Arts Overview

Band and orchestra students traveled to St. Louis to compete in the Music in the Parks Festival at Six Flags April 25. The Owls performed first and ended up with the highest score of any instrumental group in the competition.

Class of 2025 family members joined students and faculty in Hyde Chapel on April 23 for the Senior Academic Awards program.

Beg To Differ traveled to New York to participate in the WorldStrides Heritage Festival, coming away with a Gold Medal for the second year in a row.

Summer Programs are published and ready for registration!

Ten Owls received honors for their writing in the regional Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Ike Emmert ’27 earned one Gold Key, one Silver Key, and two Honorable Mentions for his work across three categories.

Seven Owls received Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards for their work in the Drawing and Illustration, Mixed Media, Painting, and Portfolio divisions.

Elizabeth Cawein, the founder of Music Export Memphis, says the “magic is in the middle” for the local music industry. She spoke in Hyde Chapel about focusing on the “music middle class” – 60% of local musicians who would like to remain in the area and support themselves through music. Music Export Memphis creates opportunities for and subsidizes working musicians, allowing them to tour, build audiences outside the city, and sustain their careers while remaining rooted in the Mid-South.

For our third Memphis Day, we celebrated Memphis music heritage and explored the impact that our hip-hop, blues, rock, and soul sounds have had on the world.
 
A morning panel, moderated by Instructor in Music Matt Tutor ’91, featured heavy hitters on the Memphis music scene, including Memphis-born rapper Al Kapone (Alphonzo Bailey), Memphis-born producer, performer, and innovator IMAKEMADBEATS (James Dukes), and two-time Grammy-nominated producer, songwriter, arranger, and artist Kurt “KC” Clayton. The panelists then participated in a Memphis recording industry panel facilitated by Music Director Chris Piecuch.

Spring theater auditions will be held Wednesday, December 11, and Thursday, December 12, from 4-6 p.m. in Hyde Chapel. Auditions will cover both upcoming spring productions: the winter student showcase, Live at the Hyde, and the spring production, Henry IV, Part 1.

Robert J. Hussey, Sr. Chair of Religion Clay Smythe ’85 opened the annual Thanksgiving chapel November 26, reading from the “1928 Book of Common Prayer.” Upper School Counselor Chima Onwuka offered The Collect. Luke Tijong ’26 read Deuteronomy 8:7-18; Joey Paul ’25, Psalm 65; and Instructor in Religion Elliott Dent, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15.

Congratulations to all Owl musicians who auditioned for the All-West Tennessee Orchestras. They performed difficult musical excerpts, scales, and were required to sightread in front of a judge who is a professional musician and/or teacher. The 13 selected students will play in the All-West Tennessee Honor Orchestra Clinic in February.

Talented musicians from the Class of 2024 performed in the inaugural senior recital April 21 in Hyde Chapel. The concert featured solo performances by Joel Lim on oboe, Dannie Dong on piano, and Gabe Chen on violin.

Seniors, from left, Eshaan Patnaik (clarinet), Alan Zhou (flute), and Joel Lim (oboe) competed recently in the Tennessee Bandmasters Association Solo and Ensemble Competition. They won the ensemble portion qualifying to represent MUS and the West Tennessee District for the Tennessee Bandmasters Association Honors Recital at the Tennessee Music Education Association All-State Conference April 10-13. 

Upper School and Lower School students interested in participating in the MUS Theater Company’s fall musical, Mamma Mia!, should head to Hyde Chapel May 8, 10, and 11 for auditions and tech interviews. Theater Assistant Director Ted Fockler ’10, Instructor in Music Matt Tutor ’91, and Theater Technical Director Robert Fudge welcome potential actors, actresses, designers, and crew members.

Instructor in Instrumental Music and Director of Band and Orchestra Programs Chris Piecuch has been named the University of Memphis Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music Educator of the Year. He will receive the award in an April 26 ceremony in the Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center.