PHILOSOPHY AND MISSION OF GENEVA FINE ARTS
The Geneva School of Boerne Fine Arts Program exists to: (a) honor and glorify God through developing and using the gifts He bestowed, and (b) to grow our students’ appreciation for life-long learning which is enriched by beauty discerned by the arts.
Training in visual art, music, band, guitar, orchestra, theatre and vocal music are designed to provide our students with a classical and Christian education from a biblical worldview.
The Geneva Fine Arts staff believes that to reflect the creative nature of God, our purpose is threefold:
- Strive for excellence within each of the arts to honor and glorify God
- Develop well-rounded and culturally enriched students
- Build community through the arts
Geneva’s Fine Arts Program fulfills this mission with excellence by:
- Helping students to recognize and develop their unique, God-given talents and abilities
- Honoring our Lord in worship, praise, and performance by offering back our talents to Him
- Providing opportunities for practice, training, and competition under tutelage of experienced, highly-qualified teachers
- Fostering aesthetic and emotional rewards that come from an appreciation of the arts
- Celebrating Geneva’s community by bolstering school functions with encouragement and support
- Creating awareness within students to the numerous benefits of a well-rounded, liberal arts education
GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Our Grammar School (Kinder Prep-5) students learn the grammar of music (rhythm, pitch, harmony, tempo, form, and texture) through movement, song, percussion instruments and games. Grammar students learn the basics of reading musical notation as they learn to play the recorder, Orff instruments, and ukelele. They also learn and memorize a traditional hymn of the Christian faith each month, accompanied by American Sign Language.
Grammar School students also learn the basic grammar of the visual arts, including the seven elements of art and the seven elements of design. Students engage with a variety of media from pencil and paper to brush and painted canvas.
In conjunction with Geneva’s weekly art and music Docent Program, our Grammar students learn to recognize, distinguish and appreciate art and music influences of differing cultures and historical periods.
UPPER SCHOOL FINE ARTS
In the Logic and Rhetoric Schools, students choose from a selection of classes in the arts. Arts-related events such as concerts, assemblies, drama productions and competitions are held throughout the year to showcase and develop the talents and accomplishments of our students.
LOGIC SCHOOL
A Geneva Logic School musician orders his thinking to understand written notation, evaluate the performance of others, and critique his own musicianship. The learner evaluates and experiments with musical elements to form and defend his ideas and creative decisions. Through this process of metacognition, the musician works toward independence as he humbly identifies, defines, and compares musical ideas within appropriately challenging repertoire.
Logic School (grades 6-8) course offerings include: visual art, band, choir, classical guitar and orchestra (theatre offered as an extracurricular activity).
RHETORIC SCHOOL
A Rhetoric School Musician possesses an enlightened perception to compose, improvise, create, and perform music that is true, good, and beautiful. The musician performs objectively beautiful, high-quality music to shape and refine a Godly and virtuous character. The musician utilizes music as a language, effectively using the Aristotelian appeals of persuasion.
- Ethos: Proficient Musician
The musician possesses the dual credentials of an objective mastery in technical skill and music theory as well as a reasoned understanding of traditional music and performance practices in his field of study. The musician acknowledges the telos of musical study is to offer back that which has been invested in him by God. Thus, the final authority of every beautiful offering is grounded in Divinity.
- Pathos: Expressive Musician
The musician persuasively evokes emotion through accurate, artful interpretation and masterful manipulation of his instrument. Whether he is actively involved in or listening to the performance of another, he discerns and weighs the transcendental virtues of truth, goodness, and beauty against carnally-impassioned expression which merely exploits musical virtuosity for visceral appeal.
- Logos: Literate Musician
The musician is literate; able to accurately interpret the composed creativity of others. In performance, he realizes the notes of a manuscript with a high level of proficiency while discerning how his part forms coherent musical statements within the larger context of the work. In composition, he can also accurately order and express his musical ideas through notation.
Rhetoric School (grades 9-12) course offerings include: visual art, band, drumline, choir, classical guitar, orchestra, jazz ensemble, chamber orchestra/mariachi, music theory/musicology and AP music theory (theatre/theatre tech offered outside of school hours).
Geneva was named the Overall Fine Arts Program for TAPPS 4A in both 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 and has won 14 State Championships in Fine Arts:
- Visual Art (2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2022-2023)
- Band (2010-2011, 2012-2013, 2013-2014)
- Orchestra & Guitar (2013-2014, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2023-2024)
- One Act Play (2015-2016)
- Choir (2018-2019, 2022-2023)