The Hive was abuzz with the sounds of the crowd as they entered SAR High School eagerly anticipating the annual Night of the Arts last week. The program is the culminating event of the arts year and showcases a collection of fine and performing arts that highlights the artistry and creativity of the SAR student body.
“It was a wall-to-wall celebration of creativity and ingenuity,” said David Friedman, Art Department chair.
The evening began with a live mural challenge that had students painting a mural from start to finish in real time throughout the night. There were multi-colored chalk drawings, paintings were on display, many featuring flower themes, and a dedicated Taylor Swift wall, due to the popularity of the artist among the students. Many elements from the portfolios of students from all grades were showcased.
After the exhibit portion of the program, students escorted guests into the auditorium where they were treated to some of the most moving musical performances. Students, parents and faculty were awed by the brand new SAR String Ensemble under the direction of Carey White. The group was composed of violinists and cellists and performed music of the Baroque and Paul McCartney. Four student pianists performed classical works by Debussy, Shostakovich and Einaudi.
“Performing at Night of the Arts was a really special experience” said junior Noah Marks. “Being able to creatively showcase my talents beside my friends was something that I feel is truly unique to SAR, and I’ll definitely participate again next year.”
The SAR High School Choir unveiled its new name, Kol Kaveret which means Voice of the Hive, and performed two new pieces. An instrumental “petting zoo” provided a space for students to try out percussion instruments as well as ukuleles and learn a few beats and chords. One of the highlights of the show was a student-performed self-choreographed dance by Gabriella Friedman, that really tugged at the heartstrings of the spectators in the room.
“Being able to communicate with the audience through a medium that I’m so passionate about was an incredible experience,” said Gabriella. “The audience was receptive and encouraging, and I’m thankful to SAR and the entire community for giving me this opportunity. The process was difficult because there was a lot I set out to achieve, but with guidance and lots of help from the faculty, we created a piece with multi-layered meaning.”
“The performances were varied featuring a range of different types of music and art forms and were all excellently performed,” said Rabbi Kenny Birnbaum, Performing Arts Department chair. “We’re so proud of the creativity and technical skill of our artists and musicians who shared their talents with our community and have grown so much over the past year.”
“One of the big thrusts of the art department in the age of AI is investing in creative thinking and inventiveness,” said David Friedman. “One of the installations had a camera which could detect where your hands are in front of the screen. The beautifully designed graphics featured a bee and stars that flocked together and aligned with the motion of the hands. A robot was programmed to replicate the gesture of a human arm, holding a paint brush to paint the word robot on a canvas. Another student, who was inspired by a visit to school by artist Mimi Park, stretched reflective mylar over a cylinder so that sounds reverberated across the top, making the grains of salt placed there move in mesmerizing patterns. All of these projects, created under the tutelage of Jon Martin and Felix Caso, were in line with modern day advancements in contemporary art.
“Night of the Arts was unbelievable,” said Dr. Tammy Jacobowitz, Tanakh Department chair. “There were so many moments that took my breath away. Our students’ talent and confidence is truly inspiring.”
