Excellence and Opportunity
Excellence and opportunity are hallmarks of 'Iolani's visual and performing arts programs. With 32 performing arts groups and 160 performances annually, nearly 950 Upper School students participate in the performing arts. More than 870 Upper School students participate in the Visual Arts program, which has 18 course offerings, including Advancement Placement classes.
'Iolani Arts Program Highlights
- Scholastic Arts Awards in the past five years include: 104 Gold Awards (eight National Gold Awards) and 88 Silver Awards (15 National Silver Awards)
- Stage Band has performed by invitation at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Konan Jazz Festival, Matsukata Music Festival and International Jazz Festival in Ibbenburen, Germany.
- The ‘Iolani Dramatic Players traveled to Scotland to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe three different times.
- Five National Orchestra Championships in five years
- Orchestra has been invited to perform at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Conference, and the London Invitational Concert Series
- Masters Classes are regularly held for with guest teachers such as acclaimed violinist Jinjoo Cho, founder of ENCORE Chamber Music, an international summer chamber music festival and institute in Cleveland
- ‘Iolani Dance Team national competition Gold Division winner
- 17 bands and orchestras
About The Performing Arts
The ‘Iolani School Performing Arts Department offers an extensive program in the areas of band, orchestra, stage band, chorus, dance, Orff ensemble, musical theatre and theatre. All of these courses provide basic as well as advanced instruction.
The department performs on campus and in venues across the community. In addition to local performances, 'Iolani ensembles travel extensively to the mainland and to foreign countries. The department, in conjunction with the 'Iolani Dramatic Players (IDP), produces a play in the fall and a musical in the spring.
Chamber music programs are also available for students with coaching by professional musicians. ‘Iolani School's Dance Team is open to students in K-12 by audition and meets after school.
About the Visual Arts
The ‘Iolani Visual Arts program operates on the assumption that everyone has a unique way of seeing, thinking and feeling. From there, it encourages students to question and seek new relationships between ideas and materials. Each ‘Iolani student develops a unique artistic voice through a process of self-discovery. They learn to develop concepts and manipulate form and style as they master artistic media. The program strives to develop artists who are skilled, confident and self-aware.
Students have opportunities to learn from other artists and share their own work. Visiting professional artists conduct in-class workshops. In addition, students take field trips to museums and galleries, share their work in exhibits on and off campus and create art in cross-disciplinary projects in other subject areas.