5 minute read
Arts
Arts @ The U & USJ Pops Concert
Arts at the U was a huge success last year and will continue to grow this year. More food trucks will be added, auction tables will possibly be included, and, of course, plenty of amazing talent from each division will be on hand. The event will start at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, April 24th at the Upper School and will be followed by the annual Pops Concert beginning at 7 p.m.
Seussical JR. A Smashing Hit
The University School of Jackson’s Performing Arts Department presented Seussical JR. on May 6 and 7, 2022. An excellent cast of fortythree students in grades third-ninth participated in this wonderful story of love, loyalty, and friendship.
Horton, played by Diego Montoya, and Gertrude, played by Vaidehi Prasad, banded together to save the Whos. Many wellknown Seussical characters, such as JoJo, The Cat in the Hat, and The Grinch, made an appearance. The USJ Band, directed by Performing Arts Chair
Tom Grant, paired with Music Theatre International to pilot the instrumental parts for Seussical JR. Erica Davidson and USJ theatre students designed the sets.
Each year the Jackson Woman’s Club sponsors a poetry contest that is open to all students in Madison County. The Club receives hundreds of entries from the Jackson Madison County School System as well as each private school. Last year, we were proud to announce that USJ had several winners in each grade level and also claimed the most prestigious award, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs National Competition.
Sixth-grade winners: Jack White (1st place), Anna Kate Ellis (3rd place) Seventh-grade winners: Linh Nguyen (4th place), Caroline Brandt (3rd place), Garrett Steele (2nd place), Sam Hines (1st place) Eighth-grade winners: Reagan Creech (1st place), Chase Wimer (2nd place), Hayden Hight (3rd place)
Eighth Grade Percussion Finds Success at Ensemble Competition at UT-Martin
On March 31, the USJ Eighth Grade Percussion Ensemble traveled to UT-Martin to compete with schools from the West Tennessee area in the WTSBOA Solo and Ensemble Competition. The group performed “Danielle’s Cha Cha Cha,” a Latin style piece using Marimba, Xylophone, Bells, Conga, Bongos, Timbales, and Timpani. The adjudicator scored them in seven different musical categories with levels consisting of Poor V, Fair IV, Average III, Excellent II, and Superior I for each category. Our students scored a Superior I in every category, a score not often achieved. Each member received a blue ribboned medal for the competition. The members are: Diego Montoya, Chase Wimer, Alexander DeCosta, Phillip White, Brennan Doyle, Caroline Alea, Natalie DeCosta, and Camden Martin.
Kim Kabre, Reed Sullivan, and Andi Cate Via were selected to the Tennessee All-State Honor Choir. These young people represent the future leaders in our community and life-long advocates for music and the arts. Students selected to All-State represent the best musicians from across the state. These students excel in more than just music; they excel academically and athletically. The Tennessee All State Concerts were held at Gaylord Opryland Hotel April 27-29 in Nashville. Reed
Sullivan and Andi Cate Via were also selected to the National Association for Music Education All National Honors Ensembles. All National was held at Gaylord National Harbor near Washington, DC, in November.
Jr. Bruin Choir Sings at Grizzlies Game
The Junior Bruin Choir’s Grizzlies performance was on Tuesday, February 8. This group of 22 fifth-grade students are volunteers who met each Tuesday morning before school to prepare for singing the national anthem at the game where the Grizzlies played the Los Angeles Clippers. The Junior Bruin Choir also sang the national anthem at the Grizzlies game again on Tuesday, November 22.
In 1997, a group of USJ moms, along with one dad, met weekly to pray for the students and staff at USJ. Out of this time together, the idea of a prayer garden with a fountain, a large engraved rock, and some plants around the huge oak tree was born. A landscape architect was contacted for guidance. The funds from many USJ families were given specifically for the prayer garden, and the work began. The Class of 2002 donated the huge rock just under the tree and engraved it with Psalm 1:1-3. Recently, the stained glass in the middle circle (that was in disrepair) was updated and donated by the Class of 2022. Through the years, many families have met in the garden to pray for their children. The mom’s prayer group still meets there weekly. One couple even got married in the garden! There is still more to come. The garden will have new benches soon, the fountain needs some maintenance, and a family has generously offered to pay for a new structurally sound gazebo. We would love to have lighting for the garden since so many events on our campus are held at night. We are also looking for master gardeners who will help maintain the landscaping as needed. Please contact Erin Wagner at ewagner@usjbruins.org if you are interested!
Dearly Beloved Takes the Stage
Dearly Beloved was a huge hit! This comedic play set in the heart of Texas has three sisters coming together to pull off a tasteful wedding. With the bride and groom missing, a secret-holding sister, and a hog smoking outside the church, things aren’t going according to plan. Upper School students did an amazing job performing this show. “We have performed some funny shows here at USJ, but I think this one takes the cake,” said Erica Davidson, Advanced Theatre Teacher. “When you have audience members coming back to see it because it was so funny, you know you have a hit on your hands.”
