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NAVIGATION

Pursuing their passion

Albuquerque Journal Sunday, November 11, 2012
By Adrian Gomez / Asst. Arts Editor, Reel NM

A teen girl practices her flute in the hallway. In the nearby gym, the door is cracked open and nearly 15 students are going over choreography for an upcoming play. Unfazed by the music, the group almost symbiotically dances to the flute’s music.

Near the school’s entrance, a couple of students sit on the floor rehearsing lines for class. Meanwhile down the hall, an impromptu jam session among four teens is starting to gain some momentum.

Sounds like a scene from a movie or a representation of what one would imagine being in the film “Fame” is like. But this is the reality for 200 students at the New Mexico School for the Arts in Santa Fe.

Housed in the former St. Francis Cathedral School, the school opened in September 2010 to become a one-stop music and arts education center for students around New Mexico. The school offers academic course work as well as concentrated work in four disciplines – dance, music, theater and visual arts.

Joey Chavez, the theater department chair, says all students begin their mornings with academic classes and then learn in their artistic disciplines in the afternoon. Chavez, who used to teach theater at Santa Fe High School, has been with the school since its inception.

“The students have a lot of time to practice and practice their craft,” Chavez says. “What’s amazing is that the students are getting the opportunity to learn from world-renowned teachers in their master classes and get some real-world experience. It’s not all about academics. They are learning skills that will help them when they are ready to enter the art world.”

This year, NMSA was one of only 39 schools in the state to receive an “A” rating from the New Mexico Public Education Department. The school also has a 98 percent retention rate and a 96 percent graduation rate.

“The school proves that you can teach children in a way that keeps their attention,” says Riis Gonzales, the director of the arts institute. “We’re the only school in New Mexico like this, and there are about 31 other states with schools like us in the nation.”

With NMSA aiming to be a hub for music education in New Mexico, the school draws students from all over the state. Gonzales says students can apply to the school by Jan. 17 for the next academic year. Those interested fill out an application form at www.newmexicoschoolforthearts.org. If students move forward in the process they are invited to an audition/portfolio review, where they are evaluated by a panel of experts. Students who are accepted will be informed by March 15.

Sixteen-year-old Meghan Lang moved to Santa Fe in August to attend the school. Her family lives in Las Cruces. Once a month, Lang takes the New Mexico Rail Runner train from Santa Fe to Belen, where her mother drives from Las Cruces and picks her up. The two spend time with family members who live in Belen.

“I would have never gotten this opportunity in Las Cruces,” she says. “The level of education and focus on our disciplines is worth being away from my family.”

Lang is focusing on theater and admits that applying to NMSA was done on a whim.

“I had never taken a tour of the school,” she explains. “I had heard about the school and seen the level of work that is being done.”

Since Lang is not a Santa Fe resident, she lives in a dorm with five other students on the campus of the school.

She says living in the dorm gives her a perspective into how life is going to be after high school.

“I plan to go to college and have to make friends and live with people I don’t really know,” she says.

“We’ve developed a tight-knit family here, and I’m happy for that.”

Aside from her academic work, Lang has submersed herself in her vocal character class this semester.

“By changing your vocal pattern and diction, you can bring a character to life,” she says. “It’s an amazing place to hone in on the skills that they are teaching. We’re creating this really great culture.”

For Eric Alirez, NMSA is an escape for his art.

Alirez, who is focusing on visual art, started drawing when he was 7 and was attending school in Las Vegas, N.M., before getting accepted to NMSA. He says being at the school has built up his confidence when it comes to art.

“I’m able to be myself and not be embarrassed of anything when it comes to art,” he says. “I can work on a piece of art and my classmates are willing to help me edit and give me advice if I ask for it. It’s a community where we can feel safe and be ourselves.”

Alirez says he’s looking forward to continuing his education and being challenged by the school.

“Up to this point in my life, I was never challenged,” he explains. “I’ve made plenty of mistakes, but I’ve learned that life is a lot harder without an education. With this support system that’s in place, I feel like I can do anything.”

Sadel Perez says NMSA was an opportunity to focus on music. The 17-year-old began playing bass in his early teens before moving to upright bass in the school’s orchestra.

“I came into the school and they were looking for a bassist,” he says. “I fit the bill, then they asked me if I could play upright bass and it became a challenge for me to get to there. Since I’ve come to the school, I’ve exponentially grown as a performer. Being in the orchestra has added so much more to my playing.”

Along with the other students in the school, Perez says it took some time to acclimate to having working professionals teach master classes.

“At first it’s very intimidating,” he says. “Then you realize what they are teaching you and their advice on how now to get stuck making bad choices. It’s very cool to have that sort of access.”

Perez says while there is competition among the students, each student pushes each other. “We all have similar goals,” he says. “What’s great is that there is this nucleus of talent and as we push each other, the level of talent grows. This only helps us when it comes to applying to colleges and it also prepares us for the real world.”

Perez says he got interested in music after he decided to quit playing soccer. Both of his parents are musicians, and he got advice from his mother to try it out.

“It has been intriguing and I enjoy being in front of a crowd,” he says. “There are times that I’ll sit in with my dad’s Latin band and sing.”

Director Gonzales says as the school continues to grow, it is looking for a permanent home.

He says that interest in the school continues to grow.

“We have a family that is interested in moving from Louisiana just to come here,” he says. “It’s our goal to be competitive and provide the best education all around.”