Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts

Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA)
Type Public secondary
Principal Johnny C. Whaley Jr.
Grades 9–12
Location Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Mascot Pegasus
Newspaper The Painted Word [1]
Website http://www.phila.k12.pa.us/schools/capa

The Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts is a magnet school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Students major in one of six areas: Creative Writing, Instrumental Music, Visual Arts, Theater, Dance, and Vocal Music. The school, commonly referred to as CAPA, is currently located on South Broad Street, in the old Ridgeway Library.

Contents

History

CAPA was started as an integration school. The school was originally located in the Atlantic building at Broad and Spruce Streets. Here CAPA shared space and rubbed shoulders with the Philadelphia College of the Arts (now the University of the Arts UA). The school was later moved into the upper floors of Palumbo Elementary, a school that was directly adjacent to a now demolished high rise housing project. The staff and administration worked for years to find a new space for the school.

In 1997 CAPA moved into a new location at Broad and Christian Streets, the restored Ridgway Library building. The school received a huge budget ($80,000) to help create CAPA's above average tools needed to succeed in the arts (film studios, dance studios, lights for professional theatre and backup generator for them).

From February 6, 1978–present CAPA has held and taught many students, and has become a permanent part of the Avenue of the Arts.

Administrators

Notable alumni

Basic Academic Courses

Creative Writing

Creative Writing (CW) is responsible for various school publications and events such as the United Writers and Artists literary magazine, the Painted Word newspaper, and the written scripts of some school productions. 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, traditionally known as 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

Dance

The CAPA Dance Department instructs their students in different levels of Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Hip- Hop, and even Irish Step Dancing, also known as "River Funk" Dance majors perform annually in the Thanksgiving Day Parade [3]

Instrumental

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

Theatre

The Theatre department is run by Elsa Bass, Scott Kaufman and Marliene Goebig. The Theater Department puts on an average of seven performances a year. Plus three more by the MyVision Theater Ensemble which is a selective theater group.

Course syllabus

Visual arts

CAPA's Visual Arts department covers a variety of disciplines, including: drawing and painting taught by Mr. Mark McQuilling, graphic design taught by Mrs. Jacquelyne Gilmore Stallworth, commercial arts taught by Mr. Steven Nau and ceramics and 3-dimensional sculpture taught by Ms. Maria Lengauer.

Freshmen and sophomores focus on drawing and quick sketching. Also, students study the human body and perspective. The Freshman students are introduced to plaster relief and 3-D clay design, learn the skill of woodcutting and 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.[6]

Vocal

CAPA's Vocal Music Department, originally conducted by Mr. David King until his retirement in 1997, is currently conducted by Mr. Chad Ingram and Mrs. Dorina Morrow. Vocal Music includes choral singing in large and small ensembles, individual voice training and development, solfeggio, harmony, music theory, and composition.

There are two choirs: Concert Choir and Mixed Choir. The Concert Choir is made up of juniors, seniors, and some very exceptional Sophomores. The Mixed Choir is made up of only Freshman and Sophomore students. All vocal majors have to take at least one year of Solfeggio, a sight reading and ear training course. In addition, an Advanced Placement theory class is available for juniors and seniors to teach them how to master the art of harmony.

The CAPA choirs have achieved a position of excellence among choral groups in the Delaware Valley.

A few of the choir's important singing engagements:

Activities

Besides academic and art courses, CAPA offers many extracurricular activities, organizations, and sports teams to the students.

Extracurricular activities

Councils and Committees

Clubs & Organizations

Sports Teams

See also

References

External links