Arts

The Arts curriculum at The Out-of-Door Academy incorporates drama, music and the visual arts. The cumulative design of each program ensures that students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade develop a deep understanding of the arts and their importance. Students are inspired and challenged to develop at their own pace in multi-level classrooms. Experienced students partner with beginners in order to create an atmosphere of cooperative learning. Scaffolding techniques are built into the curricula as beginners are stimulated by students who are achieving beyond the norm. Art, drama and music pieces and projects are chosen for their expressive and technical qualities, as well as for their relationship to the academic curriculum. Multicultural understanding is developed through the music drama and art of other cultures.

Real life experiences are created by linking arts projects to academic studies and by participation in community and school functions. Professional stage and art show experiences reinforce and stimulate new meaning. Together through music, drama and art, students explore and reinforce knowledge with the goal of creating the tools needed to make long lasting contributions to society. It is the goal of the arts department that each student develops the necessary abilities to enjoy and understand the arts as life long activities, and to have the technical capacity to pursue an arts specialty as a career if elected.

The music curriculum is sequential in design. While in the early grades, students prepare for a future in music as they develop a sound sense of pitch and rhythm. They learn to play the recorder while in the 3rd grade, which helps them select a band or orchestra instrument. When they reach fourth grade, students may choose to specialize in chorus, orchestra or band. Arts projects are chosen for their expressive and technical challenges as well as their relationship to the academic curriculum and real life experiences. Our students perform through out the community at formal and informal events. They are in high demand and their concert season is often planned a year in advance.

Dr. Linda Vasilaki is the lower school music and performing arts department chair. Her specialties are strings and general music. She has been teaching music education for over 30 years and has been on the faculty at The Out-of-Door Academy since 1984. She previously taught at the Interlochen National Music Camp and New England Music Camp and currently plays viola in the Sarasota Orchestra. Her three children attended The Out-of-Door Academy. Mr. Patrick Miller joined our music faculty in 2005-2006. He directs the upper school jazz band, the lower school band and the ODA music theater production every year. He plays trumpet professionally. His two daughters attend Out-of-Door. Dr. Lisa Rosser teaches chorus and middle school band at the Uihlein campus. She joined the faculty in 2004-2005. Her daughter attends the upper school. She specializes in music theory and plays flute and piano professionally. Ms. Nicole Porrello joined the faculty in 2008-2009 as the middle/upper school strings instructor. Her major instrument is piano. Ms. Betty Silberman joined our faculty in 2006-2007 as the chorus director for grades 4, 5 and 6 and teaches piano in her private studio. Mr. Mark Lubas joined our faculty in 2007-2008 as the drama director. He comes to us from a professional career in opera.

A constructivist philosophy of learning as well as the belief of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki that "all children have ability and the potential to develop it to a high degree depending upon outside stimulation" brings strong influence to the music curriculum at The Out-of-Door Academy. The instructors complement each other well as they share generously and creatively their specialties and diverse talents with the students.

New in 2009:

In August 2009, The Out-of-Door Academy opened the doors to its new Visual & Performing Arts Center on the Uihlein Campus at Lakewood Ranch. The centerpiece of the school's $15 million Capital Campaign, Preserving Out Past, Expanding Our Future, the Arts Center offers many new learning environments, including a black box theatre, the first of its kind in East County. Other building highlights include sustainable "green" architecture, a landmark illuminated tower, choral and instrumental rooms, state-of-the-art acoustics, three music practice rooms, art and ceramics studios, and a sound/lighting booth.