The Middle School got a facelift this week when students from the sixth grade, armed with colored masking tape and their imaginations, covered the windows of the middle school atrium with line art as part of a project for art class. The project was inspired by Darel Carey, a visual artist who uses lines to create optical illusions that shape and bend the dimensions of flat surfaces and space. His art includes painted murals, digital art, and tape installations. 

Middle School students rehearsed for six weeks to prepare for an exciting three-day Broadway performance aptly named The Show Must Go On! Despite the many challenges that the students faced this year with social distancing measures still in place, these young performers were able to create a virtual experience to bring the musicals to life. The show featured a combination of live solo, duet and trio performances accompanied by prerecorded full-cast and small group acts.  

A group of 11 King School seniors presented their artwork and talked about their yearlong exploration of various mediums. In preparation for the annual art colloquium, which took place on April 29, students experimented with different art forms to creatively convey their interests and life experiences.

King hosted its sixth annual El Sistema Residency, in which talented musicians from King's Middle and Upper Schools collaborated in intensive music workshops with visiting students of various El Sistema USA programs, including Stamford's own Project Music.

The residency's overarching focus is to inspire a deeper connection between communities of different socioeconomic backgrounds by using music as a vehicle to give voice to diverse cultural identities and amplify lived experiences.

The Parents’ Association Visual Arts Committee and Art and Design Department are pleased to announce the first outdoor sculpture installation on campus. Five brightly colored and wind-activated kinetic sculptures by Drew Klotz are on display in different locations around campus until mid-June. Klotz combines elements of physics, engineering, geometry, and design when creating his sculptures.

Four King students were selected to participate in the All-State Musical Festival hosted by the Connecticut Music Education Association from April 23-25, 2021. The selection process is highly competitive and involves preliminary qualification through the organization's Western Regional auditions before becoming eligible for All-State. 

"I'm impressed by the students' creativity, maturity, and thoughtfulness in tackling the show's themes. They are successfully bringing to life the challenging and sometimes frightening aspects confronting adolescents," said Mark Silence, the show's director.

Grade 6 student Alicia Leng and grade 8 student Olivia Asnes love to sing, but they also enjoy that choir includes non-singing activities. We also "learn how to read notes, find out if you are singing the correct pitch, and learn how music can impact the world," says Olivia. 

How do I express who I am through art? King students in grades 4 and 5 confront this challenge, developing self-expression as well as technical drawing skills. Art and Design Faculty Debbie DePouli reflects that "with the turmoil and uncertainty of our current times, the art studio is a place for students to hone their creativity, while having a safe outlet to process their experiences and emotions."