BSA on Stage As Part of Every Student’S Pre-Professional Training at BSA, There Are Opportunities to Perform and Exhibit
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ABOUT BALTIMORE SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS Founded in 1979, this nationally- half in the arts. Students who need it recognized public high school provides receive free tutoring and test preparation Reaching Baltimore’s talented students with pre-professional so that they can meet academic Younger Children training in a specific arts discipline benchmarks as well as artistic ones. (dance, music, theatre or visual arts) BSA student test scores are consistently A further mission of BSA is to reach combined with a college preparatory among the highest in the city and state. children with opportunities in the arts that they might not otherwise be able academic education. An integral part of faculty A central feature of BSA is its to access, both to enrich and to provide BSA’s mission has always been to create of professional artists who mentor critical early training. Each year, through opportunities for disadvantaged students throughout the school day. students. The high school serves about TWIGS, its free after-school and These artists model the discipline and Saturday program, BSA offers more 385 students (approximately a quarter are process required to solve problems eligible for free and reduced lunches). than 700 Baltimore City elementary in creative ways. They promote the and middle school children training 75% of the school’s population comes collaborative work that is essential from Baltimore City. in dance, music, theatre and visual in the arts and in the workforce. arts. For many of these students, this a unique admissions The school has Innovative partnerships with early exposure will lead to a successful process designed to identify students Baltimore’s premier cultural audition and admission to BSA’s high with the potential for a career in the institutions, opportunities for students school program—about half of the solely through an arts audition arts — to perform on the city’s main stages, TWIGS 8th graders who audition are no academic criteria are used. and master classes/residencies with admitted each year. The program is a Moreover, students are considered luminaries in the arts, drawn by the vital feeder for BSA. carefully for what they’ve done with the school’s stellar reputation, further opportunities they’ve been given. More Additionally, thousands of Baltimore deepen and broaden the professional City children attend free performances than a 1,000 kids audition each year for arts training for students. about 100 spots. The student body is at BSA and/or educational programs diverse racially, socio-economically Graduation and college placement featuring BSA’s student artists in and experientially. rates are near 100% each year with the community. students regularly admitted to some Although academics are not considered of the most highly regarded higher at the auditions, once students are education institutions in the country. In admitted, they must all pursue a a recent survey, 90% of BSA graduates rigorous academic curriculum— reported completing college within 6 half the day is spent in academics and years, well above the national average. BSA On Stage As part of every student’s pre-professional training at BSA, there are opportunities to perform and exhibit. Each year the community is encouraged and invited to support our talented young artists at a range of productions at the school, and across Baltimore. Stay tuned to BSA’s calendar for information about upcoming events. Visit www.bsfa.org today! Baltimore School for the Arts Alumni at a Glance Asya Shaw ’13 and Brian Bennett ’14 Dr. Richard White ’92 Rachel Hilson ’13 Christian Siriano ’04 DANCE MUSIC THEATRE VISUAL ARTS Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell Dontae Winslow ’92 has & Stage Design Since winning Project Runway ’88 has toured the world as worked with Dr. Dre and Jada Pinkett Smith ’89 began in 2006, Christian Siriano ’04 a dance ambassador and has Beyoncé on recent releases, to learn the craft of acting as has taken the fashion world been awarded the Bessie tours with JayZ and Justin a fifth-grader in BSA’s after- by storm, dressing the stars for her work at Alvin Ailey. Timberlake, and won the school program. In 2007, and creating fashion lines for Protégés Jacqueline Green Peabody Conservatory Young she honored her high school Best Buy, Payless, Lane Bryant, ’06 and Courtney Spears Maestro Award. Makeba classmate and friend at BSA, and others. Photographer ’12 won consecutive awards Riddick ’96, is a Grammy- Tupac Shakur, with a one and multimedia artist Sara in 2014 and 2015 from the nominated songwriter and million dollar gift to the school. VanDerBeek ’94, recently the Princess Grace Foundation vocal producer best known for Lawrence Gilliard, Jr. ’85, featured artist in the Baltimore and currently dance for her work with Rihanna. BSA recognized for his portrayal Museum of Art’s Front Room, Ailey companies. Kamille alum Anthony J. Brown ’99 of D’Angelo Barksdale on has also exhibited at MoMA Upshaw ’07 is a swing in the swept the 2016 Stellar Gospel The Wire, is widely cast in and the Whitney. Tony Shore Broadway smash Hamilton, Music Awards. Mark Gross television and movies. In ’89 was awarded Baltimore’s playing five roles. Katherine ’84 was the lead alto addition to her role on NCIS: most prestigious art award, the Fisher ’97 is an accomplished saxophonist with the Jazz New Orleans, 2013 Tony- Sondheim Artscape Prize, and choreographer, filmmaker at Lincoln Center All-Stars nominee Shalita Grant ’06 recently Kyle Tata ’08, who and dancer appearing in the in the Tony-award-winning appeared as Aurelia Johnson teaches photography at BSA, seminal Philip Glass opera, musical After Midnight. Alto on the PBS series Mercy Street. was a finalist. BSA students Einstein On the Beach. Jermel Saxophonist Antonio Hart ’86 Stage Design grad Debbie won the Fred Artscape prize Johnson ’03 is a principal has also been nominated for a Nash ’94 has garnered praise for three years in a row – dancer at Pennsylvania Ballet. Grammy. Dr. Richard White for her exquisite millinery work Malcolm Colvin ’15, Chloe Nicolle Cornell ’95 is Manager ’92, who literally came to BSA for Arena Stage. Stage Design Bates ’16, and Hannah Smoot of the Balanchine Trust. Asya off the streets of Baltimore, grad Nathan Bailey ’03 art- ’17 were each featured in solo Shaw ’13 and Brian Bennett is the first African American directed Hold Up in Beyoncé’s exhibitions. L.L. Bean chose a ’14 broke new ground as the to earn a doctorate in tuba Lemonade and Anna Bakker ’08 painting by Colin Page ’97, for first African Americans to performance. TWIG Jacob was a 3d animation producer its catalogue cover. The unique dance the roles of the husband Thompson takes free private on her tour. Rachel Hilson artwork of Mia Brownell ’89 and wife together in Martha lessons on Saturdays at BSA. ’13 appears on many hit TV has been featured in several Graham’s Appalachian Spring. Violist, radio show host and shows including The Good Wife important scientific journals. BSA dancers reprised the piece composer Nadia Sirota ’00’s where fellow BSA alum Josh Madison Wilson ’12, who with the BSO in 2016. TWIG Meet the Composer podcast Charles played the lead. Lance joined the BSA community as a dancer Zhydekyah Esguerra won a 2016 Peabody Award. Coadie Williams ’95 won an ten-year-old, studied pre-med and other elementary and Andrew Grams ’95 always Obie along with his cast-mates and visual arts at Washington middle schoolers get a taste of returns to BSA to work with in Bootycandy; he most recently University hoping to become a the professional life with roles students when he’s in town appeared alongside Patti facial reconstructive surgeon. in The Nutcracker alongside conducting for the BSO. LuPone in Shows for Days. high school dancers. Jacob Thompson and Jacqueline Green ’06 Zhydekyah Esguerra Shalita Grant ’06 Madison Wilson ’12 www.bsfa.org | 712 Cathedral Street | Baltimore, MD 21201 | BSA 443-642-5165 | BSA Foundation | 410-347-3043 Baltimore School for the Arts Nationally recognized for both its pre-professional arts is one of the top public arts training as well as its college-preparatory academic program, the school also serves as a vibrant community arts high schools in the country. center for thousands of children and families each year. ADMISSIONS Designed to identify 39 students with the potential for a career in the arts, BLUE YEARS admission to BSA is based Founded in 1979, solely on an arts audition— RIBBON BSA is celebrating 39 years no academic criteria are as one of Baltimore’s used. Every student gets SCHOOL premier educational and a level playing field and a U.S. Department of Education cultural institutions. fresh start at BSA. TOP 5 DIVERSITY public arts high schools The diverse socio-economic, cultural and racial mix of IN THE NATION 415 students is a unique and According to the National special quality of the school. Endowment for the Arts and students the Doris Duke & Surdna in grades 9 to 12. Foundations Advanced Study Attendance The academic program includes honors courses in English, 50 50 97% or more Students spend half their day Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Spanish, U.S. History, and World of students attend school in academics and half their History. There are AP classes in Art History, Calculus, English day in the arts. Composition, English Literature, Music Theory, and Spanish. EVERY DAY. Artists as Teachers The arts faculty is composed of SUPPORT FOR HSA professional artists who model pass rate the discipline and process STUDENTS required to solve problems Students who need it receive free exceeds 95% in creative ways and promote tutoring, test prep, and other the collaborative work that is support so that they can meet for first time essential in the arts and in their academic and artistic goals.