their lives, as well as reading memoirs by published authors, in order to gain a deeper understanding of themselves.
- Playwriting
- Students learn to write original scripts for plays.
Dance
The CAPA Dance Department instructs their students in different levels of Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, and Flamenco under the direction of LaDeva Davis. Dance majors perform annually in the Thanksgiving Day Parade as well as the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D.C..
Instrumental music
The CAPA Instrumental Department encompasses a wide variety of performances and ensembles, including Concert Band, Orchestra, String ensembles, Jazz ensemble and a number of smaller groups. Students participate in these ensembles on a daily basis and are also instructed in such topics as music theory, composition and improvisation. CAPA students are integral members of the All-Philadelphia High School music ensembles and have participated in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association ensemble program at the District, Regional and All-State levels.
Graduates of the CAPA instrumental program have attended some of America's finest Colleges, Universities and Conservatories, including the Juilliard School, Curtis Institute, the Peabody Conservatory, Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the New England Conservatory of Music.
The instrumentalists have taken trips to play all over the Tri-State area from Harrisburg to Atlantic City. The CAPA Concert band has also recorded their own CD entitled Superlative.
Ensembles
- Orchestra
- Led by Nanette Foley, this full symphony orchestra's repertoire includes a vast library of classical music along with arrangements of more modern pieces. A smaller iteration of the same orchestra plays the music for the school musical each year.
- Concert Band
- Led by Brian Ewing, the concert band focuses on contemporary band works and classical transcriptions.
- Jazz Band
- The CAPA Jazz Band, a "Big Band", is also led by Brian Ewing and plays music from many eras of jazz history.
- String Ensemble
- Led by Foley, the string ensemble is a large group of string instruments which normally plays classical music.
- String Quartet
- String Quartet is reserved for more advanced string players. Those rostered into this class are split up into two quartets, both of which learn chamber pieces. The string quartet often plays professionally. The quartets are instructed by Nanette Foley.
- Saxophone Quartet
- Organized by Brian Ewing, this student run group is available for engagements.
- CAPA Jazz Sextet
- Organized by Brian Ewing, this student-led group is in high demand for straight-ahead small group traditional jazz.
Theatre
The Theater Department puts on an average of seven performances a year, plus three more by the MyVision Theater Ensemble, a selective theater group. Elsa Johnson Bass retired from teaching in 2014, and Jennifer Kramny took her place for the 2014-15 school year. Dr. Marlene Goebig and Jennifer Kramny produce and direct the performances. The students actors also work in partnership with the Philadelphia Theatre Company to see plays and write their own pieces with teaching artists from the company.
Course syllabus
- Movement
- Students learn the basics of the human body through the Alexander Technique, Yoga, Ballet, Modern Dance, other Dance styles, Theater Games, and exercise.
- Principals of Theater I+II
- Students learn the history of theater from the moment it was created out of religious ceremonies to present day. Students also learn methods of acting from Stanislavski, Chekov and other masters. Students learn basics of playwriting, with special emphasis on monologue writing. They learn about set, lighting, design, directing, critique, publicity, costuming, and much more. They study other forms of art to enhance their knowledge of their own, and read plays varying from classics like Oedipus, Death of A Salesman, Glass Managerie to more modern ones such as How I Learned to Drive.
Visual arts
CAPA's Visual Arts department covers a variety of disciplines, including: drawing and painting taught by Mark McQuilling, graphic design taught by Jacquelyne Gilmore Stallworth, commercial arts taught by Steven Nau and ceramics and 3-dimensional sculpture taught by Maria Lengauer.
Freshmen and sophomores focus on drawing and quick sketching. Students also study the human body and perspective. The Freshman students are introduced to hand-built pottery and 3-D clay design, and learn basic graphic design.
The juniors and seniors learn advanced graphic design, commercial art, continue painting, advanced 3-D sculpture and work on college portfolios.
Throughout all four years at CAPA, art major students are required to enter a variety of contests, and complete various projects.
Vocal music
CAPA's Vocal Music Department was first conducted by David J. King until his retirement in June 1997. It was then conducted by Dorina C. Morrow until June 24, 2017. It is currently conducted by Brittney Lauren Thomas who started on September 5, 2017. Vocal Music includes choral singing in large and small ensembles, individual voice training and development, solfeggio, harmony, music theory, and composition. Though Mrs. Morrow retired she directs the All Philadelphia High School Choir (All-City) in which select high school students from around the city come and practice at CAPA leading up to an annual performance at the Kimmel Center. Ms. Thomas conducts the auditions for All-City at CAPA. The audition song is Randall Thompson's "Alleluia".
There are two separate choruses : Concert Choir and Mixed Choir. There is also a Combined Choir period where the entire major (all classes) sing and perform repertoire together. Concert Choir is the elite, select group of singers (Sophomores to Seniors), to get in students must keep up their grades, be competent and respectful in class, and sing out. The Mixed Choir is where Freshman students begin and the upperclassmen who do not make it into Concert Choir sing in this ensemble as well. All vocal majors have to take at least one year of Solfeggio (two if you begin in Freshman year). Solfeggio (or Solfege) is a sight reading and ear training course, you will also learn piano skills in these courses. Solfeggio I is currently taught by Brian Ewing and Solfeggio II is taught by Nanette Foley. Juniors take Music History. In addition, an Advanced Placement Theory class is required for seniors to teach them how to master the art of harmony. You must pass all of these courses to graduate.
The CAPA choirs have achieved a position of excellence among choral groups in the Delaware Valley.
A few of the choir's notable singing engagements:
- Performed at Barack Obama's inauguration
- Multiple appearances on daily news shows
- Performance with Sydney James Harcourt of Hamilton at the April 2017 opening of the Museum of the American Revolution
- Berlioz' "Romeo et Juliet" with Riccardo Muti and The Philadelphia Orchestra
- Two appearances with Barry Manilow at The Mann Music Center & one at The Wells Fargo Center
- Appearance in the CBS special "Dreams" for which the school received an Emmy
- Appearance with Peter Nero and the "Philly Pops" at The Academy of Music
- Performed at then-Mayor Rendell's inauguration at the Academy
- Appearances in the Channel 6 Thanksgiving Day Parade
- Appearance with Paul Simon (Simon and Garfunkel) at the Academy of Music
Communication Technology (MDTV)
Communication Technology or MDTV (stands for Media, Design & Television) is the most recent addition to the majors available at CAPA. Students learn filming, video editing, storyboarding, photography, and graphic design taught by Scott E. Kaufman and André Beckett. MDTV students also submit their work into a variety of external film festivals and contests. The major hosts multiple events throughout the year such as Fright Fest and CAPA's annual film festival.
Activities
Besides academic and art courses, CAPA offers many extracurricular activities, organizations, and sports teams to students.
Extracurricular activities
- United Writers and Artists (UWA)
- CAPA's literary magazine is staffed by selected visual artists and writers, based on merit and talent, and is run like a professional magazine. These students are not responsible for the publication of the magazine, neither in print or online. Writing and art published in the magazine is mostly original work of CAPA students. The Internet department cannot maintain the school website.
- The Encore (yearbook)
- The organization responsible for the production of the senior yearbooks. Yearbook is sponsored by Jacquelyne Gilmore Stallworth and business manager Maria Lengauer.
Councils and committees
- Student Council
- CAPA's student council is composed of student representatives elected or selected by each advisory, so that all grade levels and majors are accounted for. Student Council operates as a venue through which student voices are heard. This group also organizes various activities.
- Class committees
- Class committees include the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior committees. These committees are responsible for the organization of class meetings, fundraisers, dances, etc.
Clubs and organizations
- Down to Earth Club - Coordinator: Ian Notte
- Gay Straight Alliance - Coordinator: Jennifer Kramny
- National Honor Society
- Mock Trial - Coordinator: Joseph Grinkewicz
- Art History Club - Coordinator: Emily Werboff
- Photography Club - Coordinator: Mr. Kaufman
- Model UN - Coordinator: Joseph Grinkewicz
- MyVision Theatre Ensemble - Coordinator: Marlene Goebig
- Gospel Choir - Coordinators: Xavier Wilson, Yusef Collins-Bryant, Nadia Williams (sponsored by Brittney L. Thomas)
- Class Committees
- Student Council - Coordinator: Grace Palladino
Sports teams
- Basketball - Coach: Mychal Bligen
- Cross Country - Coach: Mychal Bligen
- Softball - Coach: Mychal Bligen
- Volleyball - Coach: Jeremy Wright
See also
- List of schools of the School District of Philadelphia
- Library Company of Philadelphia
References
External links
- Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts
- Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts at the Wayback Machine (archive index) - 2008-2013
- Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts at the Wayback Machine (archive index) - 1999-2007
Source of article : Wikipedia
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