Explore The Arts at The Potomac School

On October 23, the Upper School Madrigal Singers joined ensembles from Bullis, GDS, Holton-Arms, Landon, Maret, National Cathedral, Saint Albans, and Sidwell Friends Schools to present the 26th annual Vocal Ensembles Night. Potomac sang Cantate Domino by Baroque composer Giuseppe Pitoni and Cindy Lauper's 1986 anthem True Colors featuring soloist Alex Martin '25. 

Clay Food Looks Good Enough to Eat: Colorful and realistic-looking sculptures made by the Class of 2029 are currently on view in the IS Commons. These pieces were created last spring and then, this fall, were glazed and fired. To understand form, shape, color, and dimension, the students made sculptures of everyday food, such as hamburgers, sushi, ice cream, pie and cake, noodles, fruit, and more. According to teacher Hillary Steel, the goal was to teach observational skills and trompe-l'oeil, the technique of creating art that, at first glance, looks real and "fools the eye." The exhibit will remain in the IS Commons through most of October.

IS Tapestry Weavings: The Class of 2029 is proud to invite you to look at the weavings completed at the end of their Art 7 class last spring. The tapestries can be seen in the hallway between the Commons and the IS art room. Students will explore tapestry weaving again in Art 8.

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.