Cranford Fine and Performing Arts
Welcome Back to School,
Cranford Students!
2023-2024
"Performing Arts Students' of the Week"
Cranford High School 2023-2024
Amanda Simone - Instrumental Music
Upcoming Performances & Events
Cranford High School
Fall/Winter Events
CHS Opening Gala
Thursday, October 12 | 7:30pm
CHS Fall Play - "Little Women"
Friday, November 3 | 7:30pm
Saturday, November 4 | 7:30pm
CHS Winter Dance Showcase
Wednesday, December 6 | 7:30pm
CHS Winter Acting Showcase
Thursday, December 14 | 7:30pm
CHS Winter Choral and Orchestral Concert
Thursday, December 21st | 7:30pm
CHS Winter Band Concert and Art Show
Thursday, January 11th
Art Show: 6:30pm
Concert Start: 7:00pm
Cranford Middle Schools
Fall/Winter Events
Orange Avenue School Fall Play
Friday, October 27 | 7:30pm
Saturday, October 28 | 7:30pm
Sunday, October 29 | 2:00pm
Hillside Avenue School Fall Play
Friday, December 8| 7:00pm
Saturday, December 9 | 7:00pm
Sunday, December 10 | 2:00pm
Orange Avenue School Middle School Instrumental Concert
Band & Orchestra
Orange Avenue School Choral Concert
Elementary & Middle School
Hillside Avenue Middle School Concert
Chorus
Hillside Avenue Middle School Concert
Band, Jazz Band & Orchestra
*Please refer to the weekly elementary school newsletters for
K-5 Fine and Performing Arts events.
Arts in the Community
SPOTLIGHT ON ART
Former CPS Teacher and Artist connects with the Fine Arts Department
Earlier this year, June Brown, a former CPS teacher and Julie Murphy, made a connection with someone who would donate a floor loom to the CHS Fine Arts Department. After its delivery Ms. Brown and other volunteers spent numerous hours getting the loom to work after 40 years of storage. She then met with students in the crafts classes and demonstrated how to prepare the material for weaving.
Ms. Brown modeled how to use the loom and then assisted students in the process. Afterwards, the students viewed projections of Ms. Brown’s three dimensional weaving, which was showcased at the Newark Museum. During the presentation students learned about the meaning of her artwork, which prompted many inquiries. They also discussed an upcoming project where they will be using recycled materials. This will be a collaborative weaving for any CHS students who want to be involved.
Ms. Barkin (CHS Crafts Teacher), says that her goal is to have the work displayed in the school when it is completed.
Congratulations to Erin Bradford who was awarded HONORABLE MENTION in the New Jersey State Bar Foundation’s Courtroom Artist Contest for 2023!
Fresh Perspectives 2023 Selections
Congratulations to the following students whose artwork has been selected for presentation at Fresh Perspectives 2023, a juried high school art on-line virtual gallery and curated exhibition hosted by the Morris Museum, Morristown, NJ February 18 through May 14, 2023.
Kori Burns
Paige Fiore
Audrey McMahon
Orange Avenue School Art Service Club
Miss Berk, Ms. Baillod and the Art Service Club started their annual mural outside the library. Students will be painting abstract shapes and then transforming the shapes into animated GIFs revealing school related drawings. This interactive mural will be using traditional and modern art techniques. Stay tuned!
February 2023
CHS Fine Arts student wins contest
Congratulations to Audrey McMahon, winner of the 2022 Spotlight on Cranford Teen Artists contest!
*Sponsored by Sharon Stone, Real Estate Agent
Cranford Scarecrow Stroll
Congratulations to Lincoln School on winning first place in the 2022 Cranford Scarecrow Stroll contest-Schools & Organizations Category.
Lincoln School Art Teacher- Maria Polyviou
Art in Action at
Orange Avenue Middle School!
Crafts Masterclass with Marianne Jennings
Marianne Jennings, a metalsmith and CHS alumna continues to stay connected and support her alma mater. Jennings learned of a competition from Potter USA and shared her story of how Cranford High School helped guide her decision to pursue a passion of working with metal. She told her story and, in the process, won the fine arts department a twenty-ton hydraulic press, used for stamping or embossing metal.
Jennings recently worked with the Advanced Crafts students and showed them how to use the machine. She also showed examples of how she’s used the hydraulic press to create her own pieces. She gave each student a copper disk and they chose an impression to stamp. The students will enamel their impressions and use it in a piece of jewelry during the course.
CHS Fine Arts student wins contest
Congratulations to CHS Fine Art student Audrey Esteves, whose painting of @delice_macarons won the Spotlight on Cranford Teen Artists contest! (Spring 2022)
SPOTLIGHT ON MUSIC
Hillside Avenue School
Mr. Alex Bickard, Double Bassist for the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, visits Hillside Avenue School.
Students in the HAS Orchestra program participated in a master class, engaged in a Q&A, and had an opportunity to play their repertoire with Mr. Bickard.
During the master class Mr. Bickard also played and discussed music from Bach and Koussevitsky.
January 2023
SPOTLIGHT ON THEATRE
CHS Acting Student wins award
2022 Senior, Bailey Croft, was awarded a Prestigious New Jersey Governor's Award in Arts Education.
Join the Friends of Performing Arts!
Support performing arts programming throughout Cranford Public Schools.