Arts

At King School, our students are exposed to many forms of creative expression and encouraged to pursue an artistic passion or discover a new one.

King’s Performing Arts program, which includes theater arts, music, and dance, offers students the opportunity to make personal and cultural discoveries by participating in a creative, disciplined and collaborative process. Through a structured communal process, students develop self-confidence, perseverance, imagination, reflective thinking, and intuition.

The Art and Design program at King School stresses the importance of original creative thinking and personal artistic expression. Students learn to use a wide range of art media, techniques, and design concepts through assignments that are age appropriate and challenging. A wide variety of traditional art classes are offered as well as digital media, including photography, animation, and filmmaking. Each class culminates in an OPEN project , which stands for Original, Personal, Experienced, and Novel. Students independently apply their learning by creating an original project of personal significance, becoming experienced through practice while exploring novel ideas and applications. 

King’s stunning state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center (PAC) plus multiple art studios across campus offer tremendous support for students' creative pursuits. The lobby of the (PAC) doubles as extraordinary exhibition space for students, professional artists, and alumni. The Lower School Makerspace and the Middle and Upper School Innovation Lab provide additional opportunities for students to design solutions to real world problems. 

Performing arts at King

Learn about our Performing Arts program for grades 6-12 and hear from two of our students about the many opportunities to take the stage, play an instrument, and learn the behind-the-scenes of a performing arts production.

Arts in Action

King Hosts Ninth El Sistema Residency, Welcoming Musicians From Across the Northeast

Last weekend, King School’s Performing Arts Center reverberated with passion as 160 students, 20 professional musicians, and numerous dedicated parent volunteers convened for the ninth annual El Sistema residency. The beloved event was a testament to King’s commitment to music and its ability to foster connections between communities of different socioeconomic backgrounds, give voice to diverse cultural identities, and amplify lived experiences.

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The Drowsy Chaperone Dazzled

King School was swept up in the Roaring Twenties last week when upper school students brought “The Drowsy Chaperone” to the stage in the annual musical. The show was a resounding success, not only for its fabulous performances but for the collaboration and grit students demonstrated in producing it.

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Middle School Students Perform in Eastern Regional Honor Choirs

King’s middle school choir brought harmony to Providence! Thirteen talented students journeyed to Providence, Rhode Island, for the ACDA Eastern Regional Honor Choir. Selected from over 1,800 auditions, they showcased their a cappella skills, made new friends, and wowed the audience. Thanks to Ms. Bach's guidance, our students hit all the right notes. It was a celebration of dedication, friendship, and the power of music! 

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Beyond Baseball - Exploring American History Through Athletics and Art

Students took a journey into the heart of American history through the lens of the nation's beloved pastime in the upper school History course "Stars, Stripes, Seams, & Stitches: Baseball & American Culture.” The semester-long study, designed and taught by History Department Chair Patrick O’Neill, uses baseball as a lens to investigate and assess complex historical and societal issues while examining the origins and expansion of the game from the late 19th to the late 20th century. The course, now in its second year, was conceived out of a desire to explore American history in a unique way.

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Growing in Harmony

King’s Performing Arts Center comes alive with music during the annual Winter Holiday Concerts, celebrating the school’s diverse cultures with family and friends. The Middle and Upper Schools collaborated for an instrumental performance on Tuesday, December 12, featuring a pre-concert by all 100 Project Music students at King. The Lower School Winter Concert followed on Friday, December 15.

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Middle and Upper School Students Explore Cyanotype Printing With Visiting Artist Leah Caroline

Upper and middle school students explored the art of cyanotype printing from Monday, December 4, to Friday, December 8, with visiting artist Leah Caroline, culminating in a large-scale installation in the Performing Arts Center. Cyanotype is a nineteenth-century photographic printing technique originally used for recording natural elements. In this process, plant materials, found objects or film negatives are placed on chemically treated paper or fabric, exposed to sunlight, and then developed in water. This development process transforms the paper from a bright yellow-green to a brilliant Prussian blue, leaving the unexposed areas white. 

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King’s Art and Design Program Blends Technique With Personal Expression

King School’s Art and Design program provides students across divisions with a strong technical foundation to express their ideas and identities in visual form. As students explore different techniques and ideas, they bring their artistic visions to life. Whether it's sketching en plein air, sculpting in our studios, or harnessing the power of digital illustration, artists thrive throughout King, refining their skills and enhancing their capacity to communicate through the language of art.

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