Walnut Hill School
Encyclopedia
Walnut Hill School for the Arts is a private boarding school
for the arts located in Natick, Massachusetts
.
, music
, theatre
, visual art, and writing & publishing. With the exception of voice students, music students at Walnut Hill take their weekly private lessons at The New England Conservatory in Boston
. The New England Conservatory at Walnut Hill program is led by Maestro Benjamin Zander
, the conductor of the Youth Philhamonic Orchestra and the Boston Philharmonic. Admission to Walnut Hill is by academic application and artistic audition.
dancers, Summer Youth Visual Arts, and the Chinese Performing Arts Academy.
The summer dance and theater programs consist of a full five weeks in residence. The opera program spends a shorter amount of time at the Natick campus before traveling with their faculty to Italy
, where they continue taking classes and tour areas historically associated with opera, and perform.
Walnut Hill also features the Academy program, a non-boarding afterschool arts program for students residing in the vicinity.
This tradition takes place in October and serves as a community-building event for the senior class. The entire class ascends one of the most hiked mountains in the world, Mount Monadnock. This event gives the students a sense of accomplishment and class spirit.
Class Night In early October, a special dinner honors seniors as they assume responsibility for leading and serving the School. After a reception, the entire School, seated by class, dines together. Seniors are served first. The Senior Class President and the Community Council President give speeches stating their goals and expectations for the year. Then, to symbolize their willingness to serve the community, seniors serve dessert to the entire School. Proper dress is required.
Senior Privileges Each November, seniors make their request for specific senior privileges through the Senior Class President. Typically, several of these are approved by the administration. Senior privileges are extended on the assumption that seniors have attained a level of maturity and self-discipline that will allow them to exercise their privileges wisely. If these privileges are abused, they will be revoked. Seniors whose grades fall markedly may have senior privileges rescinded by the Academic Dean.
Boar’s Head Procession/Holiday Dinner During December, Walnut Hill observes several holi–day festivities. These culminate in a formal dinner and Holiday Party the night before Winter Break begins. The dinner begins with a medieval ceremony, the Boar’s Head Procession, performed by leadership students. A senior—chosen by the faculty and senior class in recognition of his or her character and contribution to the School—leads the procession and sings the Boar’s Head song. Students are seated by dormitory. Proper dress is required.
Tree Day On a spring day, seniors invite faculty and students to participate in the Tree Day ceremony. The class tree is planted along with a penny with the year of the graduating class. The tree itself symbolizes the growth of the seniors within the School and their continued growth, contributions, and achievements after they leave the School. The Senior Class President reads a poem, and another class year is inscribed on the Tree Day shovel.
Ring Day One spring evening, the senior and junior classes meet for the Ring Day ceremony. At that time, the seniors pass the keeping of the School to the junior class. The seniors form a circle around the juniors, and one by one the juniors are called to take the place of the seniors, each receiving their School ring or pin. The Community Council President reads a poem, and seniors and juniors exchange places in the circle. Seniors are then inducted into the Alumni Association. Proper dress is required.
Senior Class Day All seniors in good standing are excused from classes one day in the spring so they can participate in a local group activity. Senior Class Day allows them to begin the process of separating from Walnut Hill while enjoying their final class trip of the year.
Candlelight Service Two days before Graduation, at dusk, the entire School assembles in the field by class—girls dressed in white, boys in all white as well for a candlelight ceremony. Seniors are the last to extinguish their candles, as one by one they say farewell to the School and to one another after singing the senior song. New Gold Key members are announced. The Community Council President and the Senior Class President speak.
Awards Night The evening before Graduation, the entire School, parents, and guests are invited to attend a presentation of new officers and the academic, arts, and character awards. Foremost among these are the Hester Davies Citizenship Cup, the Friendship Award, and the Arnold C. Taylor Award for Academic and Artistic Achievement.
Graduation Dance Following Awards Night, the Parents’ Association sponsors an all-School dance to allow an opportunity for community celebration.
The Walnut Hill campus has thirteen buildings. Stowe, Eliot, Highland, Clark, New Cottage, Westerly, North House and Elizabeth Bishop Hall are the school's dorms. The campus also holds the Academic and Technology Center, the Dance Center, the Keiter Performing Arts Center, the Office of Admission and Placement, and the Head's House.
Eliot is the largest building on campus; its second and third floors serve as a dormitory. It contains Boswell Hall, the Keefe Library, the dining hall, the student campus center and the school bookstore. The offices of the Dean of Students, the Director of Residential Life, and the Assistant Dean of Students are also housed in Eliot. Highland contains the offices of the Music Department and practice rooms (both regular and soundproof), the Visual Art studios, Pooke Gallery, Amelia Hall and Highland Dormitory. Stowe, in addition to being a dormitory, is the location of the switchboard and many administrative offices, including the Head of School's office, external relations and facilities.
Elizabeth Bishop Hall is the most recent addition to the campus. It began construction in the 2006-2007 school year and was completed in November of the 2007-2008 school year. This structure includes a dormitory as well as faculty apartments.
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
for the arts located in Natick, Massachusetts
Natick, Massachusetts
Natick is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Natick is located near the center of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, with a population of 33,006 at the 2010 census. Only west from Boston, Natick is considered part of the Greater Boston area...
.
Boarding School
Walnut Hill was founded in 1893 as a college preparatory school for women and a feeder school to Wellesley College. It became coeducational and arts-focused in the late 1970s. Students at Walnut Hill major in one of five arts disciplines: balletBallet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
, music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
, visual art, and writing & publishing. With the exception of voice students, music students at Walnut Hill take their weekly private lessons at The New England Conservatory in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. The New England Conservatory at Walnut Hill program is led by Maestro Benjamin Zander
Benjamin Zander
Benjamin Zander is an American conductor from the United Kingdom.-External links:* *-Interviews:* * * *...
, the conductor of the Youth Philhamonic Orchestra and the Boston Philharmonic. Admission to Walnut Hill is by academic application and artistic audition.
Mission Statement
The mission of Walnut Hill is to educate talented, accomplished and intellectually engaged young artists from all over the world. The School does so in a diverse, humane and ethical community.Summer and Academy Programs
Walnut Hill has an extensive summer program. National and international students come for between two and five weeks for intensive study in their arts discipline. Programs are offered in dance, theater, opera, and creative writing. Additional programs include Summer Youth Dance, for pre-high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
dancers, Summer Youth Visual Arts, and the Chinese Performing Arts Academy.
The summer dance and theater programs consist of a full five weeks in residence. The opera program spends a shorter amount of time at the Natick campus before traveling with their faculty to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, where they continue taking classes and tour areas historically associated with opera, and perform.
Walnut Hill also features the Academy program, a non-boarding afterschool arts program for students residing in the vicinity.
Traditions
Mountain DayMountain Day
Mountain Day is a traditional student celebration in which classes are cancelled without prior notice, and the student body heads to the mountains or a park.The day chosen is often a beautiful, crisp day when the fall foliage is in full color...
This tradition takes place in October and serves as a community-building event for the senior class. The entire class ascends one of the most hiked mountains in the world, Mount Monadnock. This event gives the students a sense of accomplishment and class spirit.
Class Night In early October, a special dinner honors seniors as they assume responsibility for leading and serving the School. After a reception, the entire School, seated by class, dines together. Seniors are served first. The Senior Class President and the Community Council President give speeches stating their goals and expectations for the year. Then, to symbolize their willingness to serve the community, seniors serve dessert to the entire School. Proper dress is required.
Senior Privileges Each November, seniors make their request for specific senior privileges through the Senior Class President. Typically, several of these are approved by the administration. Senior privileges are extended on the assumption that seniors have attained a level of maturity and self-discipline that will allow them to exercise their privileges wisely. If these privileges are abused, they will be revoked. Seniors whose grades fall markedly may have senior privileges rescinded by the Academic Dean.
Boar’s Head Procession/Holiday Dinner During December, Walnut Hill observes several holi–day festivities. These culminate in a formal dinner and Holiday Party the night before Winter Break begins. The dinner begins with a medieval ceremony, the Boar’s Head Procession, performed by leadership students. A senior—chosen by the faculty and senior class in recognition of his or her character and contribution to the School—leads the procession and sings the Boar’s Head song. Students are seated by dormitory. Proper dress is required.
Tree Day On a spring day, seniors invite faculty and students to participate in the Tree Day ceremony. The class tree is planted along with a penny with the year of the graduating class. The tree itself symbolizes the growth of the seniors within the School and their continued growth, contributions, and achievements after they leave the School. The Senior Class President reads a poem, and another class year is inscribed on the Tree Day shovel.
Ring Day One spring evening, the senior and junior classes meet for the Ring Day ceremony. At that time, the seniors pass the keeping of the School to the junior class. The seniors form a circle around the juniors, and one by one the juniors are called to take the place of the seniors, each receiving their School ring or pin. The Community Council President reads a poem, and seniors and juniors exchange places in the circle. Seniors are then inducted into the Alumni Association. Proper dress is required.
Senior Class Day All seniors in good standing are excused from classes one day in the spring so they can participate in a local group activity. Senior Class Day allows them to begin the process of separating from Walnut Hill while enjoying their final class trip of the year.
Candlelight Service Two days before Graduation, at dusk, the entire School assembles in the field by class—girls dressed in white, boys in all white as well for a candlelight ceremony. Seniors are the last to extinguish their candles, as one by one they say farewell to the School and to one another after singing the senior song. New Gold Key members are announced. The Community Council President and the Senior Class President speak.
Awards Night The evening before Graduation, the entire School, parents, and guests are invited to attend a presentation of new officers and the academic, arts, and character awards. Foremost among these are the Hester Davies Citizenship Cup, the Friendship Award, and the Arnold C. Taylor Award for Academic and Artistic Achievement.
Graduation Dance Following Awards Night, the Parents’ Association sponsors an all-School dance to allow an opportunity for community celebration.
Notable alumni
- Elizabeth BishopElizabeth BishopElizabeth Bishop was an American poet and short-story writer. She was the Poet Laureate of the United States from 1949 to 1950, a Pulitzer Prize winner in 1956 and a National Book Award Winner for Poetry in 1970. Elizabeth Bishop House is an artists' retreat in Great Village, Nova Scotia...
, Poet Laureate of the United StatesPoet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of CongressThe Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress—commonly referred to as the United States Poet Laureate—serves as the nation's official poet. During his or her term, the Poet Laureate seeks to raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of...
, 1949-1950. - Christian FinneganChristian FinneganFletcher Christian Finnegan , better known as Christian Finnegan, is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor based in New York City.-Early life:Finnegan was born in Albany, New York...
, stand-up comedian and actor - Van HansisVan HansisVan Hansis is an American actor. Hansis, who uses the name Van professionally, starred on the long-running CBS soap opera As the World Turns as Luke Snyder, the son of one of the show's signature supercouples, Holden and Lily Snyder ,...
- Judith HoagJudith HoagJudith Hoag is an American actress.She is perhaps best known for portraying April O'Neil in the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film, as well as in the 1998 feature film Armageddon...
, actress and acting teacher - Jovanna HuguetJovanna HuguetJovanna Huguet is a Canadian actress.Growing up in Vancouver, BC she trained as a ballet dancer. Training at the prestigious Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and the Walnut Hill School, in Natick, MA...
actress and dancer - Benny IbarraBenny IbarraBenny Ibarra De Llano is a singer, musician, producer and actor. He was born into a family of artists. His mother, Julissa, was a singer and actress in the 1960s; and his father, Benny, an actor and 1960s rock singer in the Mexican band Los Yaki.Benny Ibarra 's brother, Alejandro , was a singer...
, singer, musician, producer and actor - Jack McCollough, co-founder of Proenza SchoulerProenza SchoulerProenza Schouler is a New York based womenswear and accessories brand founded in 2002 by designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez. The duo met while studying at Parsons School of Design, collaborating on their senior thesis, which would eventually become their first collection as Proenza...
- Gillian MurphyGillian MurphyGillian Murphy is a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre.Murphy was born in Wimbledon, England and took her first ballet class at the age of three in Belgium while her father was working overseas...
, summer program alumna, Principle with American Ballet Theater - Matthew Risch, Joey in Pal Joey Broadway Revival, also on Broadway in Legally BlondeLegally BlondeLegally Blonde is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Robert Luketic, written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, and produced by Marc E. Platt...
and ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... - Sasha SokolSasha SokolSasha Sökol is a Mexican singer, composer, actress, and TV host. She has sold more than 5 million albums worldwide.-Biography:...
- Joan TowerJoan TowerJoan Tower is a Grammy-winning contemporary American composer, concert pianist and conductor. Lauded by the New Yorker as "one of the most successful woman composers of all time", her bold and energetic compositions have been performed in concert halls around the world...
, composer - Paige TurcoPaige TurcoJean Paige Turco is an American actress. She is known for playing April O'Neil in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III.-Early life:...
- Chris RiggiChris RiggiChristopher "Chris" Riggi is an American actor, best known for his role as Scott Rosson in the TV series Gossip Girl, and Jacob White in the Twilight Parody film, Vampires Suck, which was released in the US on August 18, 2010....
, actor, Scott Rosson on Gossip Girl - Mei-Ann ChenMei-Ann ChenMei-Ann Chen is a Taiwanese American conductor currently serving as music director of the Chicago Sinfonietta and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. She has been described as "one of the most dynamic young conductors in America". Encouraged by her parents, Chen began playing violin and piano at a...
, Assistant Conductor, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra - George LiGeorge LiGeorge Li , born August 24, 1995 in Boston, Massachusetts, is a Chinese-American pianist.- Career :Li has been performing publicly since the age of nine. He has been gaining attention as a significant recitalist, a chamber musician, and a soloist with orchestra. At the age of eleven, he performed...
(Current Student), Concert Pianist. - Charlie Neshyba-HodgesCharlie Neshyba-HodgesCharlie Neshyba-Hodges is a contemporary American dancer known for his unique ability to blend powerful and fluid dancing with tragicomic projection...
, Marty in Come Fly AwayCome Fly AwayCome Fly Away is a dance revue conceived, directed and choreographed by Twyla Tharp, around the songs of Frank Sinatra. The musical, set in a New York City nightclub, follows four couples as they look for love....
. - DaHv Daniels, rapper and pop singer
- Rachelle LefèvreRachelle LefèvreRachelle Lefevre is a Canadian actress. She has starred in the television series Big Wolf on Campus and had recurring roles in What About Brian, Boston Legal, and Swingtown. She played the vampire Victoria in the first two films of the Twilight saga, before being replaced by Bryce Dallas Howard...
, TV and Film Actress - Heather HemmensHeather HemmensHeather Hemmens is an American actress, film director and producer. She's most known for her role as Alice Verdura in The CW's recently cancelled drama, Hellcats.-Early life:Born to Costa Rican mother and Caucasian father...
, Alice Verdura in HellcatsHellcatsHellcats is an American cheerleading comedy-drama television series that originally aired on The CW in the United States from September 8, 2010 to May 17, 2011...
also attended the Walnut Hill School for the arts - Ralph FarrisRalph FarrisRalph Farris is an American violist, violinist, composer, arranger, producer and conductor. He specializes in new music and is a founding member of the string quartet ETHEL....
, string quartet ETHELEthel (string quartet)ETHEL is a New York based string quartet that was co-founded in 1998 by Ralph Farris, viola; Dorothy Lawson, cello; Todd Reynolds, violin; and Mary Rowell, violin. Unlike most string quartets, ETHEL plays with amplification and integrates improvisation into its performances...
Campus
Eliot is the largest building on campus; its second and third floors serve as a dormitory. It contains Boswell Hall, the Keefe Library, the dining hall, the student campus center and the school bookstore. The offices of the Dean of Students, the Director of Residential Life, and the Assistant Dean of Students are also housed in Eliot. Highland contains the offices of the Music Department and practice rooms (both regular and soundproof), the Visual Art studios, Pooke Gallery, Amelia Hall and Highland Dormitory. Stowe, in addition to being a dormitory, is the location of the switchboard and many administrative offices, including the Head of School's office, external relations and facilities.
Elizabeth Bishop Hall is the most recent addition to the campus. It began construction in the 2006-2007 school year and was completed in November of the 2007-2008 school year. This structure includes a dormitory as well as faculty apartments.