News & Views
Stevens Night - A Celebration of Upper School Arts and Community
Over 300 members of the Upper School community gathered for Stevens Night, a celebration of the seventh through ninth grade arts programs, held in and around the Upper School’s Stevens Building, the evening of Nov. 16. All students participated in both a performing arts class and a visual art class during the Fall semester, so there was a lot to see and experience.
“Stevens Night is the culmination of the Upper School’s fall arts program, and there is a wonderful community aspect to the evening,” said Director of Arts and Performing Arts Teacher Andrew Tyson. Part exhibition, part performance, the evening was humming with excitement. Associate Performing Arts Teacher Brian Muller provided a piano accompaniment while families, faculty and staff toured the various galleries, watched student-led art demonstrations and enjoyed light refreshments with friends. In total, the visual, musical, performing and digital work of 161 art students was showcased.
The evening began on the division’s front lawn with welcoming remarks followed by a performance of students from guitar class (three on acoustic, three on electric) perched on stools in a wooden amphitheater—all built in seventh grade Woodshop and eighth and ninth grade Architecture classes. Tea lights lining the walkways and the glow of the rising Frost Moon provided a festival vibe for those assembled around the outdoor stage. Following applause to Greensleeves, attendees entered the Upper School building to find hallways lined with art. A custom-made spotlight projected the shape of the school’s cougar mascot onto the carpet, with many gleefully noting its similarity to Batman’s bat signal.
The evening began on the division’s front lawn with welcoming remarks followed by a performance of students from guitar class (three on acoustic, three on electric) perched on stools in a wooden amphitheater—all built in seventh grade Woodshop and eighth and ninth grade Architecture classes. Tea lights lining the walkways and the glow of the rising Frost Moon provided a festival vibe for those assembled around the outdoor stage. Following applause to Greensleeves, attendees entered the Upper School building to find hallways lined with art. A custom-made spotlight projected the shape of the school’s cougar mascot onto the carpet, with many gleefully noting its similarity to Batman’s bat signal.
Exhibits in the first hallway included Traditional Drawing, Digital Drawing, Digital Photography, Ceramics and 3D Art with teachers and students on-hand to discuss curriculum and answer questions. Moving further into Alumni Commons, an open space located at the rear of the building, visitors were delighted to discover student-led experiential elements. Ninth graders Katya Bank and Julia Coniglio led a ceramics demonstration on spinning potter’s wheels set up specifically for the occasion; in another corner, students hosted interactive casino games using elements of Music Theory. Learn To Code techniques and Augmented Reality were demonstrated on a bank of Ipads. Maker students explained which apps they used to power their fantastical and futuristic-looking creations - seemingly part robot, part pure imagination and eighth and ninth grade Improv students transformed the Stevens’ library space into an Improv Theater Experience.
The evening culminated with musical performances from the band, led by Mr. Tyson and chorus, led by Performing Arts Teacher Lindy Toczko. The latter featured solos from eighth-graders Katya Bank, Jack Busby and Lilian Kanter in One Voice.
“It was so nice to let everyone experience each other’s work in this shared community setting,” said Mr. Tyson. “I also enjoyed seeing the students move so easily from demonstrating their visual arts to performing.”
In addition to Mr. Tyson, Ms. Toczko and Mr. Muller, Upper School Arts Teachers include Jake Alrich, Elizabeth Ferran, Christopher Lawler, Bruce Lemoine, Isadora Machado Lecuona, Mark Macrides, Karen Wappler, Aron Back, Reshan Richards and Winter Quisgard.
New Canaan Country School
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