The Meadows School arts program is an integral part of the PK-12 academic curriculum. Students learn how to perform in front of an audience at the earliest grade level. At The Meadows School, participation in the arts allows students to develop their creativity and a sense of individuality which in turn enriches the School culture.
The Peccole Center for the Arts faculty are working professionals in their respective disciplines. They perform in orchestral groups and ensembles, appear in shows on the Las Vegas Strip as musicians, perform in theatre with university, local, and community college production companies, produce and show art, and have published photography.
The Visual Arts instruction at The Meadows provides a supportive and structured environment in which students are given solid training at every step of their creative journey. Beginning and Lower School students are introduced to a variety of media and tools through projects that are both playful and thought-provoking. Middle and Upper School students hone skills in observation and execution as they cultivate individual expression and analytical understanding.
Meadows students study technique in various forms of expression through both group and individual instruction. The studio art track exposes students to drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpting in an intimate learning environment. Photography students gain skills with both digital and film cameras, as well as photo composition, Photoshop manipulation, and publication design. Advanced artists may pursue their talents and interests in depth and prepare portfolios for advanced college placement.
The Meadows aims to give each student the confidence to use visual expression and design to enjoy participating in the creative process. The work of art students is celebrated through displays around the School, in the school calendar, and at comprehensive art exhibitions. Juried and non-juried art shows are mounted throughout the year, showcasing student work. In addition, young artists can participate in National Art Honor Society, a club that incorporates service with artistic endeavors.
Starting at the youngest level, students are introduced to singing, orchestral instruments, dance, and creative movement to music. As students progress to the Lower School, speech, song, instrumental play, and movement are integrated through the curriculum. The School's nationally recognized music program is based on the Orff-Schulwerk approach.
Personalized instruction, competitions, and performance opportunities help develop and foster an appreciation of music in the Middle and Upper Schools. Students can explore choral and instrumental music in the classroom or expand their passions playing with various bands and ensembles for extra-curricular enrichment.
Middle and Upper School Show Choirs combine upbeat choral music with dance to give students an opportunity to gain confidence, improve vocal ability, and conquer Broadway-style movement. The dance program allows Upper School students the space to learn composition and choreography in the solo, small group, and large group settings.
Theater at The Meadows starts with an academic lens, giving students classroom instruction for both performance and technical theater. Actors take classes in multivariable disciplines, studying a curriculum ranging from classic Shakespeare to modern musical comedy. Students who prefer to be behind the scenes learn all aspects of technical theater from working professionals in the field.
Theater succeeds only when every participant supports the larger effort. The Meadows Middle and Upper Schools produce plays and musicals throughout the year with student actors, directors, and technical designers and crews all involved along the way. Guided by theater professionals, students mount full productions playing to sold out crowds in the Black Box Theater, the Carrousel Theater, and the 333-seat Simon Ham-Peto Auditorium. Click Here to purchase tickets online to all of our theatrical shows.
The Media Arts department integrates the written word and the power of the media. Middle and Upper School students learn camera work, editing, script writing, and on-screen poise from former broadcasting professionals in a studio furnished with state-of-the-art equipment.
Both Middle and Upper School Broadcasting students gain hands-on experience by taking their classroom knowledge around campus and capturing moments of student life in action. Students film news broadcasts, marketing videos, and campus tours.