예술

We Love the Arts!

We believe art is an important part of every child's education. Beginning with students in the Early Childhood 3 class, our students are required to take at least one art and one music class each week until they reach grade 6. Beginning in grade 6, students have the option of taking drama as an elective, as well as various music, band, performing, and visual arts classes.

Students who participate in the arts - whether they're acting in a drama ensemble, playing an instrument, singing with a choir, firing ceramics in a kiln, or creating visual art with their favorite medium -- are instantly part of a community of likeminded individuals. Having a community is huge, and the artist community is a colorful and vibrant way for your child to connect with others. Art also allows children to express themselves in ways that mere words cannot. Additionally, playing in a band or singing in a choir looks fantastic on a student's portfolio and college resume. Students who can play or sing with a group are recognized as team players who are creative, can think outside the box, and are able to solve problems individually and as a team.

Art is part of a well-rounded education, and it just makes the world more colorful and happy. We look forward to sharing our love of the arts with you!

Meet Our Fine Arts Teaching Team

EMILY CALDER

Choir Director/Music Teacher

"Hello, my name is Emily Calder and I am the Choir Director at WYIS. This is my third year of teaching. I am primarily a singer and I studied classical singing for five years at university. I love singing songs by composers such as Fauré, Ricky Ian Gordon, and Schubert. I am so blessed to be surrounded by wonderful students who are passionate about music, just as I am."

WATURI EKIRAPA

Band Teacher

"Hi, my name is Waturi Ekirapa. I believe music has power and should be accessible to everyone. Learning is a continuous process and every individual should have the right to learning opportunities wherever possible. Teaching has shown me the importance of passing on various aspects of music appreciation. This is something I would like to do with my students and ultimately create a positive experience for them."

ELIZABETH GODDARD

Drama Teacher

Hello, my name is Lizzy Goddard. I grew up in China and moved to the United States when I was sixteen. I attended the University of Georgia and taught humanities at an international school in Kyrgyzstan for four years, before joining the team here in Wuhan. Attending the ISC school in Chengdu as a secondary student was a valuable experience for me and gave me a lifelong passion for international school communities. My favorite part about being a theatre director is working side by side with students on projects they can be proud of.

TIFFANY YANG

Art Teacher

Hello, My name is Tiffany Yang. I am the visual art teacher at WYIS, and this is my 8th year. I teach ECC art, lower Elementary art, and Secondary Fashion Design. My passion is teaching and helping my students find their voice in art, express their stories, and communicating with the world using visual language. I am so blessed to support and accompany my students in their journey to learn, love, and lead in this wonderful community.

MAYRA DUARTE

Art Teacher

Visual and Performing Arts

VISUAL ARTS

ECC artists use paint, clay, collage, sculptural, and digital media to explore artistic expression. Students get comfortable in the art studio setting while learning about artists, art movements, and how to move from concept to creation. They also learn art terminology and build a vocabulary that grows with them as they progress through school.

Elementary school artists use paint, clay, collage, sculptural and digital media to explore artistic expression in a structured and supportive environment. In the process, they learn about artists, art movements, and how to move from concept to creation. Students learn the vernacular of art and build a vocabulary that grows with them as they progress from grades 1-5.

Once students are in the Secondary program, they can take a variety of visual art courses designed to enhance their skills and hone their talents. In the areas of drawing, painting, three-dimensional design/ceramics, photography, and computer art, students take a sequence of classes of increasing skill level to meet the art requirements.

High school electives combine studio work with theory, aesthetics, criticism, and understanding of the arts. Introductory-level courses cover critical skills and concepts such as composition, color fundamentals, and understanding of materials and techniques involved in the specific medium that is being practiced.

As students progress to higher-level classes, they use these skills and develop more complex techniques, leading to individual and unique styles of artwork. For high school students who seek more intensive studies, we offer AP Studio Art, Senior Portfolio, and Senior Projects.

PERFORMING ARTS

Movement, singing, and playing are second nature to children. Our Early Childhood Center (ECC) and Elementary school music curriculum uses a mixture of American curricula and Kodaly-based approach to music education, which takes full advantage of these innate skills. Spoken word with rhymes, games, songs, and dances become learning tools as students are encouraged to improvise, compose, and interact musically as a group. When students graduate from Elementary school, the goal is that they have a strong knowledge of the written mechanics of music and a greater sense of the community, character, and creativity that are built by singing, playing, and creating music together.

In Secondary, the performing arts program is designed to allow students with interests in music or drama further develop their skills through both exploratory- and performance-based courses. Students are encouraged to build their knowledge of music theory, musicianship, and notation as a part of these classes.

The goal of the theater performance program is to educate and expose the student to a broad range of theatrical styles by presenting diverse performances and productions for cultural enhancement. The theater department also strives to prepare students for post-high school study in theater performing arts.

CONCERTS & PERFORMANCES

Public performance is a fantastic way for young learners to develop confidence and is an integral part of our program. Throughout the year, students have various opportunities to showcase what they’re learning for peers and parents at seasonal performances in the winter and spring.

ECC & Elementary Music

EC3-EC5
ECC students will form a musical foundation upon which they can develop their musical abilities in the future. We will explore sounds around us in our daily lives and how those sounds relate to music. We will gain confidence in vocalization and sense of beat. Students will be introduced to basic musical concepts through singing, playing percussive instruments, listening, and moving to music through gestures and movement. Students will explore music using movement scarves and a variety of non-pitched percussion instruments such as bells, shakers, tambourines, and hand drums. ECC music classes meet once a week.

Grades 1-2
Students in grades 1-2 will be exploring musical literacy as it pertains to musical performance. We will learn the basics of rhythm with the use of various non-pitched percussion instruments like rhythm sticks, bells, shakers, tambourines, bucket drums, and hand drums. We will also begin to explore treble clef notation reading through the use of pitched percussion instruments. As we learn to play in rhythm, we will begin to learn how to read rhythms and pitches on the musical staff. Beyond reading music, we will be exploring creating our own notes and rhythms through basic composition. We will learn to develop our pitch accuracy and ear training through singing. We will also be exploring the study of orchestral instruments. Grade 1 courses meet once a week. Grade 2 courses meet twice a week.

Grades 3-4
Grades 3 and 4 will continue to develop their abilities in musical literacy through application in singing and playing both pitched and non-pitched instruments. We will be learning the basics of choir technique through beginning musical solfeggio. We will be learning call and response, reading non-pitched music, and developing an extended sense of beat and rhythm through the playing of bucket drumming. We will be initiating musical instrument development through playing the recorder. The recorder is small plastic flute that is used around the world to teach students the basics of playing an instrument. Students will practice reading music through direct application on the instrument. We will learn how to play the instrument correctly with proper hand position and performance techniques. Students will also have the opportunity to spend a unit on learning about chords through the playing of ukuleles. In each unit of learning, students will demonstrate the ability to play alone and with others. We will explore various facets of sharing music through discussion and musical composition. Grades 3-4 music classes meet twice a week.

Grade 5
Grade 5 students have the opportunity to participate in one year of “Beginning Concert Band” in which they will apply knowledge of learned music reading abilities to a concert band instrument. Each student in the course will be assigned one instrument at the beginning of the school year which they will study throughout the course of the school year. The instruments included in the concert band are flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, french horn, trombone, tuba, and percussion (xylophone, snare drum, and bass drum). In the WYIS Beginning Concert Band, our main goal is to build a solid foundation of instrumental technique upon which a student can grow in future years as a musician through strict enforcement of and repetition of correct playing technique. Each student will be assigned one beginning band instrument to study throughout the entire year. A more detailed “Beginning Concert Band” handbook will be given to Grade 5 students and parents. Grade 5 Beginning band classes meet twice a week.

Secondary Ensemble Music

Middle School Choir
In High School Choir, we follow a performance-based learning model in which we will emphasize the basics of proper vocal technique, sight-reading, and vocal blending in preparation for on-stage performances. The study of vocal technique will include topics such as diaphragmatic breathing, vowel and consonant pronunciation, and proper warm up exercises. We will emphasize the importance of musical technique such as dynamics, phrasing, rhythm, style, articulation, and tempo. In addition to technique, we will stress the value of musicality. Musicality begins when we begin to look beyond the notes on the page and truly create music as an art form. Middle School Choir meets in two 50 minute blocks per week. Additional rehearsals are often added into the schedule in preparation for performances.

High School Choir
In High School Choir, we follow a performance-based learning model in which we will emphasize the basics of proper vocal technique, sight-reading, and vocal blending in preparation for on-stage performances. The study of vocal technique will include topics such as diaphragmatic breathing, vowel and consonant pronunciation, and proper warm-up exercises. We will emphasize the importance of musical technique such as dynamics, phrasing, rhythm, style, articulation, and tempo. In addition to technique, we will stress the value of musicality. Musicality begins when we begin to look beyond the notes on the page and truly create music as an art form. High School Choir meets in two 50 minute blocks per week. Additional rehearsals are often added into the schedule in preparation for performances.

Middle School Concert Band
In the Middle School Concert Band, our main goal is to build a solid foundation of instrumental technique upon which a student can grow in future years as a musician through strict enforcement of and repetition of correct playing technique. The instruments within the band are flute, oboe, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, french horn, baritone, trombone, tuba, and percussion (xylophone, snare drum, bass drum). Students who wish to participate in the Concert Band must have either participated in one year of band at WYIS or must take an audition in order to join. Students will be required to provide their own instrument and supplies or may choose to rent instrument and supplies for WYIS. Middle School Concert Band meets in two 50 minute blocks per week. Additional rehearsals are often added into the schedule in preparation for performances.

High School Concert/Jazz Band
In the High School Concert/Jazz Band, our main goal is to build a solid foundation of instrumental technique upon which a student can grow in future years as a musician through strict enforcement of and repetition of correct playing technique. Each student will be assigned one beginning band instrument to study throughout the entire year. The instruments within the concert band are flute, oboe, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, french horn, baritone, trombone, tuba, and percussion (xylophone, snare drum, bass drum).

Students wishing to participate in the Concert/Jazz Band must have either participated in one year of band at WYIS or must take an audition in order to join. Students will be required to provide their own instrument and supplies or may choose to rent instrument and supplies for WYIS. High School Band meets in two 50-minute blocks per week. Additional rehearsals are often added into the schedule in preparation for performances.