Category Archives: Visiting Speakers

A Lesson on Vessels and the Art of Celebration

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Robbie Heidinger Visit 1If there are trophies for athletics, why not have one for art as well?

That was the premise of a recent hands-on workshop by ceramic artist Robbie Heidinger P ’14 in the Grubbs Gallery. During her May 7 visit, she worked with two dozen students from Williston Northampton School’s Arts Intensive Program to craft just such a vessel.

In her own work, which was on display in Grubbs through mid-May, Ms. Heidiger said she has been inspired by the shape, colors, and textures of plants. She began her recent visit to Williston by passing around a vase of spring flowers and urging students to examine the shapes.

“There are really no rules,” Ms. Heidinger told them. “I just want you to start thinking about structure.”

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Posted in: Academics, Arts, Reed Campus Center, Special Programs, Visiting Speakers

Kinda Hibrawi ’96 to Receive Ward Medal

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KHibrawi-Photo-1An artist with a history of international activism has been chosen for the Ward Medal, one of Williston Northampton School’s most prestigious alumni awards.

Kinda Hibrawi ’96 will be honored on May 9, 2014 at a special assembly in the Phillips Stevens Chapel. The assembly will be conducted in an interview style with Williston faculty member Peter Gunn.

The Ward Medal is given every year in honor of Headmaster Robert Ward, who served at Williston from 1972 to 1979, and recognizes outstanding service to humanity.

Ms. Hibrawi, who is of Syrian descent, has worked extensively with refugees on the Syrian-Turkish border. She is the co-founder and executive director of the Zeitouna, a Karam Foundation project that strives to bring education and art to refugee children.

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Posted in: Special Programs, Visiting Speakers, Williston Northampton News

Learn from Every Challenge Monopoli ’89 Tells Students

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2014 04 Rutherford Rich Monopoli 3“I need a volunteer,” Rich Monopoli ’89 said to the assembled Upper School students during a recent Wednesday morning. “I need a guy to play me in 1989.”

Once a student, Gabe Hohmann ’14, was seated on the stage, Mr. Monopoli turned to him from the podium.

“You will experience great success over the next 25 years,” he said to Mr. Hohmann. “And you will experience great challenges.”

As an alumnus with many ties to Williston—his sister, Paula Monopoli, is class of 1976 and his niece, Alexandra Lewis, is a current senior—Mr. Monopoli was on campus to speak to students about the lasting legacy of the Williston experience.

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Posted in: Special Programs, Upper School, Visiting Speakers

Naomi Darling on Sustainable (and Inspiring) Architecture

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IMG_1772To kick off her talk about sustainable design, Naomi Darling showed a slide of a place all Williston Northampton students would recognize.

“That’s where we are right now, right?” said Ms. Darling as a picture of Reed Campus Center appeared.

“Pretty much everything we see has been designed,” said Ms. Darling switching to a view of the Williston pond. “It’s all part of a built environment that very much shapes our lives.”

Ms. Darling, a Five College assistant professor of sustainable architecture, was visiting Natania Hume’s Contemporary Arts and Culture class to talk about historical architecture, best sustainable practices, and some of her recent projects. To give students a basis for comparison, she showed how the Williston campus integrated aspects of other designed spaces: English gardens, the University of Virginia, and Tsinghua University in Beijing.

“Architecture embodies the aspiration and achievements of a society,” said Ms. Darling. “It is a realization of a culture, time, and place.”

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Posted in: Upper School, Visiting Speakers, Williston+

A Million Voices

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IMG_1497Dr. Felicia Barber couldn’t get over the sound in the Phillips Stevens Chapel.

“What a great hall!” she said to Joshua Harper, choral director at the Williston Northampton School. She gestured to the large, sunlit room. “What an awesome space!”

Behind her in the chapel nave, her accompanist, Scott Bailey, launched into a resonant tune on the organ.

Dr. Barber, a conductor at Westfield State University, had just finished leading her Chamber Chorale in a private concert for the Widdigers and Caterwaulers. Her group, some 20 college students dressed in formal black, performed a short program of new and known works, including pieces by Troy Robertson, Benjamin Britten, and Moses Hogan.

Mr. Harper said the idea behind the concert had been to give Williston students a chance to hear counterparts at the college level and talk to them about technique.

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Posted in: Arts, Visiting Speakers, Williston Northampton News