Lewisville INSIDER Program: Fine Arts

I recently had the opportunity to have a tour of some of the fine arts programs which Lewisville ISD offers.  I and a small group of people had the opportunity to see the fine arts programs in action.  When I think fine arts I usually think of music, talent and artists, all of which I witnessed on the tour of Flower Mound High School Fine Arts program.

Starting with the top notch facilities it really makes you realize that the program is most definitely supported by the school district and is of importance to them.  I say this because the facilities in my opinion are top notch and very impressive to see in a public school.  The black box theatre made me feel like I was in a professional theatre in New York City getting to watch a show.  The lighting, seating and intimate feel of the stage really sets the stage for these talented and gifted students to work their magic.  It is an impressive feeling walking in there and getting a feel of a professional theatre.

The same feeling followed as we had an opportunity to see the band practicing in the band hall.  Now when I was in band it was a large brick room with a few lockers and some doors to the hall and office, really nothing special.  This band hall was the same... except much nicer and with lots of attention to detail.  First the room was larger, much, much larger and it even was setup for the sound.  The walls and ceilings had sound dampening panels which really made the room sound great, with no echoes or distractions.  Of course with the students having their own Ipads, you noticed the wireless routers throughout the ceilings which was a nice touch.  Also the lockers were see thru and did not have a solid surface where sound would bounce off of, which I thought was a nice touch.  Of course the band was great and very impressive to see how meticulous they are with their music, with the band director making sure not only that they played the music but that they conveyed the feeling the music carried.  It is impressive to see the students really work hard and pay such attention to their craft, that was evident by the numerous trophies in the band hall for display.   If you ever have a chance check out their awards and prestige that the Lewisville ISD bands hold, it is impressive to say the least.

Moving on to the wind symphony was a real treat which I was so glad to get to witness.  Now I was in band and so I have a great appreciation for music and those who try playing the instruments, so when I see kinds doing the same but with wind instruments that is impressive.  The sound that came out of that room was something I had only heard in professional orchestras and to witness in the high school was a real treat.  To think how talented these kids are is impressive and to have them be able to express those talents is a wonderful thing.  I can't say enough about them and their efforts it is a real treat and I can't wait to get to attend their next concert, I suggest you give it a shot as well.

The woman's choir was also very impressive to get to see them rehearse.  Their vocals were so strong and even had me taking breathes for them.  To see these women really belt out some strong vocals yet do it in a way that is in harmony with the rest of the choir was a treat to see.  I also look forward to seeing a performance by them, they truly are talented artists who are just in high school.

We didn't get to see any of the theatre students doing their rehearsals but we did get a sneak peek at their theatre which was impressive.  What was also impressive was the wardrobe department, they have a class where students make the outfits and costumes for the actors which was beyond impressive.  I walked in to the room and literally felt like I was backstage of a big production, they had everything to come up with the design and actually make them.  There were students along the walls with their sewing machines working on their particular project... some were sewing while you could see others ironing their materials.  It was nice to see this because I really believe these are the skills that will stick with them a lifetime for sure.  I myself wish I learned how to do this because I have a few things that could use some attention and to see these kids learning this skills made me jealous.  Currently this class is only offered at the Flower Mound campus but will be expanded to other schools as well.  As a note this class is benefiting the program in that they make costumes to use which saves them money in the long run as they can re-use them in the future as well. 

Last but not least I had the opportunity to see some of the art work created by the students.  Some were paintings, drawings, sketches, photography and even sculptures.  To put it kindly I thought I was a really good drawer and I wasn't even close compared to some of these kids.  The drawings were so life like and the sketches so real.  It was really impressive to see their inner artist let out and expressed which I think is a big goal of the program.

I can't say enough about how impressive it is to see these kids express their talents.  Again when I entered the INSIDER program I couldn't get past thinking about the Apple Ipads and how those might be distractions but I am seeing that take a back seat.  Instead I got to witness these kids show off their talents and skills where most of the times the ipads were not even present.  Sure some of these kids may use them to record their music or even their dance routine but the Ipad was not at the center, it was the kids who were in the center stage.  Again I can't say enough about the Lewisville ISD and their pursuit of educating student while also letting them have an outlet for those who choose to be a part of the fine arts program.



Luis Cuevas
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