Fine Arts Program

The Fine and Performing Arts Department of St. John Vianney High School seeks to help students gain knowledge, skill and ability in the arts, while providing them with an experience of community in the environment in which they work and a sense of creativity and refinement in their lives. These qualities can lead them to a greater wholeness of being and a stronger appreciation of creation and the Creator.

Music

Course: Concert Band (FAM 500/505)

Prerequisite: FAM 100 or previous band experience and the approval of the band director. Open to all divisions. Description: Concert Band is designed for the student who has already achieved some degree of proficiency on a band instrument. Admittance to this class is by audition and approval of the band director. To assure balanced instrumentation, enrollment on some instruments will be limited. Concert Band is a performance-oriented course in which various styles and types of music are explored and performed. Students are required to attend all concerts, performances, and evaluations in which the Concert Band participates. Freshmen and sophomores may take Concert Band in place of Physical Education. This course meets alternately with a special religion class for band members for 2 semesters.  

Course: Vocal Music (FAM 300)

Prerequisite: Open to all divisions with approval of the instructor Description: The dual focus of the vocal music class is performance and musicianship. The students will be expected to learn a variety of music and to perform at various functions throughout the school year. The course will also study the history and techniques of music.  

Course: Music Theory (FAM 200)

Prerequisite: Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Description: Music Theory is designed for the more serious music student. This class explores the notational system of music: scales, intervals, chords, chord progressions, key signatures, time signatures, double and triple meter, ear training.  

Course: Beginning Band (FAM 100)

Prerequisite: Open to freshmen and sophomores with approval of the band director. Description: Beginning Band is designed for the student who has had little or no experience in playing a band instrument. This is a performance-oriented course, which strives to guide the student in attaining proficiency on his chosen band instrument. Instruction is offered on the following instruments: flute, clarinet, saxophone, oboe, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, baritone horn, tuba, and percussion. Each student must provide his own instrument, either by ownership or rental. Vianney owns a number of instruments rented to students on a yearly basis. To assure a balanced instrumentation, enrollment of some instruments may be limited. Students successfully completing Beginning Band are recommended and strongly encouraged to participate in Concert Band in following years. Freshmen may take Beginning Band in place of Physical Education.

Studio Art

Course: Design 1 (FAA 450)

Pre-requisite: Art 100 or Art 110, Art 2, Drawing 1, with signature of instructor. (Open to seniors only.) Description: This course is designed for the serious art student who, with the guidance of the art instructor, is self-motivated and self-directed enough to design his own art program to fulfill his college portfolio needs. The student will focus on still-life drawing and painting, design, and art history, as well as printmaking techniques not previously explored in other classes.

Course: Basic Drawing 1 (FAA 350)

Pre-requisite: Art 100 or Art 110, Art 2, with signature of instructor. (Open to juniors and seniors.) Description: This course is especially designed for the student who is interested in studying art in college. The student has the opportunity to build on his portfolio begun in Art II, with emphasis on drawing, design, painting and art history. A portion of this course involves independent projects determined by student and teacher.

Course: Art II (FAA 200)

Open to sophomores, juniors and seniors Prerequisite: Introduction to the Arts and signature of instructor Description: Having experienced various media and techniques in Art I, the student in Art II will begin a portfolio, explore new media, such as acrylic painting and printmaking, and delve more deeply into those areas of art with which he is already familiar. He is encouraged to demonstrate greater creativity, skill, and refinement in his artwork. A further study of art history is required.

Course: Art 110

Pre-requisite: None (Open to juniors and seniors) Description: This course is designed as an introduction to the visual arts. Course material is taught to offer the student knowledge, background, and experience in art—art history, drawing, design, color theory, watercolor painting, printmaking, and more. No previous art experience is necessary.

Course: Art 100 (FAA 100) Introduction To The Arts

  Pre-requisite: None (Open to sophomores)   Description: This survey-style course is designed as an introduction to the Fine and Performing Arts. Course material is team-taught to offer the student experiences as an observer and participant in art, music, theater, art history, art criticism, film, sculpture and dance. Particular emphasis is placed on studio art, music and drama.

Theatre

Course: Film Study (FAD 300)

Prerequisite: Junior or senior status and approval of the instructor Description: The course objective is to expose students to a variety of film genres helping them gain an appreciation for the art form and increase their ability to use writing as a form of critique. As an introductory course, the focus will be on how a film is made and the director as an artist. Students will view many films in an attempt to provide an overview of the last one hundred years of cinema.

Course: Speech (FAD 220)

Prerequisite: Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors with approval of the instructor. Description: In this student-centered class, public speaking skills are taught and reinforced in a practical format. The course builds confidence and poise, and helps develop skills employed in effective speaking. The techniques for handling of speech details through proven psychological principles are taught. The speaker’s personal persuasiveness, and the principles of effective presentation and delivery are also covered in this course. The principles of speech are applied to practical speaking situations, using the informative and persuasive speeches. Basic concepts, formats and techniques of debate and argumentation are also included.

Course: Drama II (FAD 200)

Prerequisite: Drama I and approval of the instructor. Open to juniors and seniors. Description: Course work will concentrate on scene study with an emphasis on characterization and theatrical styles. Course work will include an introduction to directing.

Course: Stagecraft (FAD 110)

Prerequisite: Signature of instructor, preference will be given to seniors Description: This course is an introduction to technical theatre. Course work will include set/scenic design from script interpretation to and including set construction. Stage lighting, costume design and stage property building will be included. This is a hands-on workshop class.

Course: Theater Arts (Drama) (FAD 100)

Prerequisite: Signature of Instructor. Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Description: This course will provide the student with experience in understanding, analyzing and creating all aspects of a theatrical production. Particular emphasis will be placed on developing the special skills needed when an actor prepares a play for performance. Relying heavily on individual monologues and scene study from the classic and modern stage, this class will take the student from script to production to performance to critique. Some assignments will require students to participate in activities outside of school time.