Trinity Preparatory School of Florida Fine Arts Artsbill 2024-25
ARTSBILL
What is Patrons of the Arts?
Patrons of the Arts is a parent organization whose purpose is to promote, support, and enhance the arts at Trinity Preparatory School of Florida.
The arts include eight disciplines: Visual Arts, Photography & Film, Forensics, Creative Writing, Band & Percussion, Chorus, Theater, and Orchestra.
We encourage you to attend one of our monthly meetings—it’s one of the best ways to learn about us.
Visit the Patrons of the Arts website at trinityprep.org/poa, or scan the QR code provided to view meeting dates, volunteer opportunities, and learn more about how you can support Trinity Prep’s Fine Arts program.
Questions? Contact:
Tobin
tobinbaum@yahoo.com hadley.amy@gmail.com
our
A MESSAGE FROM PATRONS OF ARTS PRESIDENT
“The earth without art is just eh.”
— Demetri Martin
On behalf of the Patrons of the Arts, I would like to welcome you to the 2024-25 fine arts season at Trinity Preparatory School of Florida. If you are a new family, we are thrilled to have you here, and to our returning families, thank you for your enduring support. I am honored to be serving on the Patrons of the Arts Board alongside other dedicated parents who want to enhance our Fine Arts program and help our students shine. Starting this year, all parents and guardians of Trinity Prep students are automatically members of our Patrons of the Arts organization, so welcome to the POA!
The Patrons organization supports our Fine Arts students and faculty in countless ways. We help provide financial support for educational trips and masterclasses; we organize volunteers for our many concerts, performances, art shows and receptions; and we are our students’ biggest fans and advocates. This past year, the POA helped students learn from artists at Art Basel in Miami, and our orchestra students collaborated, performed, and recorded movie scores at the Disney Imagination Campus. Our theatre students traveled to New York City and experienced masterclasses with Trinity Prep alumni currently performing on Broadway, and both our Thespian and Junior Thespian troupes received top honors at the District and State festivals. POA volunteers assisted TPS in hosting the International Championship of High School and Collegiate A Cappella regional competitions, and our very own Vocal Society a cappella group performed and competed. The POA also helped fund our Forensics team’s trip to the National Speech and Debate Tournament, where our students earned numerous top awards including the championship title in Extemporaneous Commentary.
This past year, we provided financial support for masterclasses in Ichiban ceramics, dance, orchestra, and calligraphy and helped fund Jazz Band stands, orchestra instruments, and music lockers. The POA helped fund a hard-cover Art Book showcasing our students’ photography and artwork, and the annual Skylight publication featured students’ amazing creative writing. POA volunteers helped with the Arts in April weeklong event, where many of our performing artists like Jazz Band and Orchestra performed in the quad, while students’ incredible artwork was displayed around campus. The exciting finale of this annual event is welcoming back and highlighting our Fine Arts alumni through the Arts Hall of Fame program. This year we inducted acclaimed violinist Austin Burket ‘10 and Broadway performer Alexander Ferguson ‘09. These are just a few examples of how the POA helps provide students with unique and life-changing opportunities.
Volunteerism is a vital part of the Patrons of the Arts, and as a POA member, you are welcome to get involved with our program and experience how art can enhance our students’ learning and growth. The Fine Arts are an inspiring and necessary aspect of every student’s experience at Trinity Preparatory School, whether as an artist or as an audience member. Go Saints!
With gratitude,
Tobin Finwall-Baum President, Patrons of the Arts
LETTER FROM FINE ARTS CHAIR
Welcome to the MAC. This may be the first time you have been a guest of Trinity Prep’s Fine Arts programing, or this may be one of your many visits to our beautiful campus’s auditorium to support our students’ creative endeavors. Student, faculty and staff contributions go well beyond what you see on the stage. Each show represents thousands of hours of dedication in rehearsals; creating and implementing designs in costumes, lights, stage and set designs; direct guidance; collaborations; and direction and promotion of the show. Your being here shows just how much you care.
As the Chair of the Fine Arts Department, I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for your continued support of our performing and visual arts programs. Your dedication and encouragement are invaluable, and we deeply appreciate the role you play in fostering a vibrant and creative learning environment for our students.
The Fine Arts are not just about creating beautiful works of art or performing on stage; they are integral to the educational journey, playing a crucial role in developing essential life skills. Through involvement in art, music, theater, and dance, Trinity’s Saints learn to think creatively, approach problems with innovative solutions, and collaborate effectively with others, ultimately becoming fully productive members of the community at large.
These skills extend far beyond the classroom, equipping students with the tools they need to navigate an ever-changing world. By supporting our Fine Arts programs, you are helping to nurture these abilities and encouraging a lifelong appreciation for the arts.
Thank you once again for your unwavering support. Your commitment makes a significant difference in the lives of our students, and we are grateful to have such dedicated families backing our efforts.
Warmest Regards,
Jolie Joseph-Spelman Fine Arts Chair
Blackout Poetry by Jess Pan ’26
Allison Williams ’26
LETTER FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL
Dear Trinity Family,
The 2023-24 school year was filled with extraordinary artistic achievements at Trinity Preparatory School of Florida. I am thrilled that the Artsbill will share a glimpse into our vibrant performing arts program. From captivating plays to mesmerizing musicals, our students showcased their talents on and off the stage, leaving our families spellbound and proud.
After over 19 years of serving as the Fine Arts Department Chair, Janine Papin has decided to step away from running the department to focus more on the theatrical arts and classroom activities and less on administrative tasks. Her departmental dedication has been tremendous and has significantly impacted our students and alumni. We thank her for fostering a fantastic creative experience for all Trinity students.
This year, a professional artist, Jolie Spelman, assumes the Fine Arts department chair position. Ms. Spelman has taught digital art and drawing, emphasizing project-based learning, flipped classrooms, cross-curricular planning, and blended learning. Currently, her work is on display at the United Arts Gallery in the Hyatt Hotel on International Drive. When you return to campus, please stop by and meet her. She is an excellent addition to our team.
The 2024-25 season will be filled with unforgettable performances, innovative productions, and the breadth of skills of our amazingly talented students. Come and celebrate the power of creativity.
Sincerely,
Byron M. Lawson Jr. Head of School Trinity Preparatory School of Florida
Lindsey Yard ’25
ERIN ARMSTRONG
is beginning her third year as instrumental music director at Trinity Prep. She received her bachelor and master of arts degrees in music education from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama, where she was principal oboist in Chamber Winds and also participated in jazz band, steel band, and the Marching Southerners. She received a graduate administrative assistantship, working directly with the University Bands department in orchestrating rehearsals, travel, scholarships, and day-to-day functions of the music department. Ms. Armstrong is teaching Beginning and Introduction to Percussion, Beginning and Introduction to Winds, Honors Trinity Wind Ensemble, Honors Advanced Percussion, and Blue and Gold band, working along with Mike Rogers, who runs the TPS drum line and TPS Pep Band, to play with the drumline for various athletic events. She is passionate about music and loves to travel. One of her favorite performances was a memorial service on the USS Missouri in Hawaii on the 75th anniversary of the attacks on Pearl Harbor. Ms. Armstrong resides on the Space Coast with her husband, Matthew, and cat, Georgia.
IRINA ASHCRAFT
has been teaching upper school art at Trinity Prep since 2003. Originally from Latvia, Irina has made her home in Orlando ever since her arrival in the U.S. in 1999. She holds two bachelor’s degrees from Latvia in world literature and fine arts--and received her master’s degree in art education at the University of Central Florida. In 2017, Mrs. Ashcraft was the recipient of the June Hinkley Award of Excellence in Art Education, given by the Florida Art Education Association. In addition to teaching the love and appreciation of art to her students, she also actively pursues a career as an artist. Her works have been exhibited locally and worldwide, and her stellar auction sales record of oil paintings placed her among the most successful emerging fine artists on Sotheby’s Online Auctions and the prestigious MAYER 2000/01/03 International Auction Records, a catalog referenced by art agents and connoisseurs. Irina loves to travel, make and savor great food, take nature walks, and paint in her studio, as well as enjoying time with her husband, James, and two daughters, Ally and Lilly.
CHARLIE CARROLL
is an award-winning composer, conductor, and music educator whose works have been performed across North America, including by Choral Arts Initiative in Orange County, California, at the East Chamber Music Festival in Toronto, and at the New Music on the Bayou festival in Ruston, Louisiana. He earned his bachelor of music in vocal performance and master of music in composition from Baylor University, and his doctor of music in composition from Florida State University. Originally from Sugar Land, Texas, Dr. Carroll has dedicated the last three years to teaching music theory, ear training/aural skills, songwriting, and private composition lessons at Florida State University. He is thrilled to bring his experience and passion for choral music to Trinity Prep as the new choral director, and he looks forward to fostering a vibrant and dynamic choral program.
artsFACULTY
MAURICIO CESPEDES
is the orchestra conductor at Trinity Prep. His training includes orchestra conducting at The Juilliard School and choral conducting at the Eastman School of Music. Currently, he is the assistant conductor of the Orlando Philharmonic, music director of the Daytona Civic Orchestra, artistic director of the Orlando Philharmonic Summer Music Camp, and principal violist of the Orlando Philharmonic. He has performed with notable artists Yo Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, Gustavo Dudamel, Michael Tilson Thomas, and members of the New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Dr. Céspedes holds degrees from New World School of the Arts, Michigan State University, and Florida State University. He was named the “Everyday Hero” by Channel 13 for bringing music to children’s hospitals and retirement homes. He also holds a degree in environmental engineering and teaches environmental science at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan.
MELANIE FARMER
teaches English at Trinity Prep. She holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Central Florida and is a published author of literary nonfiction. She is the winner of a nonfiction Intro Journals Award from the Association of Writers & Writing Programs and is the first author to be awarded the Hurston/Wright Foundation’s Crossover Award for Literary Nonfiction. She has a degree in theater from Davidson College with a concentration in directing and has worked professionally as a director, assistant director, and new play producer at Hangar Theater, Dallas Theater Center, Lincoln Center Festival, and Arena Stage. Directing credits at Trinity include “Deathtrap,” “The Government Inspector,” and “The Perils of Lulu.”
JULIA HREN
is the new assistant director of forensics at Trinity Prep, as well as an English teacher. She has undergraduate degrees in theater and strategic communication from Butler University, and her master’s degree is in communication from Marshall University. Ms. Hren competed on Butler’s speech and debate team while earning her undergraduate degree and helped coach the Thundering Word forensics team at Marshall while working on her master’s degree. Ms. Hren believes that speech and debate allow individuals to understand the world better and present ideas in a clear, concise, and convincing way. These skills will serve students well as they move through the world.
CABERBE JOSEPH
is the photography teacher in the Fine Arts department. He currently teaches Photography I, Photography II, Honor Photography Portfolio, AP Studio Art 2-D Photography, Film Production, Visual Foundations, and Yearbook. Mr. Joseph holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in animation as well as a Master of Fine Arts in studio art, with a total of 24 years of experience in photography. He is the Youth Arts Initiative Director for the Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida, where he is responsible for all arts programming (fine arts, theater, poetry, comic book writing) agency-wide. Mr. Joseph is the co-founder of Lumiere d’Education Foundation and an executive board member at Pine Hills Community Performing Arts Center.
McKenna Hawley ’26
VOCAL SOCIETY
PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB
Garrett Greenwald ’29
Mei Ling Geib ’30
VADIM MALKIN
is an award-winning artist who has been active in the art world for over two decades. He began his foundations in art at an early age in Russia and continued to strengthen them in various arts institutions around the U.S. and abroad. His passion for art, specifically sculpture and ceramics, has led to numerous art shows in Florida and as far away as England, China, and Korea. His works reside in both private and public collections worldwide. Mr. Malkin has been teaching ceramics at Crealde School of Art in Winter Park for over 16 years to both adults and teens. He has also been happily teaching in schools for 14 years, calling Trinity Prep home for the last eight of them. He and his wife, Meredith, and children, Lev and Zoia, consider themselves lucky to call Orlando home, with its diversity of cuisines and cultures.
KYMBERLY MORELAND-GARNETT
has taught at Trinity since 2000. She teaches 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Art; Middle School Printmaking, Advanced Printmaking, and Visual Foundations. She is a graduate of the Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) in Columbus, Ohio, where she studied printmaking and photography. She was also active in the student council and Botticelli, CCAD’s literary magazine. She earned her master’s degree in art education from the University of Central Florida, received the H. Benton Ellis Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2009, was named the Florida Art Education Association’s Middle School Art Educator of the Year in 2010, and received FAEA’s June Hinkley Award of Excellence in Art Education and the Columbus College of Art & Design’s Alumni Arts Educator Award in 2022. When she is not at work or spending time with her family, she’ll be reading, quilting, baking, or planning a trip.
Sophia-Marie Sehmer ’28
Sophie Matusiak ’28
Peyton Alch ’25
Annie Li ’27
Alec Sellers ’30
Alix Salahi ’26
Liann Kurlansik ’26
Joanna Liu ’28
Zoey Wallington ’26
artsFACULTY
JANINE PAPIN
has a master’s degree in theater/musical theater from the University of Central Florida and has been an active part of central Florida’s theater community since the 1980s as an actor, singer, dancer, choreographer, and director. Ms. Papin was one of two teachers from across the nation to be named “2018 Inspiring Teacher” by the Broadway League Foundation Jimmy Awards. She received a fellowship from the Central Florida English Speaking Union and had the honor of studying at and performing on the stage of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London during the summer of 2015. In 2006 she was awarded the H. Benton Ellis Award for Excellence in Teaching. During the summers of 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2022 she took Trinity Prep students to London and Edinburgh to perform at the American High School Theatre Festival: the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and is looking forward to bringing another group during next summer. Ms. Papin enjoys sharing her passion for the stage with her students. When she is not teaching or directing at Trinity Prep, you can find her performing on the stage of many local regional theaters.
KYLE SCHLETT
joined Trinity Prep in February, 2024 to teach sixth-grade English and will direct the middle school spring production. He has previously directed middle school theatrical productions at West Shore Christian Academy and explores his dramatic side through stage and screen performance, screenwriting, stand-up comedy, sketch-writing, and in-class opportunities like his impressive dramatization of Gandalf the wizard, from The Hobbit.
KATHY SLAGE
is the accompanist for the choral programs at Trinity Prep and coordinates the middle and upper school chapel music. She also provides musical direction for the Trinity theater department. Ms. Slage studied music at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. She enjoys working with students and professionals throughout the Central Florida community as an accompanist, vocal coach, and piano teacher, and is a staff accompanist in the music department at Rollins College and at First Congregational Church of Winter Park. She also enjoys working with Central Florida Vocal Arts and other local arts organizations. She has over 30 years of experience as a piano teacher and maintains a private studio and one at Rollins College’s Community School of Music. She performs and loves to explore all genres with her students: classical, musical theater, jazz, and pop. In her spare time, she is a vocalist and an occasional flutist. Her current favorite hobbies are gardening and permaculture.
Fay
JOLIE SPELMAN
is the new Fine Arts department chair. She comes to TPS with over 31 years experience, teaching visual arts to college and high school students in Central Florida while creating and exhibiting as an independent art contractor. She holds three bachelor’s degrees in fine art, art education, and communications from the University of Central Florida. She serves on the Board of Trustees at the Mennello Museum of Fine Art. Her work is held in private collections locally and throughout the U.S. and can be seen in area galleries, offices, and hotels. She has recently been commissioned to illustrate children’s books, one of which has received national and international recognition. Jolie and her husband of 32 years are proud parents of two adult children. She now enjoys more free time to work in her studio, facilitate art workshops, cook, and volunteer with Alliance of Pet Therapy, where her dogs Rex and Oliver deliver smiles and wags wherever they go.
Amelia Sasser ’30
Coco Wu ’30
2024-25 PERFORMANCES
October 9
October 23-26
Please check our website for times and locations.
October 30-November 2
November 8-9
November 11-12
November 14-16
November 19
December 5 and 7
December 8
December 10
December 13-14
February 26-March 1
March 4
March 12
March 13-16
April 2-5
April 9-12
April 11
April 22
April 26
April 29
May 2-3
May 9
Choral Showcase
Upper School Production “Rumors”
Fall Musical “Something Rotten”
District 2 Junior Thespian Thespian Festival
Thespian Showcase and One Act
District 3 Thespian District 3 Festival
Orchestra Concert
Band Concerts
Heather Thorn Concert
Percussion Concert
Choral Concerts
Theater Production “Secret Garden”
Chamber Concert
Choral Showcase
Thespian State Festival
Middle School Production “Charlotte’s Web”
Musical Theater Class Production “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”
Arts Hall of Fame Assembly
Orchestra Concert
Band Concert
Percussion Concert
Choral Concerts
Film Festival
Maiori Butz ’26
HONORS WIND ENSEMBLE
HONORS
Kathryn Lyakh ’26
Charlotte Davis ’25
Grayson McFarlan ’25
Sam Rambeau ’25
Jennifer Li ’25
Mia Foley ’28
Dylan Jenkins ’28
Christine Santos ’25
From costume designers and choreographers, to orchestras and actors, celebrate the outstanding talent in high school productions. All during our 10th annual event—inspired by the Tony Awards®.
Stay tuned for details. drphillipscenter.org/applauseawards
Mavis Li 26
Allison Williams ’26
Kaitlyn Wilcke ’25
Cordelia Sargent ’27
Gracie Asher ’26
Kenza Laassel ’25
INTRO TO CHORUS
MS PIANO LAB
BLUE
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