Involvement in the arts is one of the central Putney experiences, and the academic arts program, encompassing a diverse range of disciplines in the visual and performing arts, forms the core of the arts program. Studio visual art courses seek to increase a student’s awareness of the visual world, to support the controlled development of a student’s unique imagination and emotion into visible form, and to promote an intellectual understanding of the basic formal elements and technical processes of a discipline. Music courses introduce students to the language and art of music, from both an academic and an aesthetic viewpoint.An academic modern dance class focuses on building both a technical and creative foundation from which to move.A full range of drama classes is offered during the academic day, as well.

Students in arts courses have the opportunity to continue and expand their interest by participating in the Evening Activities program. In drama, students rehearse, produce and perform a fully staged production each semester. Various vocal and instrumental ensembles meet during the evening. Dance is represented by classes in:African, hip hop, traditional/world dances, tai chi and rehearsal time for the performing group: Dance Ensemble. Studio art activities meet at this time, along with other activities such as architecture, blacksmithing, jewelry and stained glass, which are not offered as academic courses. Many students continue their work in the arts during Project Week, and seniors often choose tutorial courses and Senior Exhibitions in the arts, to delve into their media in greater depth and concentration.

More information about the Arts at Putney

Visual Arts

Introduction to Visual Arts (full year)
This course introduces students to design concepts through a variety of digital and traditional media.This will include drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, fiber arts, printmaking, and photography. Students will study principles of two- and three-dimensional design (line, shape, mass, texture, space, color, and value) in creative expression, developing critical studio skills. We will explore visual concepts through varied challenges in problem-solving and visual communication, and through the close analysis of historical and contemporary examples.This class, taught by five visual art teachers, is geared primarily to ninth- and tenth-grade students

Drawing (first semester)
This course will guide students in their increased response to and coherent translation to paper of the visual qualities of the perceived world. Students will learn and practice the basic elements of visual experience, including light, edge, mass, texture, and space.We will draw from a variety of sources, including the figure, head, still life, landscape, and interior, and with a variety of wet and dry media.We will also work on the direct development of the expressive and structural elements of drawings in their own right. The course will further assist students in discovering and exploring themes and images of personal significance with command and clarity. Each student will keep a personal sketchbook to record observations from his/her own daily life, and will submit weekly assignments that follow from class discussions. We will study the work of notable artists through slides and reproductions of their work and through a visit to the collection of drawings at a major museum. The class will engage in frequent discussions about the work of all participants (critiques), with an aim to share experiences, define successful elements of a drawing, and encourage individual efforts.

Advanced Drawing (first semester)
This course will guide students in the interpretative and expressive development of the student's own approach and vision in drawing.The course will assist students in discovering and exploring themes and images of personal significance and in responding to the visible world with greater command and clarity. Students are encouraged to explore new areas of interest, new media and new approaches, and to extend basic skills already gained in prior study.A major objective is to encourage interpretation and discussion of one's own work, the work of other students, and the work of the many artists we study. Prerequisite: Drawing or permission of the department.

Painting (second semester)
This course will focus on the understanding and control of color and on the expressive application of acrylic, oil, and watercolor paint from observed and invented sources.The class will guide students in responding to and translating visual qualities and color contrasts, and in using color to suggest light, edge, mass, texture, and space.We will paint from a variety of sources, including the figure, head, still life, landscape, and interior, and with a variety of color media. We will also develop expressive and structural elements of painting and explore themes and images of personal significance. We will study many relevant precedents for student work through the paintings of acknowledged masters through slides and reproductions of their work, and through a visit to a museum collection.The class will engage in frequent discussions aiming to share experiences, define successful elements of design, composition, materials and color and encourage individual efforts. Students will be expected to create a cohesive body of work related to a specific theme by the end of the semester.Prerequisite: Drawing.

Advanced Painting (second semester)
This course, intended for students with a strong foundation in drawing, allows them to pursue ideas of color and painted form with emphasis on the head, figure, and landscape. Fundamentals of painting are stressed and students are encouraged, through specific projects, to develop a "painterly vocabulary" of color, light, and form. Concepts of abstraction and representation are addressed as students increase their visual awareness and understanding in relation to their own painting.The course culminates in large-scale paintings and projects of deep personal interest. Students learn to articulate their ideas through frequent presentations, group discussions and critiques. Prerequisite: Advanced Drawing, Painting, or permission of the department.
Prerequisite: Advanced Drawing, Painting, or permission of the department.

Printmaking (second semester)
This course will guide the creation of interpretative and expressive artwork in major forms of printmaking incorporating a student?s own approach and vision with power and presence. Students will explore intaglio (etching, dry point, aquatint, and mezzotint), relief (wood and linoleum cut, letterpress), and planographic (monotype, lithography) printmaking techniques.The course will assist students in discovering, exploring and developing themes and images of personal significance through prints, and to delve into personal, unorthodox, and idiosyncratic approaches to established techniques (perhaps involving combinations of technique, photographic or transfer processes, color printing).They will examine the various ways a matrix (block, plate) can be printed, changed, and developed. Emphasis in the class will be on exploring printmaking as a varied and potent medium, on the unique power of the multiple states in the conscious development of an image, and the achievement of technical skill in the service of expressive ends. Students will look extensively at the history of printmaking as both fine art and as social vector. Students will keep a sketchbook for notes, observations, and imaginings. Further emphasis in the class will be on safe and orderly studio practices, on the variety and options for presentation, and the continuity of imagery and unique forms of expression that printmaking offers. Students in Advanced Printmaking will further explore techniques and approaches in intaglio and relief printmaking through sustained individual projects.
Prerequisite for Printmaking: Drawing or Advanced Drawing at Putney or two semesters of Printmaking evening activity.Prerequisite for Advanced Printmaking:

Sculpture (either or both semesters)
This course guides students in exploring the skills and techniques of sculpture using various materials and approaches. Students will learn the processes of modeling, carving, and welding using clay,wax, plaster,wood, stone and metal. Drawings and three-dimensional models will be used to create designs for sculpture. Understanding the history and integrity of the material are emphasized as students create their work. One of the exercises of this class is sculpting the figure from a model. Realism, abstraction, and symbolism are explored as ways of translating ideas into sculptural form. Reading and written work, slide presentations, discussions, field trips, and critiques integrate the work of other sculptors with the student's studio work.Prerequisite: none.

Advanced Sculpture (either or both semesters)
This course, intended for students with previous sculpting experience, allows them to delve into sculptural materials of their preference to create a cohesive series of sculptures or one larger single work. Students will be encouraged to experiment, but also to develop mastery of their chosen sculptural technique.The class will do an intensive study of one medium, such as welded metal or stone carving, and each student will create a work in this material early in the semester. Students learn to articulate thoughts and goals for their own work through reading and written reflection, presentations, discussions, and critiques.The class will study the work of past and contemporary sculptors.Prerequisite: Sculpture or permission of the department.

Ceramics (either or both semesters)
The Ceramics class is designed to expose students at all levels of experience to the wide array of techniques that are possible for the means of expression with clay. Students are expected to develop good craftsmanship and pay attention to detail. Innovation and experimentation are highly encouraged. Students move through increasingly complex techniques in both hand building and wheel work. Along with different construction methods, students are introduced to a variety of surface decoration possibilities such as texturing, carving, painting with slips and stains and colored clay. Form, design and proportion are explored as well as function. Students fire their work in a gas reduction kiln and in the spring have the opportunity to do raku and pit firings. Studio work is augmented with relevant books, magazines, videos, field trips to local studios and galleries. Advanced Ceramics is offered to students who have completed two semesters of the Ceramics academic course and want to deepen their exploration of clay with greater challenges.

Fiber Arts (either or both semesters)
This is a studio art course, using textiles to explore structure, function, color and design. In group and individual projects, students will learn about a wide range of techniques, leading to the development of an idea into a finished product. The primary focus is on weaving, but felting, basketry, fabric dyeing, sewing and quilting may be covered. Advanced Fiber Arts is offered to students with previous experience working with textiles. The focus of the course will be independent projects in the students' areas of interest including weaving on 4 and 8 harness floor looms, exploring color through dyeing cellulose and animal fibers, paper making, knitting by hand and machine and clothing design and construction. Prerequisite for Advanced Fiber Arts: two semesters of Fiber Arts or permission of the instructor.

Photography (either or both semesters)
This course examines photography as a visual language. Students are guided through assignments that will broaden their perception of the visual world and help them to acquire new vocabulary in design.Students will explore basic elements of the camera,composition,light, narrative,series building and editing. Alternative printing processes will also be covered, including collage printing, multi-media, toning and hand coloring. Students must have a 35mm, medium format or digital camera with manual focus, aperture and speed options.

Advanced Photography (first semester)
This course examines photography as a visual language through narrative and series projects.Students are guided through assignments which will broaden their perception of the visual world and which will help them to acquire new vocabulary in design. Students will explore elements of the camera, composition, light, narrative, series building and editing. Alternative printing processes will also be covered, including collage printing, multi-media, toning and hand color- ing.Students must have a 35mm,medium format or digital camera with manual focus,aperture and speed options. Prerequisite for Advanced Photography: two semesters of Photography or permission of the instructor.

Digital Filmmaking (second semester)
This course examines the use of digital video as a narrative medium.Students are guided through short film assignments which will broaden their perception of the visual world and which will help them to acquire new vocabulary in visual storytelling. Students will explore elements of design,story structure,character development, screenwriting, camera, film acting, sound and digital editing. The course will also examine works by historical and contemporary artists. Prerequisites: photography, video making evening activity or permission of the instructor.

Observation and Taxonomy: Field Methods (first semester)
(See the science section for a description of Observation and Taxonomy: Field Methods.)

History and Language of Art (second semester)
We will look at painting, drawing, printmaking, and sculpture in Europe and the United States (with tangents to the art of other cultures) from the Early Renaissance to the present. The course will take a thematic rather than chronological approach, examining how a single subject or idea has been approached by a variety of artists, revealing the fundamental stylistic differences, characteristics, and attitudes of each period.We will learn to read the language of art to see how its elements combine to speak eloquently and clearly over time and beyond nationality (as well as offering insight into a particular time and place). Students in the class will discuss and write extensively about the art they see, will visit museums and artists' studios, and will explore vast web-based and CD-ROM collections of images.The course will include a studio component to complement our investigations into the history and language of art.This course meets the requirement for a Senior Humanities credit as well as an Arts credit.

Music

Music Theory for Instrumentalists (either or both semesters)
This course is designed for instrumentalists or singers with some rudimentary knowledge of music theory. Its main goal is to further a musician's understanding of music through a more indepth comprehension of how music is made.We’ll review intervals, scales, modes, key signatures and other basic principles of music theory, to soon move into harmonic and style analysis, counterpoint and, finally, attempt to do our own compositions.We will use the MIDI Lab as our main classroom. Prerequisite: intermediate to advanced instrumental/vocal background.

Music Composition I (either or both semesters)
This course is designed for beginning musicians interested in the art of music composition. Students will develop aural skills, and will be encouraged to work on the piano as much as possible, before plugging any notes on the computer.We will use two main programs, Finale and Sibelius. Students will work as a group often, to listen, analyze, criticize, and give feedback to one another during class time. Ability to do productive work independently is required. Prerequisite: None.

Music Composition II (either or both semesters)
This course is designed for advanced composers. Students will have different assignments, which will include composing for several solo instruments, for a brass ensemble, for a string ensemble, for a chamber orchestra, and will compose the sound track for a movie scene.We will also study and discuss the use of music in movies. Composers in this class will learn the basic principles behind most instruments available to us, and will be encouraged to learn to play some of them, even at a beginning level. They will also be encouraged to ask for feedback on their compositions from our instrumentalists, both students and faculty.There will be live performances of their work at different intervals during the semester, with the help of our student and faculty musicians. Prerequisite: previous music composition experience.

Music Ensembles

Putney Singers (full year)
This vocal ensemble is made up of 30- 40 singers with a keen interest in the broad spectrum of choral music. The class demands preparation of the assigned music and on-time attendance. Individual as well as small group singing will be frequent. Before concerts there will be pre-scheduled extra rehearsals to assure high-quality performances.These performances will take place at major events in the school's calendar: Harvest Festival (in October),Winter Concert, both fall and spring Parent Weekends, and Graduation. Putney Singers meet during the academic schedule, plus a full ensemble rehearsal on Thursday afternoons before dinner.As part of our daily routine, students will learn basic sightsinging and music theory skills. Note: EVERYONE at the school is encouraged to participate.

Orchestra (full year)
The Putney School Orchestra is open to experienced players of orchestral instruments. Students learn the art of ensemble playing, and develop an understanding of stylistic interpretation.This class focuses on preparing works from the standard orchestra repertoire for performance. Our program in the fall, focused on the major Oratorio repertoire, and thus performed with the school chamber choir, has in the past included Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Handel's Messiah, Mozart's Requiem and Orff ’s Carmina Burana along with several Bach cantatas ("Wachet auf,”“Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben”). The spring program is focused exclusively on challenging symphonic orchestra repertoire from the 19th and 20th centuries. Although orchestra is considered primarily an evening activity, with the music director's and academic dean's permission, a student may take this course plus weekly private instrumental lessons for academic credit.

Chamber Music (either or both semesters)
Students in this class will prepare a short program of chamber music to perform at the end of each semester. We will spend approximately half of the class time rehearsing for this program. During the rest of the time we will study the historical context of the selected pieces and the musical traditions they represent, listening to related music and read- ing about the composers and their historical contexts. For example, if students prepare a movement from the Mozart Clarinet Quintet, we may also listen to the Brahms Clarinet Quintet, and research the development of the clarinet as an instrument and its integration into orchestral and chamber music. If students decide to work on the "Lullaby" for String Quartet by George Gershwin, they may also research and listen to string quartets by other American composers with Blues and Gospel influences, such as the 1928 string quartet, "Amazing Grace" by Ben Johnston. This class is open to pianists, string players and woodwind players who receive permission to take the course from the music director or the class instructor.

Jazz Ensemble (full year)
This course is designed for the begin- ning to intermediate musician interested in exploring jazz improvisation in a group context. It is open to students who have little to no experience playing improvised music. In addition to learning repertoire, students will develop essential skills by learning to apply simple music concepts in an ensemble setting. Students will learn about chord scales and basic chord substitution and will acquire practicing skills used by jazz musicians so that students can progress on their instruments in an efficient manner. Our goals are to perform the best music we can, as often as we can, as well as we can. This course is open to all students with ability to read music and play basic major and minor scales.Auditions will be held in order to insure progress and keep the level of the group consistent. Prerequisite: Permission of jazz teacher.

Jazz Combo (full year)
The Jazz Combo is intended for advanced jazz instrumentalists who want to focus more deeply on the intricacies of jazz improvisation and ensemble techniques in a select small group setting. The Jazz Combo will perform for the Putney community at regular intervals throughout the academic year. Prerequisite: Permission of jazz teacher.

DRAMA

Elements of Theater (full year)
All aspects of drama are studied in this class. Students present work for review, discussions, and critique. In the first semester, students work on monologues and improvisations and then move on to scene study.They explore a range of acting styles and performance skills while preparing their work. In the second semester students write scenes and short plays that are presented and critiqued during class meetings.They finish the semester by directing each other in scenes from plays they have selected. Outside rehearsals, readings, and written papers are required for this course.

History of Theatrical Performance (full year)
This class concentrates on the history of acting from the Greeks through Shakespeare, Moli?re, Ibsen, Chekhov, Pinter, Mamet, and other writers from the twentieth century. Through scene study and play analysis students will develop and apply the necessary skills to perform a particular style or period of drama, and will do research on the historical, cultural, and political background of a particular play in order to understand and perform the play within a larger context. Written assignments are required as well as extensive scene study. Performances for the wider school community are encouraged. This course meets the requirement for a Senior Humanities credit as well as an Arts credit. Prerequisite: Elements of Theater or permission from the drama director.

Theater Intensive (either or both semesters)
This course is designed for advanced students that are interested in pursuing an aspect of theater. Students may choose to direct, perform or write a play. The emphasis is determined by the student before enrollment and approved by the drama director. A presentation of the work is required at the end of the semester.Prerequisite: History of Theatrical Performance and/or permission from the drama director

DANCE

Modern Dance (full year) Through the study of technique, choreography and improvisation, this course will provide students with the opportunity to further define the ever-evolving art form known as Modern Dance. The first semester will highlight anatomy as it relates to dance, and the human body as an articulate moving system capable of powerful creative expression. While learning to "listen" to the innate intelligence of our bodies, align our structures, see and feel our wholeness and simultaneously tend to our various parts, we strengthen our capacity to move and be moved, as dancers, tuned and ready to receive the moment. During the second semester we will focus on the history of Modern Dance, drawing from the various techniques and styles of the generations before us, as we continue to delve more deeply into our own creative compositional process through choreography and improvisation, culminating in a performance. To further enhance students' understanding of Modern Dance, studio class time is supported by journaling, reading, viewing videos and live performances.