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NOCCA Departments / Programs
CREATIVE WRITING
NOCCA selects students on the basis of demonstrable writing promise, overall academic performance and enthusiasm for literature. They must show open-mindedness, discipline, maturity, imagination and strong self-motivation in respect to their creative work and to their education as a whole.
Students who have completed the program may pursue studies in undergraduate and graduate programs and find such outlets for their writing as literary journals, magazines and books. Students should have a lifelong dedication to literature and writing and leave NOCCA with a sound appreciation for the written word and as valuable supporters of the literary arts.
DANCE
The Dance Department maintains a supportive, rigorous and challenging dance atmosphere that prepares students for the requirements of today’s professional dance world. The knowledge, discipline, creativity and serious nature of the dance program aids students in advancing their education in conservatories, universities and colleges, thus enabling them to prepare for careers in dance. Students receive training in ballet, modern, jazz, tap, dance history, nutrition and injury prevention. Because the instructional program utilizes the artist-teacher instructional concept, students have the advantage of knowing and experiencing dance as an art. Visiting artists help serve as role models and guides to dance students, so they may have a clear outlook about their career choices. With the knowledge gained at NOCCA, students become technically sound, confident and disciplined for any future they aspire to achieve.
MEDIA ARTS
The Media Arts Department offers technical and conceptual training in audio, film, and video production and digital media. Young artists receive the tools to create artistically, exploring and developing their own voice in a field that often emphasizes collaboration. With a respect for the past, students boldly create new works and prepare for the challenges of an ever-changing field. This program’s goal is to prepare students for admission to top universities and prepare them to work in the professional field of their choice as artists of sight, sound and motion.
Media Arts students master skills in audio recording, cinematography, directing, editing, lighting, motion graphics and script writing. In addition, all students in media arts gain an understanding of the history, theory and aesthetics of communication arts in order to appreciate the art form and to make informed decisions in their own work.
NOCCA’s Media Arts department is a Digidesign Sponsored School incorporating Digidesign hardware and ProTools software into its audio program. The department is also an Apple Authorized Training Center for Final Cut Pro.
MUSIC
The Music Department provides professional training in three divisions:
- Classical Instrumental
- Jazz
- Vocal
The curriculum is designed to develop and maintain the total musicianship of all students. Applied music (study in technique, sight-reading and repertoire) is the core of the curriculum. General musicianship courses such as theory, ear training and style history serve to build a more effective performer.
THEATRE ARTS
The Theatre Arts Department provides professional training in three divisions:
- Drama
- Musical Theatre
- Theatre Design
The philosophy of the Theatre Arts Department is grounded in the belief that in order to train students according to the highest standards of excellence, their commitment must be comparable to the demands of a career in theatre.
VISUAL ARTS
The goal of the Visual Arts Department is to create a supportive and challenging arts environment for students that enables them to experience, first-hand, the discipline, knowledge and seriousness that lead them to a career in the visual arts. Students are introduced to art history and the principles of artistic form by artist-teachers and visiting artists, who, through their teaching, serve as mentors to the student artist. In two- and three-dimensional studio classes, visual art students are encouraged to concentrate on technical proficiency, creative problem solving and self-discovery. This focused exploration increases confidence and allows students to stay open to new possibilities and to become increasingly self-directed. In critiques, students are able to demonstrate their knowledge of art history and more accurately assess their own work and the work of others. With the knowledge they gain at NOCCA, students leave with a portfolio that reflects work that is technically sound and that expresses their personal point-of-view.
