AP Music Theory is an advanced level course engaging students in learning activities centered around music analysis and composition. This course is designed to develop a student’s ability to recognize, understand, and describe the fundamental elements and processes of music. Students will develop listening skills through ear training and sight-reading exercises, as well as writing skills through score study analysis and composition. Although this course focuses on music of the Common Practice Period (1600 – 1900), other styles and genres are also studied. Placement in the course is determined by the Arts department.

Arts Elective

After a brief review of Konstantin Stanislavski's technique, we focus on the Sanford Meisner acting technique through improvisational "repetition" exercises and scene work. For the second half of the year, we apply improvisation, character analysis and scene analysis techniques to a small ensemble piece to be performed in late spring.

This year-long class is available only to students who have completed Introduction to Acting Technique or those who have been granted special permission by the instructor.

This experiential studio course will help students develop the tools they need for theatrical performance. Using an ensemble approach, students will discover that voice, body and mind work together to tell a story and bring a character to life. Students will workshop and perform scenes using the Stanislavski and Meisner techniques and produce a full-length play in the fall. In the second half of the year, students will write and act in our One-Act festival. The class will attend a number of productions at local theatres throughout the year and participate in workshops with guest artists. They will also have the opportunity to attend the New York State Theatre Education Association Student Conference. Placement in the course is determined by the Arts department.

Building on the first year of Advanced Acting, students will be challenged to dig deeper into the Meisner Technique through improvisation and scene work and expand on vocal and physical technique through the work of Laban, Lessac and Bogart. They will take on leadership roles in the fall production, helping to mentor younger actors in the ensemble. In the second half of the year students will be encouraged to take on director roles on our One-Act festival in addition to acting and writing. The class will attend a number of productions at local theatres throughout the year and participate in workshops with guest artists. They will also have the opportunity to attend the New York State Theatre Education Association Student Conference. Only students who have taken Advanced Acting are eligible for this full-year course.

Building on the second year of Advanced Acting, students will be challenged to dig deeper into the Meisner Technique through improvisation and scene work, and expand on vocal and physical technique through the work of Laban, Lessac and Bogart. Students will take on leadership roles in the fall production, helping to mentor younger actors in the ensemble. We will spend time on audition repertoire and technique to prepare students for college theatre. In the second half of the year students will be encouraged to take on director roles in our One-Act festival in addition to acting and writing. The class will attend a number of productions at local theatre throughout the year and participate in workshops with guest artists. They will also have the opportunity to attend the New York State Theatre Education Association Student Conference. Prerequisite: Advanced Acting and Performance Technique II.

A year-long commitment, Advanced Choir students work within the choir taking on extra responsibilities and leadership roles. This pathway acknowledges the additional time commitment and work product of students serving as section leaders and/or cabinet members as well as those preparing for All-County and NYS conferences. This designation is reserved for Junior and Seniors who have demonstrated leadership and musicianship skills in at least one previous year of experience/enrollment in Nichols Choir. Admission is determined by the Arts Department.

This course builds upon Exploring Concepts in Art and Design, creating a pathway for students focused on visual arts with a particular emphasis on two-dimensional media. Students will deepen their engagement with assignments, take on leadership roles, and mentor younger artists, all while expanding their perception of the world and how to express it through their unique artistic voices. Through an immersive exploration of various media and techniques, including drawing, painting, printmaking, mixed media, and experimental art forms, students will tackle larger themes from multiple angles to produce a rich and personal portfolio. The studio space encourages creative risk-taking, and calculated experimentation, pushing the boundaries of concept, medium, and technique. Conceptual course themes may include interpreting space, connecting with the natural world, exploring narrative voice, and examining identity. This course is ideal for students eager to engage deeply with the creative process and is highly recommended for those who wish to create a portfolio but do not wish to pursue AP Art and Design. Prerequisite: Exploring Concepts in Art and Design.

A year-long commitment, Advanced Choir students work within the choir taking on extra responsibilities and leadership roles. This pathway acknowledges the additional time commitment and work product of students serving as section leaders and/or cabinet members as well as those preparing for All-County and NYS conferences. This designation is reserved for Junior and Seniors who have demonstrated leadership and musicianship skills in at least one previous year of experience/enrollment in Nichols Choir. Placement in the course is determined by the Arts department.

For Grades 9-12

A year-long commitment, Advanced Contemporary Dance is for students who have previous training and often find it difficult to balance a full commitment to the after-school dance program and their outside competition studios. The class meets during X period.

The advanced dance class has three goals:

• To develop students who enter the Upper School and have extensive previous training and a passion for dance.
• To offer an elite performing ensemble as part of the Nichols dance program.
• To allow these students opportunities to learn contemporary dance techniques that they will encounter in collegiate programs.

Curriculum will include learning and performing advanced and professional dance repertiore in the fall, choreographic lessons and creation in the winter and subtle somatic techniques and awareness of choreographic forms in the spring. Students will collaborate and view experimental choreographic examples throughout the year. Assessment will include performing in the Fall Dance Concert, the Choreographers' Showcase, school meetings and/or peer teaching opportunities.

This course challenges students to use the tools of digital filmmaking in the production of original, creative, and thought-provoking work. The use of digital video cameras, lighting, microphones, audio editing software, video editing software and post production techniques are introduced and taught through projects. Students are asked to produce several short original works in a range of genres that include animation, narrative, experimental, documentary and performance/video art. In addition to making films, video and audio works, the class spends time watching and analyzing a variety of films and videos by local, national, and international artists. In the spring, the class curates and produces the Flick Fest, an annual film festival that features work from Western New York and Southern Ontario student filmmakers. Students in the class will work to launch the festival at the North Park Theatre. Prerequisite: Filmmaking I. Placement in the course is determined by the Arts department.

Advanced Photography will build on the Photography I curriculum but is a class for students that have a serious interest in photography even though they may not have any experience with formal photographic techniques. Students in the Advanced Photography class will have additional coursework assigned and move a bit more quickly through the technical strategies involved in traditional and digital photography. As a final project the Advanced Photography students will be required to complete an in-depth investigation on one topic. The Advanced Photography class will emphasize building a portfolio of work and is a suggested pre-requisite for the AP Art and Design class. Prerequisites: Photography I. Placement in the course is determined by the Arts department.

A year-long commitment, Advanced String Orchestra is open to 11th-12th grade string players who have demonstrated advanced musical proficiency and high character in leadership. Working within the String Orchestra, Advanced members will perform the same literature, but explore the music, technique and theoretical analysis in greater depth and detail. Advanced students will assume leadership roles within the ensemble leading sectionals, assuming cabinet positions or engaging in organizational performance management, and they will interact with the broader community as a Nichols Music Ambassador. Students will perform in student-led chamber ensembles in lieu of a lesson lab. Placement in the course is determined by the Arts department.

A year-long commitment, Advanced String Orchestra is open to 11th-12th grade string players who have demonstrated advanced musical proficiency and high character in leadership. Working within the Wind Symphony, Advanced members will perform the same literature, but explore the music, technique and theoretical analysis in greater depth and detail. Advanced students will assume leadership roles within the ensemble leading sectionals, assuming cabinet positions or engaging in organizational performance management, and they will interact with the broader community as a Nichols Music Ambassador. Students will perform in student-led chamber ensembles in lieu of a lesson lab. Admission is determined by the Arts Department.

A year-long commitment, Advanced Wind Symphony is open to 11th-12th grade Woodwind, Brass and Percussion players who have demonstrated advanced musical proficiency and high character in leadership. Working within the Wind Symphony, Advanced members will perform the same literature, but explore the music, technique and theoretical analysis in greater depth and detail. Advanced students will assume leadership roles within the ensemble leading sectionals, assuming cabinet positions or engaging in organizational performance management, and they will interact with the broader community as a Nichols Music Ambassador. Students will perform in student-led chamber ensembles in lieu of a lesson lab. Placement in the course is determined by the Arts department.

This rigorous studio-based course is designed for students committed to an immersive and disciplined art-making practice. It emphasizes creativity, conceptual exploration, and technical refinement through the creation of a Drawing, 2-D Art and Design, or 3-D Art and Design portfolio. Students will develop mastery in concept, composition, and execution, producing over 15 works, including a cohesive body of work for the Sustained Investigation section of the AP portfolio and a curation of their best works for the Selected Works portion of the portfolio. Students will expand their technical skills, experiment with media, and refine their personal vision, becoming independent thinkers who contribute critically and inventively to their culture. Through the investigation of themes such as body image, politics, environmental conservation, and gender, students will explore connections between art, culture, and critical issues. Emphasis is placed on art-making as an iterative process, cycling between informed decision-making, problem-solving, and the application of design principles and visual elements. The course requires students to document their artistic process and articulate their ideas effectively in their portfolios. AP Art and Design can be taken multiple times, as long as a different portfolio is submitted. Placement in the course is determined by the Arts department.

Arts Elective for Grades 11 and 12

This is a course for juniors and seniors with limited hands-on experience, but an interest in making. Through the introduction of fine craft, students explore carving, forming, sewing, printing, and weaving both utilitarian and decorative objects over the course of this year-long arts elective. Students actively create individual and group-designed projects within a supportive and collaborative class community. Shorter projects introduce new concepts and build confidence before applying these ideas to extended student-driven works. Emphasis is placed on the exploration of materials to express ideas. Students are introduced to multicultural and historical means of art making and exposed to local artistic resources through multiple field trips throughout the year. Printmaking, fiber, sculpture and installation are explored in the creation of both two- and three-dimensional projects. A visual journal is also kept.

A year-long commitment, Nichols Choir is an ensemble requiring rigor, joy and a commitment to growth and collaboration. The class is open to all Upper School students interested in developing their own voices within the context of a larger group experience. Emphasis is placed on the development of vocal skills, beginning sight singing techniques, and music listening skills. Additionally, students will explore a variety of musical styles from different perspectives, cultures and historical periods. Placement in the course is determined by the Arts department and includes an audition.

A year-long commitment, Nichols Choir is an ensemble requiring rigor, joy and a commitment to growth and collaboration. The class is open to all Upper School students interested in developing their own voices within the context of a larger group experience. Emphasis is placed on the development of vocal skills, beginning sight singing techniques, and music listening skills. Additionally, students will explore a variety of musical styles from different perspectives, cultures and historical periods. Placement in the course is determined by the Arts department and includes an audition.

In this class you will explore a variety of art mediums while learning about artists from Buffalo and the surrounding area.  A quarter of the year will be dedictaed to working with clay, where you will get hands-on experience with the pottery wheel and hand building.  You'll keep a sketchbook journal, experiment with new materials, and focus on creating artwok that's more about expressing yourself than being "good at art". We'll look at how local artists - past and present - use their voices through art, and you'll have the chance to do the same.  Whether you're passionate about art or just looking to try something new, this is a space to make, explore and be creative.

In this class you will explore a variety of art mediums while learning about artists from Buffalo and the surrounding area.  A quarter of the year will be dedictaed to working with clay, where you will get hands-on experience with the pottery wheel and hand building.  You'll keep a sketchbook journal, experiment with new materials, and focus on creating artwok that's more about expressing yourself than being "good at art". We'll look at how local artists - past and present - use their voices through art, and you'll have the chance to do the same.  Whether you're passionate about art or just looking to try something new, this is a space to make, explore and be creative.

This hands-on studio course offers students the opportunity to enhance their artistic skills through an immersive exploration of various media and techniques, including drawing, painting, printmaking, mixed media, and experimental art media. Focused on fostering creativity and encouraging calculated risk-taking, students will gain confidence in their artistic voices while advancing their technical expertise. By understanding art as a means of communication, students will engage in the richness of multiple interpretations and be encouraged to use their work as a platform for expressing unique perspectives and messages. Through innovative projects and thoughtful discussions, students will analyze how different materials and techniques shape their artistic expressions. This course is ideal for students who are eager to engage deeply with the creative process and is highly recommended for those considering enrollment in AP Art and Design.

Arts Elective for Grades 11 and 12

This course embraces multiple approaches to a topic by pushing the boundaries of medium and technique to explore ideas through visual communication. Students develop observational skills, explore expressive mark making, use color theory and gain hands-on experience while creating a diverse and content-rich portfolio. Multiple mediums are explored which may include various types of graphite, ink, printmaking, watercolor crayons, acrylic paint and charcoal as well as more experimental mediums. Students participate in classroom discussions, critiques and group activities in addition to creating individual projects and keeping a visual journal. Students may participate in one or more art service projects as part of the curriculum. Shorter projects introduce new concepts and build confidence before applying these ideas to extended student-driven works. Conceptual units may include ideas of identity/portraiture, time/motion and space. Students are introduced to multicultural and historical means of art making and are exposed to local artistic resources through multiple field trips throughout the year and workshops with visiting artists.

Arts Elective for Grades 11 and 12

This course challenges students to use the tools of digital filmmaking in the production of original, creative and thought-provoking work. The use of digital video cameras, lighting, microphones, audio editing software, video editing software and post-production techniques are introduced and taught through projects. Students are asked to produce several short original works in a range of genres that include animation, narrative, experimental, documentary and performance/video art. In order to better understand time-based media, super 8mm film production, wet processing and hand coloring are explored. 

In addition to making films, video and audio works, the class spends time looking and analyzing a variety of films and videos by local, national and international artists. In the spring the class curates and produces the Flick Fest, an annual film festival that features work from Western New York and Southern Ontario student filmmakers. The students in the class work to launch the festival at the North Park Theatre. 

Suggested prerequisites for this course are sophomore art electives Visual Thinking and Community.

In this course students will use artmaking to express their experiences in the world. We will concentrate on the use of motion picture processes. An emphasis is placed on time-based art making techniques such as performance, animation, film, video, photography, and projection. Skills introduced include stop filmmaking editing using various software, digital animation using photoshop, and exploring digital filmmaking using camera phones or DSLR cameras. The goal for each project is for the student to gain experience with a new or familiar material, develop a strategy for completing a piece of artwork, and to incorporate a personal touch, a contemporary art reference, and/or a contemporary cultural or scientific concept into their production. Filmmaking can be a long and involved process and it will take time for students to complete some of their longer works, the skills involved in storyboarding and time management will be learned and essential in this course. Students in this class, whether in the fall or the spring, will be required to participate in our annual Flick Fest which happens in the spring.

Arts Elective for Grade 12

This course builds on the Filmmaking and Video Production 1 class and further challenges students to use the tools of digital filmmaking in the production of original, creative and thought-provoking work. The Advanced Filmmaking and Video Production 2 class explores the process and craft of screenwriting. The students analyze existing screenplays and critique the resulting films during the first weeks of the course. The students write an original screenplay for a short narrative work in the first quarter. During the second quarter, they produce their own original work using students in the Filmmaking and Video Production 1 class as their crew. In the spring, the class experiments with 8mm film and video installation. Students also curate and produce the Flick Fest, an annual film festival that features work from Western New York and Southern Ontario student filmmakers. The students in the class work to launch the festival at North Park Theatre. 

Prerequisites for this course are permission of the instructor, sophomore art electives Visual Thinking and Community, or Filmmaking and Video Production 1. This course must be taken concurrently with the senior English elective Criticism I.

In this course, students will explore the fundamentals of drawing and painting mediums. Through a wide range of mediums—including graphite, charcoal, ink, watercolor, and acrylic paints—students will develop both foundational skills and experimental methods in drawing and painting. Focusing on observational drawing, expressive mark-making, and color theory, the course emphasizes creative risk-taking and skill-building. Students will engage with multicultural and historical perspectives on art-making, as well as local artistic resources, to deepen their understanding of how materials and techniques shape artistic expression. Through hands-on projects, students will learn essential techniques in color, form, space, mark-making, encouraging students to communicate ideas both objectively and subjectively, fostering a dynamic relationship between process and personal vision.

In this course, students will explore the fundamentals of 3D Design using a variety of non-clay materials to push the boundary of 3D art and design. Students will be encouraged to think critically about the relationship between 2D and 3D spaces, as they move from initial drawings and plans to fully realized sculptures. Throughout the course, students will explore core design principles such as balance, proportion, texture, and spatial awareness in both two and three dimensions. By blending 2D and 3D approaches, students will sharpen their artistic techniques while learning to solve complex design challenges. Emphasizing creativity and innovation, students will engage with materials such as wood, metal, cardboard, paper and found objects to create sculptural works that express their unique artistic voices. Through hands-on projects, students will learn essential techniques in structure, form, texture, and space, while developing critical skills in design thinking and problem solving.

Arts Elective

Students engage in exercises that focus on building a character vocally, physically and psychologically. Acting exercises created by theatre greats like Jacques LeCoq, Konstantin Stanislavski, Uta Hagen and others are explored through improvisation and prepared performance projects. Students also apply Stanislavski's character and scene analysis techniques to short elliptical scenes from 20th and 21st century American Theatre. Film acting is also explored. 

Suggested prerequisites for this course are Foundations of the Arts: Play Making and Play Building.

Students engage in exercises that focus on building a character vocally, physically, and psychologically. Acting exercises created by theatre greats Jacques LeCoq, Konstantin Stanislavski, Uta Hagen, and others are explored through improvisation and prepared performance projects. Students apply Stanislavski’s character and scene analysis techniques to monologues, short elliptical scenes, and scenes from 20th and 21st century American Theatre. Film acting is also explored.

This class is designed to improve flexibility, coordination, and a deeper awareness of posture, alignment, anatomical structure and somatic movement. These skills are used by elite athletes to increase their skill and as a method of cross training. The class does not include a performance requirement for assessment.

For Grades 9-12

A year-long commitment, Orchestra is open to players of string, wind, brass and percussion instruments who have demonstrated proficiency on their instrument. Music from baroque, classical, romantic and the Modern era is performed. Developing aesthetic sensitivity, the proper technique, timing, tone and interpretation are stressed. Each student is evaluated in a weekly lesson lab. Performances include a minimum of two instrumental concerts.

The Jazz Band, an extracurricular activity, meets twice weekly after school to prepare for performances throughout the year.

Arts Elective for Grades 11 and 12

The photography course takes the application of image reproduction and photographic techniques and applies them to the very simple and complex techniques available to us. The course starts with black-and-white traditional darkroom photography for the first quarter, branching out in the second, third and fourth quarters to introduce digital imaging, electronic transmission, studio photography, photojournalism and image analysis and criticism. Emphasis is placed on development of a photographic portfolio that includes at least 25 quality works.

Students are encouraged to have either a 35mm camera or a digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera for this class.

In this course, students will use artmaking to express their experiences in the world. Together the class will learn how the camera helps us see. The class will explore different photographic processes ranging from simple digital photo projects to more complex and challenging works done with SLR cameras. The course will introduce a variety of techniques including hand processing negatives in the darkroom, experimenting with cyanotype printing, and exploring digital photography using camera phones or DSLR cameras, and using various software. Each project is designed for students to gain experience with new materials and techniques, develop strategies for completing original artwork, and to incorporate a personal touch, a contemporary art reference, and/or a scientific concept into their production. The class includes field trips to local art centers and street photography along with a meditation on the role of visual art in the community.

Arts Elective for Grade 10

This class is open to any student who enjoys popular American music. Students will foster their own personal musical style while developing skills in melody, harmony, music theory and arranging and writing lyrics. Students are not required to know how to play an instrument to take this course. Other class time will be spent in creative activities and discussion, listening to and discussing American popular music since 1950, and working to understand songwriting fundamentals and the connection between emotion, imagination and song.

We will use GarageBand, instruments, iPads, voices and ther technological devices to record, create and arrange music. Students should expect to participate in group discussions, group projects, individual presentations, reading and article evaluations and field trips to evaluate and discuss the evolution of music in America.

A year-long commitment, Orchestra is open to entering 9th grade players of string instruments, as well as 10th-12th grade students as a continuation of ensemble based musical exploration and performance. Developing aesthetic sensitivity, philosophy of Art, cultural anthropology, proper left- and right-hand technique, timing, tone, interpretation, and cultural context are stressed. Emphasis is placed on collaboration, critical thinking, theoretical analysis, and a deeper understanding of ensemble-based synergy. Orchestral literature is varied and challenging, ranging from classical western art music to popular/cinematic styles. Specialized modules and individual musicianship evaluations will occur in a weekly lesson lab. Performances include a minimum of two instrumental concerts.

Arts Elective for Grade 12

This full-year course focuses on each student practicing creativity and taking a hands-on approach to the processes used by creative role models in many fields. This course is for seniors who have not had a junior year of arts or who have limited experience. Projects and class activities that encourage creative collaboration between peers is a fundamental method of learning. This interdisciplinary course provides the students with opportunities to engage in many creative projects. Additionally, students practice yoga fundamentals and stress reduction techniques. A relaxed mind is a creative mind. Artistic journaling, jewelry making, and reading about the creative process and creative individuals show students that we are all creative and have more unrecognized or unexplored skills to express these ideas than we realize. Creativity found in the arts, science, writing and leadership is explored through media and internet resources.

A year-long commitment, Wind Symphony is open to 9th grade players of Woodwind, Brass and Percussion instruments, as well as 10th-12th grade students as a continuation of ensemble based musical exploration and performance. Developing aesthetic sensitivity, philosophy of Art, cultural anthropology, proper embouchure technique and finger dexterity, timing, tone, interpretation and cultural context are stressed. Emphasis is placed on collaboration, critical thinking, theoretical analysis and a deeper understanding of ensemble-based synergy. Wind literature is varied and challenging, ranging from classical western art music to popular/cinematic styles. Specialized modules and individual musicianship evaluations will occur in a weekly lesson lab. Performances include a minimum of two instrumental concerts.