Summer Arts Institutes

Acting Studio: Audition Clinic – Jonathan Ziese, Assistant Professor of Theatre

Students will learn how to find acting work for film, tv, and the stage; and will learn techniques for preparation and the audition itself. Topics covered will be headshots, theatrical resumes, cold and hot reads, on-camera technique, making strong choices; and students will get realistic experience with the whole process.

From Concept to Content: Online Creations in Music and Sound – Heidi Jensen Vising, Assistant Professor of Music & Sarah Turner, MFA ‘23

This summer workshop will explore aesthetic techniques toward making artistic and musical internet ‘content,’ while theoretically considering the ethical implications of social media platforms. Students will work with faculty to choose a topic/concept then create music-based content which may take numerous forms, live and/or recorded performance, digital audio composition, podcast, or sound art piece. Since the content is designed for presentation on the internet (via personal websites, YouTube, Instagram etc.) techniques like, lighting, microphone usage and placement, basic Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), and Audio to video syncing will be skills explored.

*Materials fee $25

Painting and Nature – Zihao Chen, MFA ‘23

Students will work in the natural beauty of the Alfred University Campus to engage in a process of painting that moves beyond perception. Students will work from observation to abstraction to analyze their surroundings.  Multiple materials, techniques, color theories, and styles in painting will be employed.

*Materials fee $125

Visual Art Portfolio Institute – Mary Johnson, Director of Foundations

This is an intensive summer institute for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors preparing portfolios for art school admissions and for those thinking about entering an art program. Throughout the institute, we will identify students’ concepts and skills to work on to strengthen their portfolios.

This institute session will focus on color. Students will use a wide variety of materials to learn through experience how color interacts with material and form to create experiences for viewers. Students will create a minimum of 2 finished works for their portfolios, as well as be introduced to artwork planning and development. Both 2D and 3D formats will be explored. Work documentation for portfolio presentation will be covered.

*Materials fee $100

Beginning 3D Printing for Artists & Engineers – Tomas Penc, MFA ‘23

Students will learn the basics of 3D printing and scanning.

Transform designs into physical reality through 3-D Printing. You’ll build a foundation in 3D modeling, starting from your initial sketch and printing them out into tactile objects. All levels welcome.

*Materials fee $100

High School Portfolio Institute – Kathy Vajda, Clinical Assistant Professor

This is an intensive summer institute for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors preparing portfolios for art school admissions and for those thinking about entering an art program. The four and a half days will identify students’ concepts and skills to work on to strengthen their portfolios.

Each day will include a morning session devoted to drawing and an afternoon session in which students convert drawings into a collage in preparation for a relief print. Each student will print a small edition of relief prints. One of the 12” x 12” relief prints will be combined with all the other prints from the group into a larger print. Optional evening work sessions will also be offered.

Finally, students will be instructed on how to document their work.

*Materials fee $50/student

Vocal Performance Institute – Christine Perotta Ziese, Adjunct Instructor of Music

A weeklong intensive where participants will learn the practical application of vocal techniques, breath support, posture, diction, and projection to improve the strength of the body, ease of vocal use, and confidence in using the singing voice as a means of expression.

Participants should expect to also learn a complete vocal warmup, have harmful habits identified and given exercises for their improvement, articulation exercises, vocal audition techniques, and one song that will be at performance level by week’s end. Each participant should be prepared to sing a song of their choosing to present acapella the first morning of the institute.