Clarke Central High School Class of 2023 alumna Salai Diekumpuna at the 2022 Clarke Central High School Fine Arts Night in the Media Center on Nov. 10, 2022. CCHS held its first Fine Arts Night last year, and the second will take place on Nov. 16. “I should have about six of my (piano) students (performing), and they need to get experience in front of an audience,” fine arts department teacher Dr. Anthony Rucker, who teaches piano, said. “If (piano) is something that they might want to do on the side or might want to do later (in life), or some of them might not ever want to do, at least they will have the experience of playing in front of an audience.” Photo by Victoria Garland
Five students from the piano program will perform at CCHS’ Fall Fine Arts Night on Nov. 16 in the E.B. Mell Lobby and Auditorium.
Six students from the piano program are preparing to tickle the ivories— for an audience. Clarke Central High School’s second annual Fall Fine Arts night on Nov. 16 will give them the opportunity to share their pieces with the wider CCHS community and will be the culmination of a semester of work.
The event will also feature performances from orchestra, band, guitar and chorus along with a display of visual art. Audience members can cycle between the featured displays and shows. It will be held in the E.B. Mell Lobby and Auditorium and is open to the CCHS community.
“Fine Arts Night is a huge representation of who we are at (CCHS) and what we have to offer,” piano student Niko Cope, a senior, said. “It speaks for itself. If (the CCHS fine arts) program is so amazing, and Fine Arts Night, then the rest (of CCHS’s programs) are going to be great, as well.”
Fine arts department teacher Dr. Anthony Rucker, who teaches piano, believes that the multi-faceted nature of the event will make it more engaging for audiences while still letting each individual piece shine.
“(Fine Arts Night) is just a way of making sure that (the audience) gets a viewing of what the students are capable (of) and able to perform,” Rucker said. “Everybody doesn’t go to a chorus concert, everybody doesn’t go to a guitar concert, everybody doesn’t go to band (or) orchestra. You have different audiences (but) you have some bleed (at Fine Arts Night).”
“Fine Arts Night is a huge representation of who we are at (CCHS) and what we have to offer. It speaks for itself. If (the CCHS fine arts) program is so amazing, and fine arts night, then the rest (of CCHS’s programs) are going to be great, as well.”
— Niko Cope, Senior Piano Student
Cope will play Beethoven’s “Opus 2, No. 1, 4th movement” at the event after over nine months of learning and preparing it. He’s eager to share his music with the wider CCHS community.
“I’m feeling good. I’m always excited for the opportunity to play in front of other people because I can play it perfectly 1000 times by myself,” Cope said. “And then as soon as one person lays eyes on you, or maybe 100 people, then it changes the game completely. So it’s always great practice and it’s always (a) good experience.”
