Explore
creatively
Charlotte Prep students learn to explore their creativity confidently and to appreciate others’ talents through participation in music and the visual and theater arts.
Fine Arts teachers focus on building each child’s sense of confidence, perseverance, discipline, responsibility, and organization as they practice, create, improve, and then share their work for the benefit and enjoyment of their community. Students perform annually in various theater and music productions, city-wide festivals, and performances for local shelters and homes.
“If I were to do a play or a musical, I’d want to do it in a place like Charlotte Prep where I know everybody and would feel supported.”
–6th Grade student
Visual Arts
Art is taught as a spiral curriculum woven around artistic principles, concepts, and habits, growing in complexity from year to year. Students participate in the traditional fine art mediums of drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpture, as well as collage, weaving, and digital photography. The curriculum is shaped in part by current events, students’ interests, and past art experiences.
A Prep artist learns to keenly observe the visual world in new ways, imagine the unseen, and practice artmaking procedures in different mediums. The ultimate goal is that a Prep graduate manifests a continuing interest and enthusiasm for the arts and art career options, whether expressed through active participation or informed appreciation.
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Drama
The dramatic arts program invites students to challenge themselves artistically, creatively, and intellectually. The drama curriculum encourages students to explore their worlds through imaginative play. Students engage in activities that promote emotional and social growth, as well as creative problem-solving skills, artistic expression, and confidence as public speakers.
Our youngest Lower School students (Kindergarten-2nd Grade) shine on stage annually in age-appropriate, curricular-themed costumed productions that delight their audience. Middle School students further investigate dramatic arts in year-long electives, introducing students to every facet of theater including performance and stage production opportunities. In addition, our after-school theater arts program features student performances where 3rd-8th Grade artists come together to produce and perform on the stage for the school community.
Music
Research has linked active music making with increased language discrimination and development, math ability, focus, better-adjusted social behavior, and improvements in spatial-temporal reasoning—a cornerstone for problem-solving.
The goal of music instruction is to hone skills such as confidence, responsibility, teamwork, discipline, and organization, and to ignite creativity in our students. Instruction focuses on basic elements of music such as rhythm, harmony, melody, and intellectualizing music—hearing, reading, and writing. Students learn the cultural and historical contexts of various works to discern and appreciate stylistic differences and ultimately develop their musical taste.
Through vocal or instrumental performance (including recorders, Orff instruments and band for grades 4-8), students learn to explore their creativity and to appreciate others’ talents. Instrumentalists acquire the skills and attitudes necessary to express themselves musically as individuals and as members of an ensemble. Performing in a group ensemble teaches the value of teamwork while reinforcing a student's performance skills. Charlotte Prep's choral groups have performed at the Biltmore Estate, Charlotte Knights and Hornets games, and with Distinguished Concerts International New York at Carnegie Hall.
