Washington and Jefferson College - Student Life - Art Scene

Art Scene

Washington & Jefferson College is home to a vibrant student art and musical scene. The artistic center of campus is the Olin Fine Arts Center, with an art gallery and a 486-seat auditorium. On the academic side, the Department of Art offers majors in studio art and art education, as well as a concentration in graphic design. The Department of Music offers majors and minors in music. The Department of Theatre and Communications offers a major and minor in theatre. Current musical organizations include the W&J Wind Ensemble, the W&J Jazz Ensemble, the W&J Choir and the Camerata Singers. Former musical organizations include the Banjo, Mandolin & Guitar Club and the College Band. Every year since 2003, the Theatre and Communication Department has produced the Winter Tales series, an annual production of one-act plays written by members of the W&J community, students, alumni, faculty, administration, and staff, and produced by the W&J Student Theater Company.

In addition to student-produced art and music, the College provides a number of opportunities to view art and music from the larger art community. The College holds a collection of paintings by distinguished regional artist Malcolm Parcell, which are displayed in several locations on campus. The most prominent location is the Malcom Parcell Room in The Commons, which is part of the student dining area. The W&J Arts Series is an annual collection of musicians, singers, and other artistic performers appearing at the Olin Fine Arts Center. Past shows have included Di Wu, Habib Koité, Chris Potter, The Aquila Theatre Company presenting The Invisible Man, Eroica Trio, Oni Buchanan, Tommy Sands, Cavani String Quartet, Sergio and Odar Assad, and Sandip Burman. In 1999, billionaire W&J alum and well-known opera philanthropist Alberto Vilar sponsored the Vilar Distinguished Artist Series, which brought a number of world-class classical performers to perform at the Olin Fine Arts Center at no cost to students. During its run, the Vilar Distinguished Artist Series hosted, among others, Lorin Maazel conducting the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, conductor Valery Gergiev conducting the Kirov Orchestra, Camerata Salzburg with Murray Periaha, St. Petersburg Classic Ballet, Vienna State Opera Ballet, Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra, Susan Graham, Jennifer Larmore, Samuel Ramey, Barbara Bonney, Katia and Marielle Labèque, Angelika Kirchschlager, Simon Keenlyside, Gil Shaham, and Jessye Norman. In 2003, amid Vilar's falling fortunes during the stock market decreases in 2001 and 2002, the Vilar Distinguished Artist Series went on a temporary hiatus. Vilar's 2005 indictment for financial fraud ended any possibility of reviving the arts series. In Fall 2003, the W&J Arts Series, the college's other art series, was expanded to partially compensate for the loss. The Student Government Association organizes the annual Fall Concert and Spring Concert, which bring popular musical acts to campus. Past Spring and Fall concerts have included Cobra Starship, Girl Talk, N.E.R.D. New Found Glory, Saves the Day, and local favorite The Clarks.