As a fast-moving downpour cleared away on Thursday, April 18, the parents, students and faculty at East Woods breathed a sigh of relief. It was the first-ever “Evening of the Arts” at East Woods School, and everyone was hoping the night would go off without a hitch.
Students and their families arrived on campus by 7 p.m. and were guided to the Upper School Academic building. Showcasing and celebrating the arts program at East Woods, those in attendance were treated to a feast for the eyes and ears.
Positioned between the portraits painted by the pre-kindergarten students and birdhouses decorated by pre-nursery were Carter Prince (seventh grade) playing the violin while his sister and EWS graduate Madalyn sang along. Walking from the Upper School to the Lower School along the path marked by beautiful votive candles, wood-work projects from third, fourth and fifth grade were hung from the just-budding trees. Upon entering the Lower School, guests were treated to a live recorder concert by the third grade.
Turn the corner, and there were displays of still life pastel drawings by the fourth grade, pieces of hand-made jewelry by Upper School students, and tribal masks re-imagined and created by seventh-graders. The new Performing Arts Studio hosted a song and dance performance by several Upper School students, while across the hall were the three-dimensional clay and glazed dinosaurs in their prehistoric habitats from second grade.
The grand finale of the evening was kicked off by the school band and two songs from their repertoire. This was followed by a heart-warming rendition of “Cover the World” by the kindergarten through fourth-graders who signed the words as they sang them. The school’s “La Petite Chorale” then took to the risers with two beautiful pieces, one of which was conducted by Timothy Ren, a seventh-grader at East Woods. Following a brief re-cap of one of the greatest numbers from the Upper School musical Aladdin, the fourth-graders stole the show with their song-and-dance to “On Broadway” as played by the Upper School band.
The evening would not have been the tremendous success it was without the hard work, vision and dedication of Orlando Pena (Artistic Director of Ovations at East Woods), Marie Ucci (EWS art teacher), Tom Knight (EWS Industrial Arts teacher), Brian Genua (EWS band director) and Jane Keidel (EWS music teacher). And of course, none of this would have been possible without the amazingly talented East Woods students and their up-for-anything enthusiasm.
