It was as soon as music began pouring out of every corner of the school when we realized that Arts Week had settled in; jazz band and chorale played in the hallways for the enjoyment of any students passing by. The end of the celebratory week was marked by an assembly in the auditorium, where the student body watched a presentation on the visual arts. It began with a short introduction from Olivia Berenson, where she addressed everyone on what they would be viewing. The first artwork to be shown was from classes such as Ceramics & Sculpture, Drawing and Painting 1 & 2, Filmmaking & Animation, Photography and AP Art. Artwork from many students who are enrolled in these classes were featured in the presentation. This part of the assembly lasted about 15 minutes until we were able to move on to Music Technology. In this segment, four students presented the work they’ve been doing in this course. Luc Giner presented his acapella version of Africa by Todo; which everyone then sang along to. Another student who featured his work in the assembly was Jack McMahon. He showed everyone the work he entered into the NYSSMA All-State Winter Conference, which was featured in the Electronic Music Composition Showcase. The presentation ended with Mr. Morse and the John Jay Chorale performing some of the pieces they’ve been working on since the start of the school year.

On Friday, Arts Week came to a close. Students headed to the auditorium once again to listen and view the works of our peers. The presentation continued from the previous day with another look into the visual arts. Almost all of the classes that showed work the day before, had even more artwork to showcase. After the beautiful presentation from one section of the arts department, students were intrigued to see what would follow. Everyone was delighted to hear pieces played by both the Symphonic Orchestra and the Wind Ensemble. Each group of musicians were able to play for the school; it gave many students the opportunity to experience wonderful performances from school-run ensembles, who they’d never gotten to see on stage. Sadly, as 4th period ended, so did the performances. The auditorium soon became empty as students flooded out, walking to their next classes.

Many students are participants in at least one of the arts programs offered at JJHS. When entering the D wing of the school, you will be met with a group of enthusiastic musicians and vocalists. When heading to the H building, inspiring works of art hang on the wall and in display cases. High participation in JJ’s impressive arts programs has led to this department having a strong presence on campus. Band, orchestra, and chorale give students a chance to showcase their talents to the rest of the community. Arts Week is a time where the rest of the student body gets to see how unique our fellow students are and appreciate the work they do.

Arts Week was an out-of-the-ordinary, yet exciting time at JJ. It inspired students to seek out their own artistic potential, highlighting the strengths and hard work done by our stellar department. Most of all, it was a celebration of the arts as a whole and a time to realize how talented our peers are.