Chroma

Chroma is an ensemble for musicians who want to level up their skills and explore music beyond the usual boundaries. From cinematic film scores and anime soundtracks to Radiohead and avant-garde jazz, this group dives into bold, genre-spanning music that challenges and inspires. In Chroma, ensemble members have a real voice in selecting repertoire and shaping interpretations, making the group a creative, inclusive space. Open to all instruments—strings, woodwinds, brass, and rhythm section (piano, guitar, bass, percussion)—Chroma performs intermediate and advanced repertoire through custom arrangements that blend classical foundations with contemporary styles. Students don’t just play the music; they dig into the cultural and historical context behind it and develop their own musical voice along the way. Class time focuses on building strong technique, musicianship, and ensemble skills while integrating music theory, rehearsal strategies, and performance skills. The ensemble performs in required concerts throughout the year, giving students regular opportunities to share their work on stage. Chroma can be taken more than once and may be taken for Honors credit with instructor permission, making it a great option for students who want to push themselves further each year. Weekly private lessons are optional and available on campus for an additional fee, with financial aid applied at the same percentage as tuition. Students interested in taking more than one arts class should connect with the registrar or the Head of Performing Arts to explore scheduling options. Two Term Course Prerequisite: Instrumental Ensemble II, Ikonoclastic or placement audition.

Choreography Foundations

This studio style course takes a look at how we create movement in dance and some of the tools used to build cohesive choreography. Students will experiment with movement using a range of dance elements, movement techniques and concepts. Over the duration of the course, this practice of building a movement vocabulary and “toolkit” will develop a greater sense of body awareness, self confidence, and skills to support their creative process. There will be opportunities to present original student compositions throughout the year. Prior dance experience is not required. This course can be taken more than once and at the Honors level with permission from the instructor. Students interested in taking more than one art class should reach out to the registrar or the Head of Performing Arts to discuss possible options. Depending on sign ups it could meet in E block, 3 terms OR in the rotation, 2 terms. No Prerequisite Required.

Costume & Fashion Design Studio

Drawing from many disciplines and utilizing a variety of skills and technology, students will learn to research and communicate their ideas through a series of student-driven individual projects and mainstage shows. Students will explore the visual communication, history, and impact of clothing both on the stage and in everyday life, and they will deepen their understanding of the principles of costume and fashion design. Students will also learn the skills and techniques needed to then create their own designs. These techniques may include research, collage, sketching, digital sketching, figure drawing, sewing, draping, pattern making, tailoring, dyeing, distressing, painting, and craft. Students entering this class should be highly motivated and work well independently. This course can be taken more than once and at the Honors level with permission from the instructor. Students interested in taking more than one art class should reach out to the registrar or the Head of Performing Arts to discuss possible options. Three Term Course No Prerequisite Required.

Arts Activities

Spring Musical: The musical is a one-term mainstage, process-to-production experience. Students are cast through acting, dancing and singing auditions. The cast works throughout the rehearsal process to bring the play to fruition using music, dance and character development to tell the story, alongside the technical theater and costuming students. Placing equal focus on the process as well as the product, students build collaboration, creative problem solving, empathy, and leadership skills as well as performance skills. Students entering this process should be highly motivated and interested in an intense and exciting experience that requires a great deal of commitment.  Rehearsals are each day from 3:45pm-5:30pm. In the weeks leading up to the performances, Saturday rehearsals are added as well as late rehearsals ending at 6:30pm the week before the show, 9:00pm the week of the show, and later into the evening for the actual performances. Past shows have included In The Heights, Hairspray, Rent, and Dreamgirls. This activity counts towards the fitness requirement. Participation in the play will be confirmed following auditions. Spring Musical - Technical Theater: Spring Tech Theater is a one-term, production-based activity where students practice Technical Theater skills related to the public performance of the Spring Musical Activity at Beaver. This activity is open to both experienced and inexperienced technicians; it includes on-the-job training which prepares students to take on necessary challenges. Technical theater roles may include stage management, run crew, set, props, lighting, projection, and sound production. Students entering this activity should be highly motivated and interested in an intense and exciting experience that requires a great deal of commitment. Spring Tech Theater offers dedicated students a chance to build essential skills such as effective communication, problem solving, organization, iteration, and leadership. Past shows have included flown scenery, turntables, projection mapping, sculpture, prop building, and textured scenic painting techniques.  Spring Tech meets each day from 3:45pm-5:30pm. In the weeks leading up to the performances, Saturday rehearsals are added as well as late rehearsals ending at 6:30pm the week before the show, 9:00pm the week of the show, and later into the evening for the actual performances. Based on the size of the crew and production needs of the play, participation will be confirmed during the first week of the term. Spring Musical - Costume Construction and Design: Spring Costume Construction and Design is a one-term, production-based activity related to the public performance of the Spring Musical Activity at Beaver. The term begins by focusing on script and character analysis to inform the design and construction process and then students bring the play to fruition alongside the performers and technical theater students. Past projects have included pattern making, construction, fabric painting, jewelry making, and hair and make-up design and execution. Students entering this activity should be highly motivated and interested in an intense and exciting experience that requires a great deal of commitment.  Spring Costume Construction and Design meets each day from 3:45pm-5:30pm. In the weeks leading up to the performances, Saturday rehearsals are added as well as late rehearsals ending at 6:30pm the week before the show, 9:00pm the week of the show, and later into the evening for the actual performances.  Visual Art Workshop: Visual Arts Workshop is a place for all student artists to explore their own creativity and find new ideas and techniques. Through instruction and peer feedback, students will hone their existing artistic skills while being introduced to a range of themes and concepts. There will be opportunities for directed peer critique for those that are ready for intense constructive dialogue. Students will also have an option to formally display their work on campus. Meets in the McElwain Studio, Monday through Friday 3:45 - 5:00 pm.

Arts Activities

Winter Play - Experimental Theater Project: The Experimental Theater Project is a workshop style, student-driven process, exploring various theater styles and immersing students in the experience of creating a piece of theater. Recent topics have included Theater of The Oppressed, Comedia del Arte, Neofuturist, Immersion Theater and Radio Plays. In this unique theatrical experience, plays may be devised or taken from source material. The term culminates in three public performances. Placing equal focus on the process as well as the product, students build collaboration, creative problem solving, empathy, and leadership skills as well as performance skills. Students entering this process should be highly motivated and interested in an intense and exciting experience that requires a great deal of commitment and collaboration.  Rehearsals are each day from 3:45pm-5:30pm. In the weeks leading up to the performances, Saturday rehearsals are added as well as late rehearsals ending at 6:30pm the week before the show, 9:00pm the week of the show, and later into the evening for the actual performances. Past projects have included The Boal Project, 30 plays in 60 minutes and The Arte of Comedy. Participation in the play will be confirmed following auditions. Advanced Theater - Technical Theater: Winter Tech Theater is a one-term, production-based activity where students practice Technical Theater skills while working on the Advanced Theater Production. This activity is open to both experienced and inexperienced technicians; it includes on-the-job training which prepares students to take on design, production, and devising challenges. Technical theater roles may include stage management, run crew, set, props, lighting, projection, and sound production. Winter Tech Theater offers dedicated students a chance to build essential skills such as effective communication, problem solving, organization, iteration, and leadership. Students entering this activity should be highly motivated and interested in an intense and exciting experience that requires a great deal of commitment. Winter Tech meets each day from 3:45pm-5:30pm. In the weeks leading up to the performances, Saturday rehearsals are added as well as late rehearsals ending at 6:30pm the week before the show, 9:00pm the week of the show, and later into the evening for the actual performances. Based on the size of the crew and production needs of the play, participation will be confirmed during the first week of the term. Advanced Theater & Winter Musical - Costume Construction and Design: This is a one-term, production-based activity where students practice costume design and construction skills while working on the Advanced Theater Play and the Middle School Musical. The term begins by focusing on script and character analysis to inform the design and construction process and then students bring the play to fruition alongside the performers and technical theater students. Past projects have included pattern making, construction, fabric painting, jewelry making, and hair and make-up design and execution. Students entering this activity should be highly motivated and interested in an intense and exciting experience that requires a great deal of commitment.  This activity meets each day from 3:45pm-5:30pm. In the weeks leading up to the performances, Saturday rehearsals are added as well as late rehearsals ending at 6:30pm the week before the show, 9:00pm the week of the show, and later into the evening for the actual performances.  Dance: This activity is open to all students, from the novice to the advanced dancer, who are interested in exploring dance through a variety of styles including (but not limited to) Jazz, Funk, Musical Theater, Modern, and Latin dance. In this workshop-style class, dance skills will be practiced and key performance concepts will be discussed. The daily routine will include warm-up and stretch and movement drills with a focus on improving coordination, balance, efficiency, strength, flexibility and rhythm. Performance routines will be developed over the course of the term. This activity meets daily from 3:45pm-5pm and counts towards the fitness requirement. Visual Art Workshop: Visual Arts Workshop is a place for all student artists to explore their own creativity and find new ideas and techniques. Through instruction and peer feedback, students will hone their existing artistic skills while being introduced to a range of themes and concepts. There will be opportunities for directed peer critique for those that are ready for intense constructive dialogue. Students will also have an option to formally display their work on campus. Meets in the McElwain Studio, Monday through Friday 3:45 - 5:00 pm.

Biology Applications – Neuroscience

The most basic function of the brain is to keep you alive. Your 100 billion neurons regulate breathing, heart rate, hunger and sleep cycle. But perhaps what fascinates us the most about the human brain is how it goes beyond these basic functions and generates emotions, perceptions, and thoughts that guide behavior. In this course, we take a deep dive into brain science, exploring everything from the biochemistry of a neuron, to the latest research on psychological disorders such as depression and addiction. Topics in this course include neural anatomy and physiology, synaptic transmission and action potential, neurochemistry, and the impact of substances on the brain. Students have the opportunity to attend the Harvard MEDscience program to participate in the Nervous System patient simulation as part of this course. Prerequisites: Chemistry Foundations and Biology Foundations.

Arabic Introduction to Conversation and Storytelling

In Intro to Arabic, students learn the alphabet as well as the following vocabulary: family, school, furniture, numbers, adjectives, prepositions, country and city vocab and colors. Students work on collaborative projects which include videos, songs and skits. By the end of the year, students can describe themselves, their families, friends and home using written and spoken Arabic. Unlike our other languages, we do not have a full 3-year program in Arabic. This means that Intro to Arabic is open to any student, but only students who have fulfilled their language requirement may take Arabic as their only language class.

A Cappella Foundations

A Cappella Foundations is a vocal ensemble that will introduce students to the fundamentals of a cappella singing, including vocal technique, music literacy, and artistic expression. In a cappella music, everything you hear is made using only the human voice—no instruments—through harmony, vocal technique, and beatboxing-style vocal percussion. They will also cultivate a working knowledge of fundamental music theory and explore the wider cultural context of the repertoire they study. Throughout the course, students will learn how to listen for tuning and ensemble blend during rehearsal. The aim of the course is to develop confident musicians and prepare for a public concert at the end of the term. Weekly individual voice lessons are not required but are available on campus to students for an additional fee. Students who are on financial aid at Beaver have the same percentage of aid applied to their private music lessons. Students interested in taking more than one art class should reach out to the registrar or the Head of Performing Arts to discuss possible options. One Term Course Prerequisite: No prerequisite

Advanced Design & Tech (Honors)

Advanced Design & Tech is a one-term, process-to-production course designed to prepare students for 2 public performances at Beaver. The course begins by focusing on script analysis and design, and then students work as theater technicians and designers to bring the play to fruition with the Advanced Theater Acting and Advanced Costume Design classes. Technical theater roles encompass areas such as stage management, set, light, and sound design as well as technical direction and engineering. Students entering this class should be highly motivated and interested in an intense and exciting experience that requires a great deal of commitment. This course involves two weeks of rehearsal outside of the regular school day at the end of the process so that the play can be performed in its entirety while adding technical elements and costumes. Recent productions include She Kills Monsters and Exit, Pursued by a Bear. One Term Course: Winter Term  Prerequisites: Design & Tech Studio or permission of the instructor.

Engineering Applications – Robotics

Inspired by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, this robotics course challenges students to design, build, and justify a robotic system under real-world constraints. Students learn not just how to build robots, but how engineers think—balancing budgets, managing risk, learning from failure, and communicating technical ideas. The course emphasizes problem-solving, resilience, and collaboration, culminating in a mission-style final challenge that mirrors how real space missions are designed and executed. Do not take this course if you plan to attend NuVu. Prerequisites: Physics Applications: Engineering or departmental permission.

Drama Workshop

This one-term spring workshop is designed for the actor developing his/her craft. This course is for students who wish to explore theater for the first time and the dedicated drama student. It will focus on exploring each student’s areas of interest and curiosity. Projects may include scene study with an emphasis on improvisation, contemporary theater, monologue preparation, musical theater scenes, stand-up comedy, devised work, directing and other forms of performance art. Past classes have included trips to see professional improv shows in and around Boston and we hope to do this again. One Term Course: Spring Term No Prerequisite Required.

Biology Applications – Marine Ecology + Conservation

Ecology studies relationships and interconnections. In this course, students focus on the interdependence of living marine organisms (biotic factors) and their ocean environment (abiotic factors) and how energy flows through Earth’s systems and connects us to all living things. Topics interwoven throughout the course include: biodiversity, food webs, population biology, predation, competition, symbiosis, climate change, and human impacts while closely analyzing coral reefs, kelp forests, sharks, and whales. We use collaborative modeling, experimental design, current research, and field experiences to deepen our understanding of ecological concepts. The class will also engage in a field experience on a whale watch boat to expose students to real-world field based ocean research.

Prerequisites: Chemistry Foundations and Biology Foundations.