Fine Arts
(240) 740-7245
Resource Teacher: Jacqueline Armstead-Thomas
[email protected]
The Fine Arts Department is committed to providing music and visual art courses to all students; offering a safe learning environment allowing students to explore their creative and artistic potential through traditional and innovative techniques. The Fine Arts Department is also committed to providing students with quality instruction that meets the needs of our diverse learners. We offer a variety of courses for the novice trying something new for the first time, the expert looking for AP credit and every student in between.
The Staff
Music Teachers
Isabel Hernandez-Cata – Piano, Advanced Piano, AP Music Theory Chorus 1/2, Show Choir, Chamber Choir
Phone - 301-649-2839
Email - [email protected]
Christopher Mercado – Guitar, Advanced Guitar, Piano
Phone - 301-649-2839
Email - [email protected]
Raife Oldham – Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, World Drumming, Guitar 1
Phone - 301-649-2839
Email - [email protected]
Michelle Roberts – Concert Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, Music Technology
Phone - 301-649-2839
Email - [email protected]
Visual Arts Teachers
Jacqueline Armstead-Thomas (Resource Teacher) – Digital Art, Advanced Digital Art, Commercial Art
Phone - 301-649-2843
Email - [email protected]
Paris Bustillos – Digital Art, CAP Photo
Phone - 301-649-2835
Email - [email protected]
Sarah Breeden – Ceramics 1, Digital Art, Fashion Illustration, Functional Fine Arts & Culture, Photo
Phone - 301-649-2829 (Art Office)/301-649-2880 (Academy Coordinator Office)
Email - [email protected]
Kelly Crowder – Photo, Advanced Photo, AP Photo
Phone - 301-649-2829
Email - [email protected]
Sara Foraker – Advanced Drawing 2, Painting, 2D Studio Art, AP 2D Studio Art
Phone - 301-649-2829
Email - [email protected]
Donovan Lee – Foundations of Art & Culture
Phone - 301-649-2829
Email - [email protected]
Rondai Ravilious – AP Art History
Phone - 301-649-2851
Email - [email protected]
Jonathon Verock – Ceramics 1/2/3, Advanced Ceramics
Phone - 301-649-2829
Email - [email protected]
The Courses
All students must take at least 1.0 credit of Music/Visual Arts in order to graduate.
An overview of all Fine Arts courses is also available here
Music |
Visual Art |
*Audition, portfolio, or instructor permission is required
Course Descriptions
Music
Bands
Concert Band (9-12 grade; 1 credit; No Prerequisite) – This entry-level class includes woodwind, brass, and percussion players who already have some performing experience but still require more development before advancing to the Symphonic Band. Students in the Concert Band will have a structured and deliberate learning environment in which to progress/improve fundamental music skills. The ensemble will perform at concerts throughout the year and may be adjudicated at festivals.
Symphonic Band (9-12 grade; 1 credit; Prerequisite: Concert Band and Audition with Director) – This class includes intermediate-level woodwind, brass, and percussion players who already have some performing experience but still require more development before advancing to the Wind Ensemble. The ensemble will perform at concerts throughout the year and will be adjudicated at festivals.
Wind Ensemble (9-12 grade; 1 credit; Prerequisite: Audition with Director) – This advanced class is the select ensemble for woodwind, brass, and percussion musicians. The ensemble will perform at concerts throughout the year and be adjudicated at County/State festivals. Woodwind, brass, and percussion students from Wind Ensemble may join the Chamber Orchestra in performance of full orchestral arrangements. *Students receive honors-level credit (extra quality point on weighted GPA).
Jazz Ensemble (9-12 grade; 1 credit; Prerequisite: Audition with Director) – This is a smaller class specifically devoted to playing jazz styles of music. It will generally adhere to standard big band instrumentation (vocalist(s), 5 saxophones, 4 trombones, 5 trumpets, and 1 player on each rhythm part). The Director may ask students from other performing groups to also play in the Jazz Ensemble to ensure proper instrumentation. The Jazz Ensemble performs frequently throughout the year for community events, school events, concerts, and adjudicated jazz festivals. *Students receive honors-level credit (extra quality point on weighted GPA).
Orchestras
Concert Orchestra (9-12 grade; 1 credit; No Prerequisite) – This entry-level class includes string players who already have some performing experience but still require more development before advancing to the Symphonic Orchestra. Students in the Concert Orchestra will have a structured and deliberate learning environment in which to progress/improve fundamental music skills. The ensemble will perform at concerts throughout the year and may be adjudicated at festivals.
Symphonic Orchestra> (9-12 grade; 1 credit; Prerequisite: Concert Orchestra and Audition with Director) – This class includes intermediate-level string players who already have some performing experience but still require more development before advancing to the Chamber Orchestra. The ensemble will perform at concerts throughout the year and will be adjudicated at festivals.
Chamber Orchestra (9-12 grade; 1 credit; Prerequisite: Audition with Director) – This
advanced class is the select ensemble for string musicians. The ensemble will perform at
concerts throughout the year and be adjudicated at County/State festivals. Woodwind,
brass, and percussion students from Wind Ensemble may join the Chamber Orchestra in
performance of full orchestral arrangements, allowing the ensemble to have an
expanded repertoire of music spanning most of the major musical time periods.
*Students receive honors-level credit (extra quality point on weighted GPA).
Choral Music
Chorus 1 (9-12 grade; 1 credit; No Prerequisite)
Chorus 2 (9-12 grade; 1 credit; Chorus 1 or Audition)
Chamber Singers (10-12 grade; 1 credit; Prerequisite: Ensemble & Individual Audition)
Show Choir (9-12 grade; 1 credit; Prerequisite: Audition with vocal and dance)
General Music
Piano 1 (9-12 grade; 1 credit; No Prerequisite)
Piano 2 (9-12 grade; 1 credit; Prerequisite: Piano 1 and/or Teacher Permission)
Piano 3 (9-12 grade; 1 credit; Prerequisite: Piano 2 and/or Teacher Permission)
Piano 4 (9-12 grade; 1 credit; Prerequisite: Piano 3 and/or Teacher Permission)
Guitar 1 (9-12 grade; 1 credit; No Prerequisite)
Guitar 2 (9-12 grade; 1 credit; Prerequisite: Guitar 1 and/or Audition)
Guitar 3 (9-12 grade; 1 credit; Prerequisite: Guitar 2 and/or Audition)
Guitar 4 (9-12 grade; 1 credit; Prerequisite: Guitar 3 and/or Audition)
Music Technology (9-12 grade; 1 credit; No Prerequisite) – This is a year-long course where students learn about all aspects of the music production process. Students create original compositions in the music lab using MIDI keyboards and real instruments, and they explore copyright law, careers in music, and the music business. Students work with computer software including Audacity, Sibelius, GarageBand, and Reason.
AP Music Theory (9-12 grade; 1 credit; Prerequisite: Teacher Permission)
World Drumming (9-12 grade; 1 credit; No Prerequisite)
Visual Arts
https://mbhsvisualart.weebly.com/
Entry Level Courses
These courses fulfill the Fine Arts graduation requirement, and are also prerequisites for advanced study in the Fine Arts Strand of the Music, Media, and the Arts Academy.
Ceramics and Sculpture A/B (year-long course) #6381/6391 - a course in the study of creation of 3-Dimensional sculpture and fine crafts in a variety of media with particular focus on clay.
Digital Art A/B (year-long course) #6343/6344 - a course in the study of traditional art made digitally on the computer using Photoshop, Illustrator, and other digital tools.
Advanced Drawing A/B (semester course) #6355/6356 – a course focused on building observational and rendering drawing skills through a variety of medium.
Fashion Illustration A/B (semester course) #6113/6114 - a course focused on building drawing skills through studying figure drawing and fashion design.
Foundations in Art and Culture A/B (semester course) #6055/6056 – a course focused on making two-dimensional art, looking at art from different times and cultures, studying Master Artists and exploring career options. This course is a basic overview of processes and media in the visual arts.
Functional Fine Arts and Craft A/B (semester course) #6454-6455 – a course focused on art and art forms of cultures around the world including Aboriginal Art, Mayan sculpting, masks, African weaving and others.
Photography A/B (year-long course) #6345/6346 - a course focused on beginning photo techniques, darkroom development, and digital photography.
*In year-long courses students may NOT take semester B without having taken the semester A course.
Advanced Coursework
Ceramics: Ceramics 2 A/B #6383/6393, Ceramics 3 A/B #6356/6386, Adv. Ceramics 4 A/B #6387/6389
Digital Art: Digital Art 2 #6498/6499, Adv. Digital Art 3 A/B #6474/6475, Adv.Digital Art 4 #6476/6477, Commercial Art A/B #6401/6411
Painting A/B #6365/6366
Photo: Photography 2 A/B #6347/6348, Photography 3 A/B #6336/6337, Photography 4 A/B #6338/6339
Studio Art: Studio Art 1 #6105/6106, Studio Art 2 #6205/6206, Studio Art 3 A/B #6305/6306
AP Studio Art A/B (2-D) #648610/648620
AP Photography A/B (2-D) #635100/635200
AP Art History A/B #6456/6457
Incoming ninth graders who already have a portfolio (from private study) should share the portfolio with the appropriate teacher for entry into an advanced class.
Theatre
Theatre 1 A/B (year-long course) #6926/6927 - Contact theatre teacher Kelly O'Connor for more information on advanced courses in theatre.
