Winter 2013 - Academy of Notre Dame de Namur

Hannah Pohlmann ‘14“Women’s Chorale is important to me because itprovides a creative outlet during the otherwise hecticschool day. Women’s Chorale allows students fromdifferent grades to come together through a similarinterest and form friendships with students with whomthey wouldn’t otherwise have classes.”Lexie Mastrangelo ‘15“Dance has made me grow notonly as a dancer but as a person,too. Dance Company has been agreat experience… and hasbrought me together with manytalented girls with whom I lovedancing.”Alicia Kenyon ‘14“I have been playing the violin inthe ensemble at Notre Dame fromthe moment I walked through theJunior School doors, and I havenever once regretted that decision.Notre Dame has helped me greatlyimprove upon my music withensemble classes multiple times aweek and performances in theamazing winter and springconcerts.”Some may question the importance of the arts in the world our students may encounter, but the arts attheir best have the potential to spur the kind of creativity that makes Americans innovative thinkers. Somehave a tendency to think of the arts as lacking practical value, but this notion could not be further from thetruth. Notre Dame’s arts students have gone on to use their creativity in many areas beyond a strictly artisticcareer. At the same time, there are those who have chosen to develop their love of the arts into an arts career.In addition to the curricular programs offered in the arts, students have options for showcasing their manytalents. For example, each year the Junior School performs a musical while the high school produces a falldrama and a spring musical. The Choral and Ensemble Music programs put on very well-attended concertsat Christmas and again in late spring. The Winter and Spring Dance Performances are also eagerly anticipatedevents. In the visual arts, student work is often on display in the school as well as during the annual Art Show.The fine and performing arts are very much alive and well at Notre Dame.VISIONS MAGAZINE . WINTER 2013 . 5