Family Weekend
You won't want to miss this meaningful, informative, and fun weekend where you can shadow your student in academic classes and observe world class art training. Join us for Student Performances and Presentations, an Alumni and Student Exhibition, and Jazz Brunch. We are delighted to invite some of our alums to Come Home to Give Back, where they can support our families and students in learning more about life after Walnut Hill!
Full Schedule of Events
Friday, October 24
8:00am–12:00pm | Registration
10:00am–12:15pm | Modified Academic Classes
Afternoon | Modified Arts Classes
See details below
2:30pm | Behind the Curtain: Writing, Film & Media Arts
With Director of WFMA Margaret Funkhouser
4:30pm | The Writing, Film, & Media Arts Department presents: New Ink/Rough Cuts
Tickets are required for this event. Reserve your free ticket here.
7:00pm | The Music Department presents: Voice Recital
Saturday, October 25
8:00am–12:00pm | Registration
9:00am–10:30am | Dance Class Observation
11:00am | Theater Rehearsal Observation (Group One)
Sign up required at Registration
11:30am | Behind the Curtain: Dance
With Associate Director of Boston Ballet School's Professional Division Cynthia Lucas
11:30am–1:00pm | Lunch available in the Dining Hall
1:30–2:30pm | Theater Rehearsal Observation (Group Two)
Sign up required at Registration
2:00pm | Visual Art Gallery Talk
2:30pm | Behind the Curtain: Visual Art
With Director of Visual Art Ken Tighe
2:30pm | Behind the Curtain: Theater
With Director of Theater Stephen Agosto
2:30pm | Community Conversation: Dancer Wellness and Boston Ballet
Join Walnut Hill Staff and Dance Alums in an engaging Q&A about dancer wellness, longevity, and career opportunities.
3:30pm | Beyond the Hill: Alumni Connections
Learn about the diverse career pathways of Walnut Hill alumni
4:30pm | The Theater Department presents selections from The Notebook
Alumni and Student dialogue to follow
6:00pm | Walnut Hill Family Reception featuring Keynote Alumni Speaker Adam Schnell '99
Sunday, October 26
9:30–10:00am | Music Department String Quartet Open Rehearsal
10:00-11:00am | Behind the Curtain: Music
With Mark Tipton, Lead Instructor for Jazz & Contemporary Musical Arts, and Teresa Blume, Head of Voice
11:00am–1:00pm | Jazz Brunch
Moments You Won't Want to Miss
Behind the Curtain: The Creative Process
For every major, join department faculty as they share insights into what your child is studying in their art classes (technical skill building and creative expression exploration).
The goal is to enhance YOUR experience through knowledge building so you might engage in this experience meaningfully alongside your child. Our hope is that you will gain the ability to ask effective, open-ended questions that invite a dialogue with your child around their craft and passion.
Beyond the Hill: Alumni Connections
Head over to Byrnes Theater in Delbridge Center for the Arts on Saturday at 3:30 to learn more about the incredible paths Walnut Hill alumni have taken since graduation at a career fair-style networking event.
Walnut Hill Family Weekend Reception featuring Keynote Alumni Speaker
Join us in Celebration with our entire Walnut Hill Family at 6pm on Delbridge Patio and Woodside Gallery to enjoy appetizers, refreshments, mocktails! Hear from the Head of School Eric Barber, Former Board of Trustee and Alumni Parent David Edelman P'18, and our Keynote Alumni Speaker, Adam Schnell '99.
Student and Alumni Art Exhibit in Pooke Gallery
The first Visual Art student and alumni collaboration at Family Weekend. We're excited to see our current students and graduated Walnuts come together to showcase their incredible talent. Join us for a Gallery Talk on Saturday at 2:00pm with Visual Art faculty.
Friday Arts Schedule
To learn about class locations, please stop by the Registration table between 8am–Noon.
Theater
2:10–2:45pm
9th Grade - Music Fundamentals
10th Grade - Theater History
11th Grade - Musical Theater Rep
12th Grade - Senior Dance Audition Prep
Music
2:05–2:55 PM
Alexander Technique for Singers
3:15–4:05 PM
Sonata Duo
3:15–4:05 PM
Composition for Advanced Instrumentalists
For students who are not composition majors
Visual Art
Not Drawing-2D Explorations (Eileen DeRosas)
2:05 PM
Painting (Jason Cheeseman-Meyer)
2:05 PM
Please note that WFMA and Dance will not be offering Friday art classes. For WFMA, please join us for Behind the Curtain at 2:30 PM and New Ink/Rough Cuts at 4:30 PM. For Dance, we welcome our families to attend Dance Class Observations on Saturday morning at 9 AM.
A Note About Conferences
Academic Parent/Guardian and Teacher Conferences will take place Friday and Saturday during Family Weekend and Arts Conferences will take place the following week Tuesday–Friday. Sign-up information will be shared in early October through In a Nutshell.
FAQs
Questions?
Questions about Family Weekend? Email Morgan Duquette at mduquette@walnuthillarts.org
Questions about Conferences? Email Po-Wei Weng, Assistant Head of School, at pweng@walnuthillarts.org