The Arts
Art Staff
Mrs. Barbara Azizo
Director of Arts
Mrs. Barbara Sakkal
Art Teacher
Mrs. Sarina Salame
Assistant Art Teacher
Art
At the heart of Barkai lies our renowned Art Program, which affords our students the opportunity to become connoisseurs of the arts and creative artists at the same time.
Students study classical and modern artists, visit museums and studios, and meet weekly in our art studio to develop artistic techniques and create sophisticated artwork through a variety of mediums.
We partner annually with The Jewish Museum which cites Barkai as one of its favorite venues for its outreach programs!
We teach the formal language of art while integrating subjects from the General Studies and Judaic Studies curricula. Personal exploration and discovery is cultivated and creative problem solving is at the heart of all lessons.
Each year, the work of every student in the school is showcased at our annual Art Fair. The art room at Barkai has become a center for challenging the mind and imagination of the child. Art affords each student the opportunity to find his/her strengths. It allows individual self-expression, creative exploration, and helps to develop self-confidence in each child.
Music
Barkai boasts a vibrant music program which spans Early Childhood through 8th grade. Music, in both English and Hebrew languages, is taught to our youngest students through listening, movement, art, drama, literature and creative games.
Lower School students learn the four instrument families of the orchestra along with popular musical pieces from the great Western composers such as Beethoven and Mozart. Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” is a favorite of the children. Observing the development of musical devices through the ages, students design their own imaginative instruments, machines and sound sculptures. In contrast to our Western music sensibility, we introduce Eastern culture, music, and instruments of China, Japan, and India.
Music theory is also taught to our students. They develop rhythmic skills through drumming, tapping, and hand drums, culminating with the study of the recorder and glockenspiel. Musical notations are explored including scales, rhythms, and musical symbols. Recitals are held in the spring, as students perform musical selections with the skills they have learned throughout the year.
Middle School Music Studies concentrate on piano and guitar technique, note reading, and chord forms that prepare students for a continued music education. Music Club offers students the opportunity to perform songs and hone their instrumental and musical skills in a more relaxed and free form group setting.
Sephardic Heritage
Barkai’s Pizmon of the Week program highlights a unique collection of pizmonim organized to coincide with holidays and other special occasions throughout the year. This not only enriches the boys and girls with the knowledge of our Sephardic minhagim, but also forms a connection with parents as they sing them together on Shabbat.
The tunes chosen throughout the Middle School shaharit minyan are from the Makam of the Week. Familiarizing students with these tunes on a weekly basis enables them to follow along with the kahal and develops the boys into leaders of community minyanim.