News from New World School of the Arts

Celebrating 26 years of artistic and academic excellence.
A Center of Excellence in the Visual and Performing Arts, at Miami Dade College - November 2012

HERNAN BAS IS COMMISSIONED FOR PERMANENT ART COLLECTION

His work is celebrated around the globe and exhibited in some of the most renowned art museums in the world. Represented by Miami gallerist Fredric Snitzer, Hernan Bas, New World School of the Arts 1996 high school visual arts alum, has become one of the most coveted contemporary painters of our time. His pieces, which exude romance and melancholy, burst with colors and imagery reminiscent of yesteryear, and often awakens a whirlwind of deep emotions within the viewer making it almost unimaginable not to own a piece of his genius.

Hernan's extraordinary artistic achievement, however, goes beyond the canvas and oil paints, as it weaves its way into the soul of South Florida. "Supporting his alma mater during fundraising initiatives, Hernan Bas is an active member of the visual arts alumni base and often visits the school's multiple galleries." commented Maggy Cuesta, dean of visual arts at New World School of the Arts.

Commissioned by the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Hernan Bas will create a new work for the performing arts center's permanent collection. As part of its Knight Masterworks Print Collection, the Arsht Center will sell limited edition prints of Hernan's piece in order to support its fundraising efforts. Bas' painting, which is the second to be commissioned by the Arsht Center is set to debut early next year.

BATTLE OF THE BANDS 2012

New World School of the Arts and Dillard Center for the Arts, both finalist bands at the Essentially Ellington festival in NYC have come together again to present the second annual Battle of the Bands concert. "It's not a 'battle' really," commented Jim Gasior, director of the Jazz Program at New World School of the Arts, "there is actually a strong kinship between members of our band and members of theirs. Some of the students even play music together when they're not in school!"

Featuring music by Count Basie, Duke Ellington and others, Battle of the Bands is co-sponsored by the Miami Jazz Coop as a fundraiser for both school programs.

November 4; 4:00 PM

Bienes Center for the Arts

2801 SW 12 Street, Ft. Lauderdale

General admission $25 - $35

Tickets and Information at 877-733-3430

WORLD DANCE CELEBRATION CELEBRATES DIVERSITY

NWSA's dance division offers the South Florida community an exhilarating 3-day World Dance Celebration showcase. Along with dancers from the University of Florida, the concert highlights more than fifty-five college and high school dancers performing to the beat of live drums and recorded music and features choreographic works from contemporary world modern dance to traditional African dance. The high school and college dancers will perform a captivating program that includes Tina Santos' high-energy Jazzapalooza; the evocative and visually arresting new work Mapping #1 by award-winning British guest choreographer/filmmaker Darshan Singh Bhuller; the powerful, driving work Prelude to Action by modern dance icon Martha Graham; Lara Murphy's contemporary ballet Liminally Venn set to driving kodo drums; and Tina Santos's classic lyrical duet Poème set to Chopin's lovely Nocturne in E Flat Opus 9.

November 16 & 17; 7:30 PM / November 18; 2:00 PM

New World Dance Theater

25 NE 2 Street, 8 floor, downtown, Miami

General admission, students and seniors $10

Information at 305-237-3341

IRA SULLIVAN JOINS NWSA JAZZ COMBOS FOR A FORMIDABLE EVENING OF MUSIC

The NWSA High School Jazz Combo Concert promises to deliver an unforgettable evening as saxophonist legend Ira Sullivan takes center stage to jam out with the group. The concert will feature the music of Julian "Cannonball" Adderley - a famous South Florida jazz saxophonist whose reputation and notoriety rose significantly after he was asked to play in Miles Davis' sextet in the late 1950's. His playing is featured on one of the most famous jazz recordings of all time - Miles Davis' Kind of Blue. This is the second time Sullivan joins the NWSA Jazz Combos in concert. A familiar face among the music students, Ira Sullivan has also taken part in the education of the students by delivering several master classes this year. A world class multi-instrumentalist, Ira Sullivan plays trumpet, flugelhorn, peckhorn, tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones, flute, and an occasional round of drums, all of them impeccably. A master of almost the entire range of brass and reed instruments, he is known for his ability to come in cold and turn in a stellar performance. Ira is widely recorded and tours on the national and international jazz circuits. A five-time Grammy nominee, he serves as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts.

November 20; 7:00 PM

Miami Dade College - Wolfson Campus

Wolfson Auditorium - Room 1261

300 NE 2 Avenue, Miami

Free and open to the public

Information at 305-237-7855

TALENTED EXHIBITION OFFERS AFFORDABLE ORIGINAL ARTWORK TO THE COMMUNITY

New World School of the Arts high school and college visual arts alumni will make more than 100 works of art available to community to purchase at $25, $50, and $100 during the Talented Exhibition. The works, which vary in size and scope, offer something for everyone - from larger than life paintings to minute etches and drawings. "The funds generated from this effort will be utilized by the NWSA visual arts division to augment its scholarship coffers," continued Cuesta. "In years past we have presented auctions of our alumni work and they has been very successful. This year, however, we are trying to make the work of our students available to a larger audience by offering it at an affordable set price."

November 29 - December 31

Opening Reception: Thursday, November 29, 5:30 PM.

New World Gallery

25 NE 2 Street, downtown Miami

Free and open to the public

Information at 305-237-3620

Sale is open to the public through December 31, Monday - Friday, 3PM - 5PM

THE NUTCRACKER WELCOMES THE HOLIDAY SEASON

The Nutcracker production is an inspiring holiday tradition that provides a showcase for NWSA's dance department each year, spotlighting students on both the high school and college levels. But this year's show is particularly exciting, as the guest artist performing the role of Sugar Plum Fairy is none other than our own Caroline Betancourt, a 2007 NWSA High School grad who now dances with Louisville Ballet. "It is so gratifying to see the beautiful dancer Caroline has become," says Ruth Wiesen, an NWSA dance faculty member and the director of the Thomas Armour Youth Ballet, which partners in the show. "Caroline first performed in our Nutcracker when she was just a little girl, and look how far her excellent training and hard work have carried her. When we see her dance, it brings tears to our eyes."

December 1; 7:00 PM

Miami-Dade County Auditorium

2901 W Flagler Street, Miami

Admission: $15-$30

Tickets at the auditorium box office or through Ticketmaster

Information at 305-547-5414

WALLS COME ALIVE AT ARTSEEN DURING ART BASEL

Walls at Artseen Exhibition highlights the work of six New World School of the Arts visual students during the Art Basel Miami Beach international fair, in a unique show where inside structures become blank canvasses for each of the artists. Charged with the task of incorporating the actual walls of the gallery into their work of art, each artist will utilize their allocated space to execute their work. "I wanted the students to conceptualize a subject meaningful to them," said Maggy Cuesta, dean of visual arts at NWSA. "When we first met to brainstorm about the project, they all displayed strong feelings about different and unique topics - issues that resonate in some passionate way with each one of them. The operative word was "emotions" and the challenge lies in using bare structural space to illustrate this concept in a meaningful way to shape their work and propel their ideas."

The artworks, which are in their embryonic stage, will be comprised of painting, digital media, installation, sculpture and found objects. Participating college Walls at Artseen2 students are Kayla Delacerda, Junli Kato, Sebastian Duncan-Portuondo, Rafael Domenech, Stefanie Lopez, and Jeffrey Noble.

December 6 - December 9

Artseen Gallery

2215 NW 2nd Avenue, Wynwood

Free and open to the Public

Information at 305-237-3620

NWSA ARTISTS ENGAGE ART BASEL AUDIENCE THROUGH VIDEO ART

HOTBED Miami, an annual exhibition by Wet Heat Project that has brought the works of a dozen NWSA visual artists to the foreground of the art world during Art Basel Miami Beach, has broadened its scope through the support of this year's HOTBED venue hosts, NADA (New Art Dealers Alliance). The digital media creation of four New World School of the Arts visual artists will be a centerpiece of the Deauville Beach Resort during this year's largest international art fair.

Selected by Grela Orihuela and Bill Bilowit of Wet Heat Project and based on the candidates' conceptual and creative voice, this year's HOTBED Miami 2012 student artists are challenged to create a site-specific video work to be exhibited 24/7 at NADA Miami Beach 2012 in the fair venue's public atrium at the Deauville Beach Resort, as well as on every TV in the Deauville's 484 guest rooms. "None of the students' primary majors is digital media, therefore the challenge is for them to conceive and produce work using unfamiliar methods, each of them completing a single piece strong enough to engage art-savvy viewers in a busy public space and a most intimate private space" noted Orihuela.

Participating college visual artists are Azizi DeSouza, Steven Marquez, Jeffrey Noble, and Sebastian Duncan Portuondo.

See the work in progress

December 6, 7, 8, 9

NADA Miami Beach 2012

Deauville Beach Resort Hotel

6701 Collins Ave Miami Beach, FL 33141
Lobby & Bar video monitors and Channel 8, in every guest room

FIVE SILVER PALM AWARDS FOR NWSA ALUMNI & FACULTY

The 2012 Silver Palm Awards once again highlights the talent of New World School of the Arts alumni and faculty. Notable professionals in their field, they continue to rake-in awards for excellence in the South Florida theater scene. David Kwiat, award-winning NWSA faculty member who has known these professionals since they embarked in their arts careers praises their accomplishment, "To see our former students shine and distinguish themselves with this award makes all of our faculty feel like we did our job well. Nothing pleases us more than to see our alumni become our colleagues in the South Florida arts community. We are fortunate, as well, to have Michael McKeever (as well as Stuart Meltzer) on our faculty. Their expertise and acumen is a huge plus for our students. Bravo to all of them!"

Stuart Meltzer - Director: for his consistently outstanding work as Zoetic Stage's resident director.
Mark Della Ventura - Playwright: for writing and performing Small Membership, and for his performance in Lobby Hero, both at Alliance Theatre Lab
Michael McKeever - Playwright: for Moscow at Zoetic Stage
Lindsey Forgey - Actor: for her noteworthy work in Baby GirL at Empire Stage, and Into the Woods, Urinetown and Xanadu at Slow Burn Theatre
Gregg Weiner - Actor: for Red, A Steady Rain, Race and Time Stands Still at GableStage

This year's awards will be presented during the annual holiday party held by the South Florida Theatre League on Monday, December 3rd in Fort Lauderdale.

Information at 954-577-0778

Silver Palm Awards details