Explore The Arts at The Potomac School

This past weekend, Potomac Upper School theatre students presented the iconic Broadway musical Hairspray to record-breaking crowds! The musical blended students of all co-curriculars for the first time in Potomac School history and even included a live student pit band on stage! The musical was a tremendous success, leaving the audiences dancing out of the Langstaff Auditorium after every performance! Seniors taking their last Potomac bow on stage as performers, musicians, or working technical roles were Rachel Nelson, Jack Morgan, Elis Germanis, Graeme Evans, Isabella Sequar, and Katherine Kanner-Bitteti. View the gallery here.

Last weekend, the Upper School Band and Jazz Band traveled to Nashville, TN, where they showcased their talent at the Heritage Music Festival alongside bands from across the nation. The Jazz Band's performance earned them first place in their division and a prestigious gold rating. The Concert Band also secured first place in their division, with a silver rating. 

Highlighting the individual brilliance within our bands, two outstanding soloists from Potomac's Jazz Band were recognized for their exceptional talent. Lauren Hilliard ’25, on saxophone, and Jack Morgan ’24, on drums, took home these prestigious awards! Beyond the competition, our students immersed themselves in the rich musical heritage of Nashville. They explored the captivating exhibits at The African American Music Museum, experienced a show at the Grand Ole Opry, and stepped into the legendary RCA Studio B for an unforgettable tour and recording session in the same space where legends like Elvis Presley and Dolly Parton recorded their hits. Congratulations to our Upper School Band and Jazz Band for their outstanding success at the Heritage Music Festival!

Last night, the Upper School Madrigal Singers participated in the 34th Washington Independent Schools Choral Festival at Washington National Cathedral. Nine independent schools presented individual and mass pieces. The concert’s finale was Mozart’s Kyrie, K 125; 300 singers and a chamber orchestra under the direction of Mr. Jerry Rich featured Potomac soloists Lin Baker ‘24 and Alex Martin ‘25, as well as Potomac instrumentalists Noah Altschuler ‘25, Charlotte Gabriel ‘25, and Hugh Kanner-Bitetti ‘25.

Last Friday, students in Honors Art History, Painting, and VPAC visited two major museums, The National Gallery of Art and The Phillips Collection. At The National Gallery, Art History students engaged in a "conversation with a painting," closely examining works they chose from the outstanding Baroque collections and reflecting on subject matter, techniques, aesthetic impact, historical influences, and social implications. All students also had time to explore East and West buildings independently in an unhurried way. At The Phillips Collection, we toured their current landmark exhibition, Bonnard's Worlds, enjoying that innovative artist's radiant use of color. 

The Upper School Ensemble Theatre class took the runway this week in their annual Recycled Materials Costume Design show! Students in Mrs. Fisher-Phillips's Ensemble Theatre class have been studying costume design and construction. After weeks of designing and crafting, they ended their unit with a full-fledged runway show. Well done, designers and models! 

Congratulations to the cast and crew of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Their performances over the weekend showed the wide range of talent here at Potomac. Read the preview of the show from The Current, written by Trevor Nelson ’27 and Brandon Mayrhofer ’27. Please view the photo gallery.

Seventh grade art students created block print portraits of civil rights leaders in honor of Black History Month. Students reviewed and learned about these activists before making their selection. First, they drew a portrait from a photo, adapted that drawing to the block print process, carved out the block print, and then made a variety of prints. Some of the prints also included collages. Their works are on display in the EPAC lobby as part of the Black History Month Art Show.

Last month, 25 Upper School band students auditioned for the VBODA District 12 Honor Band, competing against 500 of the top high school band students across Fairfax County. Alex Davis ‘25 (percussion), Brandon Mayrhofer ‘27 (euphonium), and Vivienne Evans ‘27 (oboe) earned spots in the Honors Symphonic Band. The All-District Band event was held this past weekend, where all the students came together and rehearsed for three days under the direction of Dr. Scott Jones of The Ohio State University, then performed a concert at Oakton High School. Congratulations to our band students for their incredible performance.

Four Potomac band students were also selected by director recommendations to participate in the Virginia Tech Honors Band earlier in January. Jack Morgan ‘24 (percussion), Davis, Cliff Kanner-Bitetti ‘25, and Mayrhofer represented Potomac at the event. Once students were on campus, they auditioned for band placement, and all Potomac students made the top ensemble under the direction of Dr. Derek Shapiro.