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Tuning Up: A bravura performance by Charleston youth musicians

Good morning! 

"Tuning Up" is a morning post series where The Hub delivers curated, quick-hit arts stories of interest to readers. Sometimes there will be one story, sometimes there will be several. Get in tune now, and have a masterpiece of a day. And now, in no particular order...

Start your day off inspired.

March 3 in the Sottile Theatre, the award-winning Charleston County School of the Arts Sinfonietta performed with virtuoso violinist Francisco Fullana in a program of music by Holst, Shostakovich, Montgomery, and Fritz Kreisler. The performance culminated Fullana's week-long residency with the SOA Sinfonietta, a part of Chamber Music Charleston’s Youth Chamber Music Initiative. Oh, and it was funded in part by a South Carolina Arts Commission Term Arts Education Project grant. That grant category is currently open, closing March 28, to fund like projects. (Hint, hint.) Here's a sample of the finished product, because you simply must watch:
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Jason Rapp

Poetry Out Loud gets new state champ

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The state finals for Poetry Out Loud, a national poetry recitation and performance competition, yielded a new state champion from Spartanburg who will represent South Carolina in the national competition.

[caption id="attachment_52763" align="alignright" width="200"] Catherine Wooten. Provided photo.[/caption] Catherine Wooten, a junior who attends Westgate Christian School in Spartanburg, returned to the state finals and earned first prize over five other finalists in the first in-person competition since 2019. As state winner, Wooten will receive a $200 prize and get to represent South Carolina in the national finals competition among a total of 55 state and jurisdictional finalists for the chance to win the $20,000 first prize. The 2023 national finals will also be held from May 8-10 in Washington and will stream on arts.gov, the website of the National Endowment for the Arts. The South Carolina Arts Commission coordinates Poetry Out Loud in South Carolina, partnering with the NEA and the Poetry Foundation to bring the competition to South Carolina 9-12 graders. The finalists recited a poem each in rounds one and two before the top three scorers proceeded to the final round: Wooten, the two-time defending state champion Emily Allison of Greenville’s Fine Arts Center, and Jessie Leitzel who attends Charleston County School of the Arts. Wooten recited “Time Does not Bring Relief: You All Have Lied” by Edna St. Vincent Millay in the final round, edging Leitzel, who was named first runner-up. Leitzel recited and “If They Should Come for Us” by Fatimah Asghar. Jennifer Bartell Boykin, poet laureate for the city of Columbia; Eric Bultman, actor and theatre instructor; Ed Madden, poet and University of South Carolina English professor; and Dr. Michele Reese, professor at USC Sumter, served as judges. Serving as host was Ray McManus, English professor at USC Sumter and soon-to-be recipient of the South Carolina Governor’s Award for the Arts in the artist category. Thomas Maluck, Richland Library teen services librarian, was the prompter. From the SCAC, Kevin Flarisee of Columbia was accuracy judge, Daphne Hudson of Aiken was the tabulator, and Bonita Peeples of Columbia is Poetry Out Loud program coordinator. CORRECTION A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the dates of the national Poetry Out Loud finals in Washington. The dates have been corrected in the story.-Ed.
About Poetry Out Loud A partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry Foundation, and the state and jurisdictional arts agencies, Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country. Learn more at PoetryOutLoud.org.
About the South Carolina Arts Commission The mission of the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) is to promote equitable access to the arts and support the cultivation of creativity in South Carolina. We envision a South Carolina where the arts are valued and all people benefit from a variety of creative experiences. A state agency created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the SCAC works to increase public participation in the arts by providing grants, direct programs, staff assistance and partnerships in four areas: arts learning, community and traditional arts, artist development, and arts industry. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the SCAC is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts, and other sources. Visit SouthCarolinaArts.com or call 803.734.8696, and follow @scartscomm on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for #Arts4SC and #SCartists content.
South Carolina Arts Commission News Release, Media Contact: Jason L. Rapp, Communications Director. jrapp@arts.sc.gov or 803.734.8899

Jason Rapp

S.C. high schoolers reach state Poetry Out Loud finals

State finals scheduled for March 4 in Columbia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Six South Carolina high school students earned the right to compete in March to see who’s best at the recitation and performance of poetry, then represent the state in a national competition.

The South Carolina Arts Commission coordinates Poetry Out Loud in South Carolina, partnering with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation to bring the competition to the state’s high school students. The program seeks to foster the next generation of literary readers by capitalizing on the latest trends in poetry—recitation and performance. Program Coordinator Bonita Peeples introduced a new structure to the 2022/2023 competition that blended the traditional, in-person approach with the more recent virtual competitions caused by the pandemic. Schools who registered held in-person competitions locally while individual students who registered performed virtually in front of judges who named finalists. [caption id="attachment_49532" align="alignright" width="199"] Emily Allison. Provided photo.[/caption] The finalists this year come from Charleston, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, and Spartanburg:
  • Emily Allison, junior, Fine Arts Center (Greenville), the 2021 and 2022 state champion
  • Meenakshi Balachandran, senior, Calvary Christian School (Myrtle Beach)
  • Eve Decker, freshman, Spartanburg Day School (Spartanburg)
  • Jessie Johnson, junior, Charleston County School of the Arts (Charleston)
  • Ella McCall, sophomore, Ashley Hall (Charleston)
  • Catherine Wooten, junior, Westgate Christian School (Spartanburg)
Judging the individual student competition were Paul Kaufmann, an actor an South Carolina Arts Commission Fellow in acting who was accuracy judge; Kimberly Simms Gibbs, poet and founder of Carolina Poets and Wits’ End Poetry in Greenville; and Al Black, a poet who is also host of numerous workshops and arts events in the Midlands. Thomas Maluck, Richland Library teen services librarian, was the prompter. The next step for the six finalists is the state finals competition on Saturday, March 4, 2023 at 3 p.m. The finals return to an in-person format for the first time since 2019 and will be held at the Richland Library Main Branch (1431 Assembly St., Columbia). The state finals champion will receive a $200 prize and get to represent South Carolina in the national finals competition in Washington May 5-8, 2023 for the chance to win a $20,000 first prize. Find out more about the national competition here.

About the South Carolina Arts Commission

The mission of the South Carolina Arts Commission is to promote equitable access to the arts and support the cultivation of creativity in South Carolina. We envision a South Carolina where the arts are valued and all people benefit from a variety of creative experiences. A state agency created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the SCAC works to increase public participation in the arts by providing grants, direct programs, staff assistance and partnerships in artist development, arts industry, arts learning, creative placemaking, and folklife and traditional arts. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the SCAC is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts, and other sources. Visit SouthCarolinaArts.com or call 803.734.8696, and follow @scartscomm on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for #Arts4SC and #SCartists content.
South Carolina Arts Commission News Release, Media Contact: Jason L. Rapp, Communications Director. jrapp@arts.sc.gov or 803.734.8899

Jason Rapp

Eight competitors reach S.C. Poetry Out Loud finals

State finals to be held virtually March 5

for immediate release

COLUMBIA, S.C. – From among statewide submissions, judges selected eight finalists who now have a chance to represent South Carolina this spring in the national finals of Poetry Out Loud—an annual, nationwide recitation contest.

The South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) coordinates Poetry Out Loud South Carolina (POLSC), partnering with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation to bring the competition to the state’s high schools. The program seeks to foster the next generation of literary readers by capitalizing on the latest trends in poetry—recitation and performance. POLSC Coordinator Bonita Peeples once again arranged a 2021/2022 competition with a virtual structure. The first step, now complete, was inviting students in grades 9-12 to submit videos to twin regional competitions, each with its own set of different judges. Both regionals yielded four finalists to compete in the competition’s next step: virtual state finals on Saturday, March 5, 2022. The eight finalists come from four schools in Charleston, Greenville, and Spartanburg. Students from Region 1, roughly the lower half of the state, all come from Charleston County School of the Arts. They are:
  • Tea Allen
  • Kenneth Carrington
  • Natalie Holland
  • Adam Maierle
Finalists from Region 2, which is roughly the upper half of the state, represent three schools. The students are:
  • Emily Allison, 2021 state champion (Fine Arts Center of Greenville)
  • Harper Scott (Fine Arts Center of Greenville)
  • Catherine Wooten (Westgate Christian School of Spartanburg)
  • Caleb Xiao, 2021 first runner-up (Spartanburg Day School in Boiling Springs)
Adjudicating the virtual finals will be veteran Poetry Out Loud judges Al Black, Dr. Ray McManus, Michelle Reese, and Kimberly J. Simms. Each is an accomplished poet residing in South Carolina dedicated to training the next generation of poets. Each finalist will meet virtually to record three one-take recitations with Peeples and a prompter. The judges will review the recitations and determine a state champion and first runner-up. The state finals champion will receive a $200 prize and get to represent South Carolina in the national finals competition for the chance to win a $20,000 first prize. Cancelled in 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the national finals returned virtually in 2021 and will be virtual again in 2022. Find out more about the national competition here.
About the South Carolina Arts Commission The mission of the South Carolina Arts Commission (SCAC) is to promote equitable access to the arts and support the cultivation of creativity in South Carolina. We envision a South Carolina where the arts are valued and all people benefit from a variety of creative experiences. A state agency created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the SCAC works to increase public participation in the arts by providing grants, direct programs, staff assistance and partnerships in four areas: arts learning, community and traditional arts, artist development, and arts industry. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the SCAC is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts, and other sources. Visit SouthCarolinaArts.com or call 803.734.8696, and follow @scartscomm on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for #Arts4SC and #SCartists content.
South Carolina Arts Commission News Release. Media Contact: Jason L. Rapp, Communications Director. jrapp@arts.sc.gov or 803.734.8899.

Jason Rapp

SCAC grant makes chamber orchestra performance possible

On Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022 the Charleston County School of the Arts Sinfonietta will perform with virtuoso violinist Francisco Fullana at the College of Charleston Sottile Theatre.

The performance is the culmination of a three-day residency between Fullana and the SOA Sinfonietta, a part of Chamber Music Charleston’s Youth Chamber Music Initiative. A South Carolina Arts Commission Arts Education Project Grant helped make this performance possible. Fullana will lead the ensemble in a performances of the Elgar Serenade for String Orchestra the J.S. Bach Violin Concerto in D minor. Fullana will also perform alongside soloists from the SOA Sinfonietta: Elaina Gable (violin), Yosef Chang (viola) and Devon O’Brien (bass) for Mozart’s Serenade in D Major, “Serenata notturna.” In addition to the SOA residency, Chamber Music Charleston’s Youth Chamber Music Initiative includes:
  • Classical Kids Concerts in elementary schools,
  • masterclasses with visiting guest artists,
  • and the CMC TWO High School string chamber music program.
The residency between violinist Francisco Fullana and the Charleston County School of the Arts was inspired by Fullana’s work with youth orchestras and music schools throughout the world. “Each year we attract world-renowned guest artists to perform alongside our professional musicians of Chamber Music Charleston for our Ovation Concerts, and we are excited to expand this opportunity for guest artist to work with the accomplished string students at SOA,”  President and Artistic Director of Chamber Music Charleston Sandra Nikolajevs said. “Providing the students with the change to not only hear an artist of the caliber of Francisco Fullana, but to work with him closely in exploring the music of Mozart, Bach and Elgar over the course of three days, will create an incredible experience for the students and audience alike.”
Spanish-born violinist Francisco Fullana, winner of the 2018 Avery Fisher Career Grant, is making a name for himself as both a performer and a leader of innovative educational institutions. As a soloist, he has performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the Bayerische Philharmonie led by the late Sir Colin Davis, the Sibelius Concerto with the Münchner Rundfunkorchester, and the Brahms Violin Concerto with Venezuela’s Teresa Carreño Orchestra under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel. In March he will perform as soloist for Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in New York City’s Carnegie Hall with the Grammy-Award winning ensemble Apollo’s Fire. “Through my formative years at Juilliard and beyond, I realized that experiences centered on active learning and collaborations with world class musicians exponentially accelerated my learning process and were life-changing,” he said. “By working with students as equal collaborators, one can lead the creative process through a collective effort that has transformative long-term effects in students’ artistic development.”
The Charleston County School of the Arts is a public middle and high school that offers students rich and intensive instruction in eight art majors in middle school and nine art majors in high school. Students may apply and audition for two areas, and once accepted into a major, spend one-fourth of their day with dynamic teachers in that art area. Art majors include instrumental band, creative writing, dance, piano, string orchestra, theater, visual art and vocal music. SOA’s students excel at the local, state and national level, earning awards, scholarships, and the respect of audience members, peers, and patrons of the arts. Students also participate in an appropriately challenging academic curriculum that includes college preparatory, honors, and Advanced Placement courses. Clubs, community service, and unique school events tailored to meet the interests of young artists, provide additional opportunities for expression and involvement. We want our students to maximize their potential and then find out how their art can impact the world around them. This program is funded in part by the South Carolina Arts Commission which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

About the performances

Thursday, February 10, 2022 at 7 p.m.  College of Charleston Sottile Theatre, 44 George St. Tickets: Free with advance reservation required.

Jason Rapp

Six SC students participating in National YoungArts Week in Miami

This week 166 of the nation's most promising young artists in the literary, visual, design and performing arts will converge in Miami, Fla., for the 36th Annual National YoungArts Week. These students were chosen as finalists in the YoungArts Competition held in the fall. South Carolina had six finalists from four high schools. Julia Dotson, from the Charleston County School of the Arts, is a finalist in the Design Arts category. Amber Magnuson, from the Fine Arts Center in Greenville, is a finalist in the Poetry category. Jessica McCallum, from D.W. Daniel High School, is a finalist in the Cinematic Arts category. Samuel Gee and Jamiya Leach are finalists in the Creative Non-Fiction category and are students at the S.C. Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities (SCGSAH), and Cam'Ron Stewart, also from the Governor's School, is a finalist in the Spoken Theater category. During National YoungArts Week, students take master classes and workshops from internationally recognized professionals and compete for higher honors, while enhancing their artistic development. In total, South Carolina had 13 winners, including the six finalists. While only the finalists participate in YoungArts Week, all competition winners become part of a professional network of over 20,000 alumni artists and are eligible to participate in YoungArts' regional programs as well as nominations as a U.S. Presidential Scholar of the Arts. Additional South Carolina winners are Governor's School students Joshua Simpson (Spoken Theater), James Stevens (Baritone), Helen Coats (Creative Non-Fiction), Alyssa Mazzoli (Short Story), and Aidan Forster (Short Story); Richland Two Charter High School student Kierra Gray (Singer/Songwriter); and Clover High School student Derrick Ostolaza (Cinematic Arts). "The YoungArts Competition is one of the most competitive opportunities in the nation for students exhibiting artistic excellence, with over 8,000 submissions from 42 states," said Dr. Cedric Adderley, SCGSAH president. "We're very proud that eight of the winners came from the Governor's School, as this is an esteemed accomplishment for our students, our schools and our state." Image: The Upstate's five YoungArts Competition finalists at the Atlanta airport on their way to Miami. Pictured left to right: Samuel Gee, Jessica  McCallum, Amber Magnusum, Jamiya Leach, and Cam'Ron Stewart. Via: Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities

Charleston student repeats as Poetry Out Loud champion

Nicole Sadek, a senior at Charleston County School of the Arts, has been crowned the 2016 South Carolina Poetry Out Loud state champion, recapturing the title she first won in 2014. Sadek now advances to the national finals May 2-4 in Washington, D.C., where she competes for a $20,000 scholarship. Sadek is the first student to win two state titles in the history of the South Carolina program. Sadek was one of nine regional finalists who competed at the Columbia Museum of Art during the state finals on March 12. Each recited two poems they had memorized and perfected during school-wide and regional competitions that took place throughout the state from October to January, when more than 4,000 students began the competition. Three students were named state finalists and recited a third poem to determine the winner. As the state champion, Sadek receives $200 and an all-expense paid trip to compete in the national finals. The Charleston County School of the Arts library also receives a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. Competition judges were Dr. Dianne "Dinah" Johnson, author and professor of English at the University of South Carolina; author and Poet Laureate for the city of Columbia Ed Madden, associate professor of English at USC; Darion McCloud, founder and creative director of the NiA Theatre Company and Story Squad; and Theresa (T.J.) Wallace, assistant director at South Carolina Humanities. The South Carolina Arts Commission works with several partners to produce Poetry Out Loud. Statewide partners are the Columbia Museum of Art and the "Speaking of Schools" radio program, hosted by Doug Keel and supported by the South Carolina Department of Education. Regional partners are Hub City Writers Project (Region 1); Bravo Blythewood Cultural Arts Council and the South Carolina Center for Oral Narrative at the University of South Carolina Sumter (Region 2); and the College of Charleston School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Lowcountry Initiative for the Literary Arts and the South Carolina Poetry Society (Region 3). Poetry Out Loud, a program created in 2005 by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, encourages the nation's youth to learn about great poetry through exploration, memorization and recitation. Students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage while gaining an appreciation of poetry. Last year more than 365,000 students nationwide competed.

S.C. Governor’s School for the Arts student awarded national writing prize

Lowcountry student artists, writers claim 24 Scholastic awards From the Charleston Post and Courier Article by Adam Parker
The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards is a 92-year-old institution that recognizes talented young artists and writers. One of the top winners this year was Charleston native Grant McClure. In 2014, the competition received around 300,000 entries from students, including hundreds from South Carolina teens. About 1,900 across the U.S. were selected as national-level winners, according to Scholastic’s Brittany Sullivan. And 16 high school seniors were awarded the Portfolio Gold Medal (eight for writing, eight for visual art), which is accompanied by a $10,000 cash scholarship. Grant McClureMcClure, a senior at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts in Greenville, was one of the 16. He won in the writing category. He hopes to spend his $10,000 at Wofford College, a private school in Spartanburg with a reputable creative writing program. Or maybe he’ll attend Clemson, he said. He will likely major in environmental studies and minor in writing. McClure attended Charleston Charter School for Math and Science for his first two years of high school and played varsity basketball there. His father, Arnie McClure, is a local architect; his mother, Mitzi, is a registered nurse. Growing up near Colonial Lake, McClure took note of Charleston’s beauty, culture and contradictions, he said. His interest in peeling back the veil to explore the nuances and conflict beneath the surface informs his writing. He has written short fiction, poetry, personal essays, mysteries and more, he said. Currently he’s working on a novella, focusing on character development. Of 44 national winners from South Carolina, 24 are from the Charleston metropolitan area, and 19 of those are Gold and Silver medal winners at Charleston County School of the Arts. Local Gold Medal winners include: Zoe Abedon (SOA, 12th grade); Arden Dodge (SOA, 8th grade); Kathryn Dorn (SOA, 7th grade); Maclean Hueske (SOA, 8th grade); Jessica Leiker (SOA, 9th grade); Julia Lynn (SOA, 11th grade); Carson Peaden (SOA, 9th grade, Best in Grade award for poetry); and Courtney Wickstrom (SOA, 9th grade, Best in Grade award for poetry). Wando High School senior Henry Ballou won a Silver Medal with Distinction for his art portfolio. Silver medals were awarded to 13 others at Goose Creek High School, Ashley Hall and SOA.

Poetry Out Loud journey inspires Charleston County student

Poetry Out Loud state champion Katherine Murchison reflects on her experience and competing at the national contest.

On March 16, the South Carolina Arts Commission announced that I was the South Carolina state champion for the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest. The next month, I advanced to the Poetry Out Loud National Finals, which took place from April 29-30 in Washington, D.C., to compete with 53 other representatives for a chance to win a $20,000 scholarship. Nation-wide, more than 4,000 students began the competition, and 53 remained. I competed with nine regional finalists at the Columbia Museum of Art for my position. We all recited two poems we had memorized for months through school-wide and regional contests. Three students, including myself, were named state finalists and recited a third poem in order to determine the winner. Here, Justin Fox, a Spartanburg High School senior, was named state runner-up and Kynnedi McManus, a Strom Thurmond High School senior from Edgefield County came in third. As the state champion, I received $200 and an all-expenses paid trip for me and a chaperone to compete in the national finals. The Charleston County School of the Arts, the high school I attend, received a $500 stipend to purchase poetry books. More importantly however, throughout this entire process I have been exposed to a multitude of poets and passionate literary students just like me.
Read the rest of Katherine's report. Via: Moultrie News

Charleston student named state Poetry Out Loud champion

Congratulations to Katherine Murchison, a junior at Charleston County School of the Arts, who was named South Carolina champion for the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest on March 16. Murchison now advances to the Poetry Out Loud National Finals to represent South Carolina and take her shot at a $20,000 scholarship. The national finals take place April 29-30 in Washington, D.C. As the state champion, Murchison receives $200 and an all-expense paid trip to compete in the national finals. The Charleston County School of the Arts library also receives a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. Murchison was one of nine regional finalists who competed at the Columbia Museum of Art during state finals. Each recited two poems they had memorized and perfected during school-wide and regional competitions that took place throughout the state from October to January, when more than 4,000 students began the competition. Justin Fox, (pictured below right) a senior at Spartanburg High School, was named state runner-up. He receives $100, and his school library receives a $200 poetry book stipend. Katherine Murchison and Justin Fox     Read more about the Poetry Out Loud state finals.

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