Two state arts schools for high school students open this month

NYSSSA Choral Studies

NYSSSA School of Visual Arts

Nearly 200 artistically gifted high school students from across New York State will gather at SUNY Fredonia to participate in two programs – Choral Studies and Visual Arts – offered by the New York State Summer School for the Arts program.

Now in its 44th year, NYSSSA provides unique opportunities for select young artists to experience the discipline and rigors of their chosen arts field and work with internationally acclaimed performing and visual artists. Choral students will be based in Mason Hall, home of the School of Music, while Visual Arts students will utilize classrooms, studios and exhibit space in Rockefeller Arts Center. Meals and lodging will be provided on campus.

Ninety students have enrolled in the Choral Studies program, under the direction of Hugh Ferguson Floyd, professor of music at Furman University, coordinator of its Choral Ensembles and director of the renowned Furman Singers. They will receive intensive vocal and music instruction, participate in musical theater and opera scenes, study stagecraft and movement, perform in small ensembles and give voice recitals.

Rosch Recital Hall will host three Choral Studies public performances. An honors recital will be held on Friday, July 26, at 4 p.m., followed by a scenes recital at 7:30 p.m. The final campus concert will be held on Saturday, July 27, at 1:30 p.m. Students will also perform in the Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater on Sunday, July 21, at 2:30 p.m.

The Choral Studies program, which runs June 30 through July 28, is jointly sponsored by SUNY Fredonia and the New York State School Music Association and administered by the New York State Education Department.

In the Visual Arts program, 95 students will engage in drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, mixed media, figure and interdisciplinary arts under the direction of Randy Williams, a visual artist and professor of studio art and art education at Manhattanville College. Williams will be assisted by 14 faculty members and artists. Daily studio sessions are held 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 4 p.m.

Marvel Theatre will host history lectures on three successive Wednesdays, beginning July 3, at 7 p.m., which are open to the public. A faculty and staff exhibition will take place on Monday, July 1, at 7 p.m. An alumni exhibition will be held on Sunday, July 14, at 2 p.m. A digital presentation and exhibition of students’ works will be held on Friday, July 26, at 1 p.m. All exhibitions will be held in the Cathy and Jesse Marion Art Gallery and are open to the public.

The Visual Arts school operates from June 29 to July 27.

NYSSSA also operates summer residential schools in ballet, dance, media arts, orchestra and theatre.