Educational Excellence Since 1912
Hamden Hall Country Day School
Educating students in PreSchool through Grade 12
Hamden Hall Country Day School
Educating students in PreSchool through Grade 12
Arts
The Arts at Hamden Hall
The Arts Are Integral...
The visual and performing arts are integral components of a Hamden Hall education as we weave our students' artistic visions and talents into daily campus life.
Our students benefit from the creative expertise and passion of our instructors – all of whom are acclaimed artists, playwrights, directors, musicians, composers, dancers, and entertainers. Furthermore, our proximity to the City of New Haven and its commitment to the arts allows our faculty and students to venture outside of our campus to further immerse themselves in the process of art-making.
On campus, students are encouraged to participate – one of our core values – in the life of the school, especially in an area in which they hadn’t previously engaged. Our students love to share their stories of risk-taking: trying out for the school play despite having never stepped foot on a stage; musicians putting aside their violins to instead hoist a trumpet; athletes finding their voice within our choral programs.
Students grow individually within our arts community via experiential learning and a commitment to challenge themselves in their craft. It’s an evolving process that is often fostered through a profound exchange of ideas and positive critique.
Showcasing their efforts through plays, productions, concerts, exhibits, and presentations is also a key component of our arts program. Whether in our Taylor Performing Arts Center, our state-of-the-art music suites, our specially designed art studio, or our Moira Fitzsimmons Arons Art Gallery, students thrive and have myriad opportunities to exhibit their talent and prowess to community-wide audiences. Professional artists from outside of our school community further complement the program by heightening students’ appreciation of the arts and encouraging higher levels of personal expression.
Once our budding artists leave our halls, many continue on to higher education to some of the finest art schools including Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Pratt Institute School of Art, Parsons School of Design | The New School, and the University of the Arts. Our alumni boast records of astonishing success and achievement on Broadway, in nationwide museums and art galleries, in various professional symphonies and orchestras, and so much more.
Our students benefit from the creative expertise and passion of our instructors – all of whom are acclaimed artists, playwrights, directors, musicians, composers, dancers, and entertainers. Furthermore, our proximity to the City of New Haven and its commitment to the arts allows our faculty and students to venture outside of our campus to further immerse themselves in the process of art-making.
On campus, students are encouraged to participate – one of our core values – in the life of the school, especially in an area in which they hadn’t previously engaged. Our students love to share their stories of risk-taking: trying out for the school play despite having never stepped foot on a stage; musicians putting aside their violins to instead hoist a trumpet; athletes finding their voice within our choral programs.
Students grow individually within our arts community via experiential learning and a commitment to challenge themselves in their craft. It’s an evolving process that is often fostered through a profound exchange of ideas and positive critique.
Showcasing their efforts through plays, productions, concerts, exhibits, and presentations is also a key component of our arts program. Whether in our Taylor Performing Arts Center, our state-of-the-art music suites, our specially designed art studio, or our Moira Fitzsimmons Arons Art Gallery, students thrive and have myriad opportunities to exhibit their talent and prowess to community-wide audiences. Professional artists from outside of our school community further complement the program by heightening students’ appreciation of the arts and encouraging higher levels of personal expression.
Once our budding artists leave our halls, many continue on to higher education to some of the finest art schools including Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Pratt Institute School of Art, Parsons School of Design | The New School, and the University of the Arts. Our alumni boast records of astonishing success and achievement on Broadway, in nationwide museums and art galleries, in various professional symphonies and orchestras, and so much more.
Arts Department Happenings
List of 14 news stories.
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Instrumental Students Dazzle in Spring Concert
Read MoreFrom Wolfgang Mozart to Pyotr Illyrich Tchaikovsky to the Beatles, Middle and Upper School instrumental students joined together in musical prowess for the annual Spring Concert in Taylor Gymnasium. -
Record-Number of Vocalists to Compete at All-State Festival
Read MoreHamden Hall’s music program continues to garner statewide attention and success as a record-breaking number of choral students once again earned spots to compete at the Connecticut Music Educators’ All-State Music Festival. -
Singing Traditions Celebrated at Choral Winter Concert
Read MoreChoir students returned to the stage in Taylor Performing Arts Center to perform a selection of secular music at the Winter Concert. -
Instrumental and Choral Students Awarded Regional Competition Spots
The success of Hamden Hall’s music program continues as both instrumental and choral students have earned spots to attend the Southern Region High School Music Festival sponsored by the Connecticut Music Educators’ Association.Read More -
Middle School Musical Returns to Stage
Live musical theatre returns to the stage and director/faculty member Karl Gasteyer could not be more ecstatic. The production titled Game Changers Cabaret will run December 10-11 at 7 p.m. in the Taylor Performing Arts Center.Read More -
The Show Goes On - Live Theater Back On Campus
Live theater returned to the Hamden Hall campus as 40 Upper School students performed in the on and off stage play, The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon.Read More -
Vocalist Joined All-National Honor Choir
Justinian Ding, a junior, joined the elite rank of vocalists as he earned a spot in the All-National Honor Choir after having participated in the Regional and All-State Choirs. To be selected to the All-National Honor Choir, vocalists must be among the top scorers from a given state.Read More -
Student Art Exhibit Honors the Hamden Hall Community
After taking a brief intermission during the 2020 school year, the art gallery is back open with a brand-new student art installation.Read More -
Virtual Art Exhibit Features Senior Portfolio Presentations
The annual art exhibit featuring the work of seniors and independent study students went virtual this year.Read More -
Musicians Selected to 2020-2021 Regional Festival
Read MoreFive Upper School instrumentalists were selected to the 2020-2021 Connecticut Music Educators'
Southern Region High School Festival for recognition in various ensembles. -
Hamden Hall Goes Hollywood with Theatre Filming
Hamden Hall has gone Hollywood in terms of the number of films currently being produced on campus by our theatre groups.Read More
Both the Upper School fall production and the Middle School play will be movies this year due to COVID-19 challenges. There’s something in the works for Grades 5 and 6 as well. -
Choral Students Selected for All-National Honor Ensemble
Three Upper School students were selected to perform in the prestigious All-National Honor Ensembles hosted by the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). Hamden Hall is well-represented in the 2020 choir as no other school in the country earned more than three spots.Read More -
Absence Makes the 'Art' Grow Fonder
The Spring 2020 Student Art Show is an online presentation of our traditional end-of-year student exhibit in which we showcase the efforts of our art students. Click here to view the digital exhibition.Read More -
Virtual Choral Video a First for Hamden Hall Music Program
Originally intended to be the premier song in the Middle and Upper School Spring Concert, the Kenyan song Jambo has been transformed into a stunning virtual choral presentation.Read More
Charles AlexanderArts Department, Freshman Class DeanSkidmore College - B.S.
New York University - M.A.-
Caryn AzoffArts Department Chair, Gallery DirectorCentral Connecticut State University - B.A.
Central Connecticut State University - M.S. 
Lisa DalyArts Department, Peer LeadershipMuhlenburg College - B.A.
Karl GasteyerArts DepartmentSouthern Connecticut State University - B.A.
Matthew HarrisonArts DepartmentJames Madison University - B.M.
New England Conservatory - M.M.
Melissa HudsonArts Department
Bowdoin College - B.A.
Hartt School of Music - M.A.
Kristen Thornton
Arts Department
University of Connecticut - B.F.A.
Sarah Reed
Arts Department
Northwest Missouri State University - B.A.
University of Hartford, Hartt School of Music - M.M.
Hamden Hall Country Day School
1108 Whitney Avenue
Hamden, Connecticut 06517
Phone: 203-752-2600
Fax: 203-752-2651
admissions@hamdenhall.org
Hamden, Connecticut 06517
Phone: 203-752-2600
Fax: 203-752-2651
admissions@hamdenhall.org
About Us
Hamden Hall Country Day School, located less than two miles from Yale University, is one of the best private schools in Connecticut to enroll elementary, middle, and high school students. Our nurturing and inclusive community provides a dynamic learning environment that promotes academic excellence by understanding each child and fostering their individual growth.
