Moorhead orchestra students Abby Clapp, Ana Nelson, Tanner Otto and Elizabet Samonides-Hamrick have been selected by audition for the 2012 MNSOTA Middle Level Honors Orchestra sponsored by the Minnesota String Orchestra Teachers Association. The honors orchestra is composed of the top grades 7-9 string students in Minnesota. The Middle Level Honors Orchestra will perform at the Minneapolis Convention Center on Feb. 18. Orchestra teachers are Doug Neill and Jonathon Larson.
SuperSpud
Moorhead Area Public Schools' District Blog
Posts Tagged ‘Arts’
Orchestra students selected for honors orchestra
Tuesday, February 14th, 2012Moorhead High School theatre earns SpotLight Musical Theatre Program honors
Friday, February 3rd, 2012Moorhead High School’s fall musical “Children of Eden” has been recognized with Hennepin Theatre Trust’s highest honors — outstanding performance, outstanding production and outstanding orchestra — in the 2011-12 SpotLight Musical Theatre Program. The SpotLight Musical Theatre Program honors high school musicals and students by recognizing their extraordinary achievements.
Individual acting awards went to the following Moorhead High students: Drew Lausch as Father, Andrew Carlson as Adam/Noah, and Nina Grollman as Eve/Mama Noah for Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role; Sam Wisenden as Cain/Japeth for Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role; Devon Manney as Abel/Ham, Sarah Rice as Yonah, Matt Fossum as Seth/Shem and Kathryn Eggert as Aysha/Seth’s Wife for Honorable Mention Performance in a Supporting Role.
Rebecca Meyer-Larson, Moorhead High School’s fall musical director, said, “To be honored with an outstanding performance, production, and orchestra award for the third consecutive year is a testament to the support of the Moorhead community. These young people have been nurtured in the arts by parents, teachers and neighbors who enthusiastically applaud their efforts and loudly proclaim that the arts matter.”
Moorhead High’s production of “Children of Eden” will be featured at the seventh annual SpotLight Showcase, scheduled this year at 7 p.m., Monday, June 11, 2012, at the Orpheum Theatre. This evening celebrates and honors high school musical theatre accomplishments by featuring student performances mixed with award presentations. Last year’s event sold out and featured nearly 1,000 Minnesota students performing on the Orpheum stage. Tickets will go on sale at a later date.
Hennepin Theatre Trust established the SpotLight Musical Theatre Program after recognizing that none existed in Minnesota to honor excellence in high school musical theatre.
SpotLight’s benefits include the opportunity to work with local and national theatre educators and musical theatre professionals who offer training, insight through critical feedback and on-site school workshops. A group of evaluators assess each production with constructive written commentary and nominate honorees. Categories include outstanding performance in leading, supporting and featured roles, outstanding performance by a chorus, dance ensemble and student orchestra, outstanding overall performance of a musical and outstanding overall production of a musical. Shows are not compared or ranked against each other, so categories may have multiple honorees. Schools annually apply to participate and pay a nominal administration fee. SpotLight advocates for the importance of high school musical theatre education to support the statewide community of theatre artists, teachers and families who participate in this art form.
Moorhead High School presents the musical “Children of Eden” in November
Tuesday, October 25th, 2011Moorhead High School’s theatre department invites you to be ignited by “the spark of creation” as it presents “Children of Eden” Nov. 11-13, 18-20 and 25-26.
From Stephen Schwartz (“Wicked”) and John Caird (“Lés Miserables”) comes a joyous and inspirational musical, based on the story of Genesis. “Children of Eden” is a frank, heartfelt and often humorous examination of the age-old conflict between parents and children.
With incredible animation, projection, masks, puppetry, and movement and an energetic score filled with gospel, rock, folk and powerful choral moments, “Children of Eden” delivers a bittersweet message — that the hardest part of love is letting go.
Performances are at 7 p.m. Nov. 11-12, 18-19 and 25-26 with Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. Nov. 13 and 20 in the Moorhead High School auditorium, 2300 4th Ave. S. Tickets go on sale Oct. 31. Tickets are $6 for students and $10 for adults and can be purchased at the Moorhead High School Activities Office or by calling 218-284-2345.
Sixth-graders learn music, culture during Russian residency
Monday, October 17th, 2011During a residency at Horizon Middle School, sixth-grade students experienced Russian music and 
culture presented by Sergei Shapoval, an internationally known artist in Russian culture who is a featured artist of the organization Cultural Kaleidoscope in Kansas City, Mo. The sixth-graders and their teachers learned to play the spoons and heard about Russian culture and history, including various hats worn by members of the Russian military.
The residency followed performances on Oct. 11-12 for all Moorhead, Fargo and West Fargo sixth-graders as part of the Learning Bank fine arts series.
Moorhead High theater collaborating with In the Heart of the Beast Theater on puppet theater classes for grades 3-6 Oct. 19 and 20
Friday, October 14th, 2011The Minneapolis-based In the Heart of the Beast Theater (www.hobt.org) and the cast of Moorhead High’s fall musical “Children of Eden” are collaborating to offer puppet theater classes Oct. 19 and 20 from 1-5 p.m. at Bluestem Center for the Arts in Moorhead.
Students will create lively masks, large-scale puppets, and learn the art of movement and performance for puppet and mask theater. Music, singing and dancing will all be integrated into a lively presentation each day for parents.
Youth workshops are open to grades 3-6, and no prior art-making or theater experience is required. Students can participate in one or both days of class. For more information visit http://bluestemcfa.org/bluestem-hosts-in-the-heart-of-the-beast-theater-residency-and-performance.
In the Heart of the Beast Theater will also help create the puppets and masks that will be used in November’s performances of “Children of Eden” at Moorhead High School.
“This is an exceptional opportunity for the theater artists at Moorhead High,” said director Rebecca Meyer-Larson.
Moorhead High band marching at State Fair
Monday, August 22nd, 2011The Moorhead High School Marching Band will be marching at the Minnesota State Fair at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27. Eighty-one Moorhead High School band students will be participating in the parade.
Bands that participate have the option of marching in the competitive category or in the exhibition category. Moorhead High will be participating in the exhibition category.
“The students have been working very hard during their summer break to represent Moorhead High well in front of the state of Minnesota,” said Pam Redlinger, band director. “This experience also gives Moorhead band students a chance to observe the discipline and musical power that the bands in the competitive category will likely display.”
Musical Theater Camp presents “Fiddler on the Roof Jr.” on June 28-29
Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011Musical Theater Camp presents “Fiddler on the Roof Jr.” Performances are at 7 p.m. June 28 and 2 p.m. 
and 7 p.m. June 29 in the Moorhead High School auditorium, 2300 4th Ave. S., Moorhead.
Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students and may be purchased at the door. All seats are general admission. For group reservation discount prices call 701-799-1266.
Musical Theater Camp, a collaborative project of Moorhead Community Education and Horizon Middle School Theater, is designed to provide a comprehensive musical theater experience for fifth to eighth graders in the Fargo-Moorhead area. During the four-week experience, the students study acting, dance and voice in preparation for performing “Fiddler on the Roof Jr.”
Robert Asp students and staff create human mosaic of a Viking ship
Wednesday, June 1st, 2011An integrated project that connects the use of a GPS with physical 
education, mathematics, art and geography culminated June 1 at Robert Asp Elementary. Approximately 700 students and staff at Robert Asp formed the world’s largest human mosaic of a Viking ship.
The collaborative project began with physical education teacher Bert Chamberlain teaching the fourth-grade students how to use GPS units. The fourth-graders also did an art project involving geometry inspired by the work of Spanish artist Joan Miro. The students went outside and found geocache marks and drew a large abstract line artwork on their GPS. This was downloaded into the computer and turned into another work of art using the program Kid Pix.
Then the students watched a movie about the school’s namesake Robert Asp, his building of the Hjemkomst ship, which is now on display at the Hjemkomst Center, and the journey the ship took. They drew a picture of the ship and created a painting of it, said art teacher Kathy Larson-Carlson.
In May, they began working on a metal relief and learned how the Vikings used metal. They also learned about the giant glyphs found all over the world, particularly in northern Europe and South America.
The students used the GPS units to trace a giant ship outside and figure out the distances for the parts of the ship. Robert Asp students formed the ship’s shape with kindergarten students as clouds and staff in the mast. They used jeans for water and sheets for the sail. The jeans were donated to local thrift store after the mosaic was finished. A plane flew over to take a picture of the human mosaic.
The students raised money for this by selling products with their artwork on it. Next year, some of the earnings will be used to create a 24-foot mosaic of the ship for the school’s main hallway.
Community Education offers several summer art and theater camps for youth
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011Moorhead Community Education is offering several art and theater opportunities for youth this summer. Art and theater camps include the Musical Theater Camp in June, four different theater improv camps in June and July, and Painting with Kate in August.
Call Moorhead Community Education at 218-284-3400 for more information or to register with a credit card or register online at https://communityed.moorhead.k12.mn.us by clicking on the catalog icon, choosing the Youth Classes category, and selecting the session.
Musical Theater Camp Fiddler on the Roof Jr.
Students completing grades 5-8 are welcome to participate in this adventure in musical theater as they produce Fiddler on the Roof Jr. Students will study acting, dance, voice and more, as well as help craft scenery, costumes and props to be used in their musical. Everyone will be cast as a singer, dancer and/or actor. A parent/student informational meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 6 at Moorhead High School. The camp is from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. June 7-29 with performances June 28 and 29. Cost is $275.
Painting with Kate
Children in grades K-5 may join this fun-filled adventure into the world of art and painting. They’ll start working with colors, tints and shades and discover how they work together. These new skills will be used for different creative methods and projects. Students will finish by creating their very own masterpieces. All supplies and a snack and beverage are included in the class fee. Children should wear or bring an old shirt.
Two sessions of Painting with Kate will be offered at Probstfield Center for Education. One will be from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 16-18. The other session will be from 1-4 p.m. Aug. 16-18. Cost is $53 ($49 for Moorhead School District residents).
Theater Improv Camps
The four theater improv camps will be held in the Black Box Theater at Moorhead High School. The camps include:
It’s a Mystery to Me (Students entering Grades 4-6)
Students will work together to write, rehearse, direct and perform their own original tales of mystery and suspense. Students will tap into their creativity and learn playwriting, diction, improvisation, character creation and basic acting techniques. Students will perform their production the last day of the workshop. Class will be taught by local actors and writers.
YSC34A – Monday-Thursday, 6/13-6/16, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., $79
Improv Workshop with the Linebenders (Students entering Grades 4-8)
Improvisation is a great tool to help students develop creativity and thinking skills. This camp, led by a local group of professionals, will provide students with instruction and opportunities to practice a learning strategy they can use in all areas of their education.
YSC36A – Monday-Thursday, 6/20-6/23, 9 a.m.-noon, $39
Make your own Music Video (Students entering Grades 4-6)
Inspired by Fox TV’s”Glee,” students will create their own music video. Students will select a Broadway or pop song then work in groups to design and direct a music video. Students will edit their video using basic computer software. The workshop will conclude with a screening of the videos. No singing required!
YSC35A – Monday-Thursday, 6/27-6/30, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., $79
Filmmaking with the Linebenders (Students entering Grades 5-9)
Even Steven Spielberg had to start somewhere. Here’s where you can begin learning about the craft of filmmaking while developing skills in writing, acting, problem solving and cooperative learning.
YSC37A – Monday-Thursday, 7/18-21 and 7/25-28, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., $159
Moorhead High spring play “Cinderstein” offers comic relief
Thursday, April 21st, 2011This spring, Moorhead High School theater offers comic relief with the zany, funny show 
“Cinderstein,†which combines the storylines of “Cinderella†and “Frankenstein.†More than 40 Moorhead High students are part of the cast and crew. Performances are 7:30 p.m. April 28, 29 and 30 and 2 p.m. May 1. A sign language interpreter will be present at the April 28 show.
“Cinderstein†is a play within a play where the actors are high school students putting on a performance. The high school drama teacher wrote her own version of Cinderella by combining the princess’s tale with the story of Frankenstein, but the production is bombing.
According to Moorhead High director Dawn Gunderson, the show includes a fairy “goshmother†not godmother, five stepsisters not just two, a boy who has to dress up like a girl, a queen who never gets her lines quite right, and a tech guy who shows up in scenes when he should be running sound.
After being forced to play a girl, one of the boys worries that if his father, a sports fanatic, sees him his acting career will be over. Despite the director’s explicit instructions that the Prince’s Ball scene must be slow and elegant, the cast speeds it up so the boy won’t be seen, but the actress playing the queen is incapable of improvisation and can’t keep up. When Frankenstein replaces Cinderella’s brain with a cat’s brain instead, this wacky production changes beyond even the director’s recognition.
Tickets for the performances are on sale now. Tickets are $6 for students and $8 for adults. You can purchase them through the box office at 218-284-2345, in the activities office or at the door.
