Arts for Upper Schoolcreativity and technique

Balance Foundational Skills with Your Freedom of Expression

Fine Arts encourage you to explore a variety of disciplines, learning to meld technique with individual creativity. As an opportunity to experience a progressive and experiential curriculum, it offers a journey through visual and performing arts that is broad and deep. The curriculum is designed to nurture evolving artists in both technical proficiency and creative innovation. Explore, define, and express your unique identity with the appropriate skills and abilities to appreciate, contribute, critique, and analyze various disciplines.

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  • Visual Arts

    Techniques and principles Arts

    Interpret and replicate the world around you through various disciplines. Begin or refine your technical and conceptual skills and actively engage in diverse artistic environments. Develop your portfolio, take risks, and express yourself through public exhibitions.
    Continue your journey through visual arts

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  • Drama

    Character development Drama

    Explore various acting methods, scene studies, and improvisation with the opportunity to evaluate and reflect on your performances. As you advance, you tackle intricate characters, explore historical performance practices, and direct one another, fostering a critical perspective.

    In theater production, you learn how lighting, sound, and costume converge to breathe life into a play.
    Continue your journey through drama

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  • Music

    Identify and articulate Music

    Sing or play an instrument and become proficient in diverse musical styles through our comprehensive music education program.

    Refine your skills throughout the year by practicing vocal harmony, ensemble performance, and independent part mastery. Advanced students explore complex harmonies, music theory, melody, rhythm, and composition. Instrumentalists learn jazz, funk, rock, and classical music to improve their creativity and technical abilities. Our music technology program empowers students to express themselves through modern composition tools.
    Continue your journey through music

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  • Dance

    In motion Dance

    Gain skills in jazz, modern, and hip-hop dance forms, along with fitness and somatic techniques like yoga and Pilates. As you progress to advanced levels, you immerse yourself in ensemble performances, advanced techniques, and choreographic principles. As a senior, you can conceptualize, plan, and execute your dance pieces, showcasing your cumulative learning and artistic expression in annual performances and the Fine Arts Festival.
    Continue your journey through dance

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  • Photo & Video

    Through the lens Photo & Video

    Start by mastering the basics of photography using film cameras and darkrooms, then focus on the technical and artistic aspects. As you improve, refine your skills, and explore advanced printing techniques and conceptual richness.

    In video production, become a self-motivated creator. Follow traditional production formats to develop original video art. Learn to evaluate and analyze video works. When you reach advanced levels, focus on independent filmmaking, combining technical mastery with complete storytelling. The result is artful, engaging, and informative films.
    Continue your journey through photo & video

Arts Department Faculty & Staff

List of 8 members.

  • Photo of Kym Matossian

    Kym Matossian 

    US Fine Arts Teacher, US Fine Arts Department Chair
  • Photo of Beau Cadigan

    Beau Cadigan 

    US Instrumental Music Teacher
  • Photo of Todd Lanam

    Todd Lanam 

    US Fine Arts Teacher, US Yearbook Club Advisor
  • Photo of Ben Fisher

    Ben Fisher 

    US Drama/US English Teacher, US Play Director
  • Photo of Mattias Lange-McPherson

    Mattias  Lange-McPherson 

    Technical Theater Manager
  • Photo of Dave Gresalfi

    Dave Gresalfi 

    US Fine Arts Teacher
  • Photo of Lucca Troutman

    Lucca Troutman 

    MS/US Music Teacher, MS Fine Arts Department Chair
  • Photo of Cristina Shin

    Cristina Shin 

    US Fine Arts Teacher

Upper School - Journey Onward

This is the start of Your Journey

Contact

Admission Questions:  admission@crystal.org

Middle School

10 Davis Drive, Belmont, CA 94002
650-645-1000

Upper School

400 Uplands Drive, Hillsborough, CA 94010
650-342-4175
Nondiscriminatory Policy: Crystal Springs Uplands School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

Website Accessibility Statement: Crystal Springs Uplands School is committed to making this website accessible to visitors with disabilities and is continually working to increase its accessibility and usability. We are on a regular basis seeking opportunities to bring all areas of the site up to the same level of overall web accessibility. If for any reason, you cannot access any of the material on our website, please email webadmin@csus.org and we will work to resolve the problem as soon as possible.