The Arts Academy at CCHS

Director, Mr. Joseph Gianfortune

Passionate
About Creativity
ARTS ACADEMY ALUMNI Camden Catholic has fostered hundreds of artists who have gone on to produce exceptional careers on the stage and screen, in galleries and recording studios. Here are just a few examples:  Bernice Massi 51: Miss New Jersey 1952, Broadway and television actress  Phil Travaline 55: Conductor, Philharmonic of Southern New Jersey  Andy Gaskill 69: story artist, DreamWorks Animation  Barbara Dever 69: world-renowned mezzosoprano  Barbara Yeager Conforti 76: dancer, Broadway actress, choreographer  Krysten Cummings 92: Broadway performer Camden Catholic High School has been a leader in the arts since the schools first performance of Victory on the Cross in 1922. Since that time the school has continued to invest in the arts department with the addition of a wide range of courses, facility upgrades, and new faculty positions. The Arts Academy was founded in 2012 to allow students of the arts a specific curriculum and an appropriate mentor to suit their interests and talents. The Arts Academy provides our students the very best environment in which to practice and perfect their chosen disciplines for continued development during their college years and beyond. What is the Arts Academy? The Arts Academy is an exceptional organization of faculty and students who are dedicated to the performing, fine, and digital arts. An Arts Academy Advisory Board assists with curriculum development, extracurricular planning, and fundraising. foundation in the arts and prepares them for future study after graduation. Your Arts Academy mentor will help you select the best art department courses as well as general courses that will enhance your current arts curriculum. You will also have the opportunity to work directly with Artists-in-Residence who are professionals in their craft. What types of classes are offered? A full list of Arts Academy courses can be found on the Arts Academy page of the Camden Catholic website (www.camdencatholic.org). Options range from Symphonic Band and Elements of Dance and Movement to AP Studio Art Portfolio and Theater and Improvisation selections. How can I apply to the Arts Academy? Space in the Arts Academy is limited in order to provide students with the individual attention that they need. Students who wish to apply are asked to audition or to submit a portfolio of their work. Audition and portfolio reviews are scheduled through the program director. There are also Arts Academy Scholarships available to the most qualified students. The Arts Academy Director and Admissions Office can provide more information on how to apply.

Camden Catholic Students Are

Camden Catholic High School

300 Cuthbert Road Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 www.camdencatholic.org 856.663.2247 ext. 136 admissions@camdencatholic.org

Photography Digital Design Dance Chorus Performing Arts Music Fine Arts Band Media Studies Drama

What does the Arts Academy offer that is different from other schools? Through planned connections between academics and extracurricular activities and experiences in the community beyond CCHS, Arts Academy students experience a four-year program that establishes a solid

PERFORMING ARTS Courses include: Music Theory, AP Music Theory, Theater I and Theater II, Public Speaking, Improvisation, Select Chorus, Elements of Dance & Movement, Symphonic Band, Instrumental Ensemble, and Guitar Ensemble. Events include: Fall Play, Winter Concert, Spring Concert, Cabaret Nights, Spring Musical, and many additional performances throughout the year. A recording studio featuring Apple technology allows students to explore the area of music production.

MENTOR PROGRAM Once enrolled in their Arts Academy program of study, students are assigned a mentor teacher, an Arts Academy faculty member. This advisor will guide the student in developing their portfolio, suggest a course of study, ways to present themselves in an audition or interview and assist them in finding outside workshops and artistic networks in their discipline. The extensive alumni network aids in the mentor process.

Arts Academy Faculty

Mr. Joseph Gianfortune, BA Director, Arts Academy  Has performed at the Academy of Music and the Mann Music Center and with the Houston Opera; 2003 Masons Educator of the Year  Courses Taught: Music Theory, AP Music Theory, Symphonic Band, Instrumental Ensemble  Area of Expertise: music theory and conducting, musical arrangement  Arts Academy Activities: Director of Show Band, Symphonic Band, Field Band, and Jazz Band, producer of Fall Play and Spring Musical, oversees all Arts Academy activities Ms. Kathryn DiCamillo, BFA  Courses Taught: Fundamentals of Art, Drawing and Painting, AP Art History, AP Studio Art  Area of Expertise: fine art production, art portfolio development Arts Academy Activities: Moderator of Art Club Mr. Jeffrey Bruckner 00, BS  Courses Taught: Communication Studies, Digital Film Production, Film Studies, and Public Speaking  Areas of Expertise: Film and television, musician and composer, music has appeared on television  Arts Academy Activities: Moderator of CCTV and Film Society, hosts various film screenings at CCHS Mrs. Noemi Merenyi, BA Course Taught: Improvisation Area of Expertise: Drama in Education  Arts Academy Activities: Moderator of various improv nights Mrs. Nancy Werner-Kaiser, BA Courses Taught: Theater I and Theater II  Area of Expertise: drama in literature, liturgical music  Arts Academy Activities: Summer Theater Director, Liturgical Choir Director, Co-Founder of the CCHS Shakespearean Festival, Moderator of the Shakespeare Troupe Mrs. Suzanne Zerone, BA Courses Taught: Chorus, Select Choir  Areas of Expertise: Classically trained lyric soprano, continues to perform professionally throughout the region  Arts Academy Activities: Supervises and arranges all choir performances both in and out of the school building Mrs. Stephanie Zola 01, M.Ed, BA  Courses Taught: Photoshop, Computer Illustrator, InDesign, Digital Photography, Fundamentals of Art, and 2D Design  Areas of Expertise: Digital Media and Web Design, Digital Arts  Arts Academy Activities: Moderator of the Photography Club, moderator of student European travel experience and other art-related trips throughout the year

Arts Academy Activity Advisors Mr. Edward Corbett 81  Areas of Expertise: Classically trained Shakespearean actor, member of the Screen Actors Guild, professional actor and director  Arts Academy Activities: Assists in moderating the Shakespeare Troupe Mrs. Elizabeth Gallagher, BA, JD CCHS Faculty Member Areas of Expertise: Classically trained vocalist  Arts Academy Activities: Co-Founder of the CCHS Shakespeare Festival, moderator of the Shakespeare Troupe, member of the Liturgical Choir Mr. Jeremy Grenhart 98  Areas of Expertise: Music Production Studied at University of the Arts  Grammy nominated producer and founder of Illadel AllStars LLC  Has had compositions featured on the Vancouver Olympics, HBO and EA Sports; performed at Kimmel Center (2013), and continues to perform nationally; scored music for award-winning film Fruitvale Station (2013)  Arts Academy Activities: Provides individual instruction in Jazz Theory, Piano, and Music Production Ms. Denise Neri 67  Areas of Expertise: Professional Director, Producer, and Performer Arts Academy Activities: Director of Spring Musical Mr. Jason Neri 92  Areas of Expertise: Vocal director and pianist, studied music at Catholic University and has vocally directed many shows in New York, Philadelphia and New Jersey  Arts Academy Activities: Assistant Director of Spring Musical Mr. Justin Neri 94 Areas of Expertise: Dance and Choreography  Arts Academy Activities: Choreographer of Spring Musical Alex Payton, M.Ed  Area of Expertise: Head Coach, CCHS Dance Team,Teaches Elements of Dance and Movement Head Cheerleader for Philadelphia Soul

DIGITAL ARTS & MEDIA STUDIES Courses include: Digital Film Production, Communications Studies, Film Studies, Yearbook Publication, Music Production in the 21st Century, InDesign, Digital Imaging with Photoshop, Computer Illustrator, and Digital Photography. The Apple MAC Lab computer work stations feature bamboo tablets that allow students to learn on the most advanced technology offered. Students produce daily broadcasts with our in-house television studio on CCTV, and create special programming throughout the year (visit www.youtube. com/camdencatholic to watch samples of our student work). The annual Communication Awards honor students production work each spring. FINE ARTS AP Art History, AP Studio Art, Drawing, Painting, Fundamentals of Art, and 2D Design are a few of the course selections for students focused on the Fine Arts. Our Fine Arts mentors assist students with enrollment in summer programs at nationally renowned art schools and universities. Students exhibit their work in the annual Spring Art Show, are published in the annual school magazine and have their work displayed throughout the school campus.

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM The Arts Academy faculty enlists assistance from alumni and other friends of the school who devote time to help train our own budding artists. This allows our students to learn directly from someone who is currently active in the arts community. These workshops are open exclusively to students of the Arts Academy. LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM Arts Academy students are invited to participate in competitive opportunities that encourage growth outside the classroom, such as: the DeSales Shakespeare Competition, the Congressional Art Competition, the Camden County Arts Festival, and the Olympic Conference Band.