South Carolina Governor's School For The Arts & Humanities

The South Carolina Governor's School For the Arts & Humanities (SCGSAH) is a public residential high school in Greenville, South Carolina which opened in 1998 to serve the artistically gifted students of the state by providing pre-professional instruction in five art areas: visual arts, music (vocal and instrumental), drama, dance, and creative writing. The school attempts to challenge its students academically. Among American public high schools, the SCGSAH has ranked as high as 136 by Newsweek Magazine. It consistently ranks in the top 500 high school nation-wide.

The residential program at SCGSAH accepts juniors and seniors. Exceptions are made for dance, which accepts students from all four years, and music, which accepts exceptional sophomores.

All prospective students applying to the residential or summer programs must be accepted through a formal application process before enrollment.




History

In 1980, South Carolina's Governor Richard W. Riley issued an executive order establishing the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities. It was held each summer as an intensive, state-funded arts enrichment program on the campus of Furman University.

Dr. Virginia Uldrich acted as the long time director of the Furman-based summer program. She lobbied for the formation of a high school where a nine month, residential program could be held, along with additional summer programs and teacher institutes. The state legislature agreed to directing $14,000,000 towards the building of the school if additional funds were raised from private donors.

In 1999, campus only partially completed, the school opened for its first academic year. The campus was named in Virginia Uldrich's honor. She acted as the school's first president.




Campus

The campus of the SCGSAH is situated on eight and a half acres above the Reedy River Falls Park in downtown Greenville, South Carolina. The Campus includes an academic building and residential hall. The school has two performance halls, The Smith Recital Hall, and the Sakas Theatre. Smith is the cite of most music performances, while Sakas is used for Drama productions. There is also an outdoor aphitheatre on campus.

The campus is designed to mimic an Italian village.

The campus is credited with inspiring the revitalization of Downtown Greenville's West End. After the building of the SCGSAH, the Reedy River Falls Park was created in what was before a crime-riddled area, covered by an overpassing bridge.

The campus is named in honor of Dr. Virginia Uldrich who acted as the school's first president, and lobbied for the school's formation.




Audition
High school sophomores who are residents of South Carolina may audition for any of the art areas. 8th, 9th, and 10th graders may apply for dance. Students displaying an exceptional propensity in music may apply as ninth graders. Creative writers, dramatist, and visual artists may apply as tenth graders and attend for their Junior and Senior year. SCGSAH does not charge tuition. There is however a $3,000 dollar meal plan which must be purchased by all entering residential students. Full or partial scholarships are available for those who cannot afford this cost. Around 25% of students attending the school receive financial assistance.

There is a formal admissions review based on academic, artistic and extra-curricular achievements. In general, the artistic skills of an individual will be given the most weight during the review process. Each department has its own application supplements. Every applicant must submit an essay on a topic chosen each year by the admissions committee, a high school transcript, and two teacher recommendations. Standardized testing is not used during the review process.




Music
The aim of the music department is to provide students with the resources and personal attention necessary for growth as individual performers. The curriculum centers around weekly one hour lessons with the student's private teacher, biweekly chamber music coaching, and large ensemble participation. Juniors and first year seniors take one hour of music theory four times a week while students in their senior year take a music history survey course. Music Theory students have the option of enrolling in AP Music Theory during the spring semester. In addition, all music students are required to participate in the Governor's School Choir to aid in the development of aural skills. Students can sign up for bimonthly Friday morning recitals that are open to the outside community to perform solo or ensemble pieces on which they have been working.

In addition to singing in the Cantus Chamber Choir, vocalists receive two thirty minute coaching a week, one with Mr. Dickinson, the voice teacher, and one with accompanist and vocal coach Nancy Smith. Vocalists present two Cantus Chamber Choir concerts, one concert of opera scenes, one concert of broadway songs, and a series of diction recitals each year.

In addition to their private lessons and other required classes, pianists attend an array of classes specific to their department, including Piano Literature and Keyboard Skills.

Music students participate in many extracurricular events and competitions, including the Music Teacher's National Association competition, local concerto competitions, and All-State Orchestra, Band, and Chorus.

Guest artists include Eastman viola faculty member George Taylor, the American Brass Quintet, the contemporary ensemble Eighth Blackbird, and lecturist Robert Blocker.

Graduates of the music department have gone on to attend such prestigious conservatories and universities as the Eastman School of Music, the Colburn School, the Oberlin College Conservatory, the Manhattan School of Music, the Juiliard School, Peabody Conservatory, New York University, Florida State University, Illinois State University, Duke University, and Northwestern University.




Visual Arts
The visual arts program offers courses in the following areas:

* Painting
* Drawing
* Sculpture
* Art History
* Metals
* Ceramics
* Printmaking
* Architecture
* Graphic Design
* Photography




Creative writing
Creative writers are instructed by published authors Scott Gould and George Singleton and by other visiting writers Ashley Warlick, author of "Seek the Living", Mamie Morgan, and Justin Gardiner. Over the years the department has drawn the attention of Pulitzer prize winners John Patrick Shanley, Toni Morrison and Jorie Graham, in addition to other authors, such as Curtis Sittenfeld, Sharon Olds, Charles Baxter, and Alan Lightman.

* Fiction
* Poetry
* Creative Nonfiction
* Screenwriting
* Forms in Fiction
* Contemporary Publishing/Editing




Drama
The Drama program is an intensive program. Students are taught by professional actors who have experience both on the stage and the screen.

The program has had many guest artists including, playwright John Patrick Shanley (Doubt), actor Michael York (Austin Powers and The Three Musketeers) and actor Danny Hoch (HBO). Classes are taught by the drama chair, Mr. Daniel Murray, and his staff, Dan Day and Jayce Tromsness. Guest teachers include Mrs. Rhonda Allen-Murray (Dance), Greg Walters (Singing), Monica Bell (Suzuki Method) and Allison Moore (Playwriting).

* Stage Combat
* Suzuki Method
* Stanislavski Method
* Viewpoints
* International Phonetic Alphabet
* Voice and Speech
* Acting
* Scene Study
* Shakespeare
* Play Writing
* Play Analysis
* Singing
* Theatre History
* Dance
* Physical Fitness




Dance
The dance department is chaired by Stanislav Issaev. Main focus is given to ballet, but modern holds importance as well. A five week summer program is offered by the dance department. It is open to any resident of the U.S.

* Ballet
* Pointe
* Men's
* Modern




College
The SCGSAH enjoys a mean SAT score which is approximately 200 points higher than the national average. Students have had great success in the postgraduate application process in the school's short history. Alumni are notable for having attended a wide array of prestigious colleges, conservatories, and universities.

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