Michelle Hiscavich, director of visual and performing arts at Newtown Public Schools, is excited for the 2022-23 school year, and she has good reason for the excitement.
With pandemic restrictions easing, Hiscavich recently mused that the year will be “a return to normal music and arts productions.”
As a result, the district was able to schedule a full year of music and art productions for the first time in around two years. While district administrators continue to monitor the pandemic and things may change, the full calendar has been produced and released. The full list of 2022-23 music and arts events is below, as shared by Hiscavich.
When students rehearse for musicals, Hiscavich said they don’t have to stand 12 feet apart, as has been required in the recent past. Masks remain optional in the school district, and all practices and concerts will follow district and state guidelines. Barring a resurgence of the pandemic, Hiscavich says events will unfold much closer to a “normal fashion.”
Hiscavich said the music and arts events of the school year begin in the fall with Newtown High School Marching Band & Color Guard competitions and events, such as the Newtown Arts Festival, which the group will attend.
“The fall season is very busy with the marching band,” Hiscavich said.
Then in October, Newtown Middle School will host its annual Scarecrow and Painted Pumpkin Event, which is a seasonal display of student-made scarecrows and decorated pumpkins that will be displayed for the community on the school’s front lawn.
And while the students overseeing the NHS autumn drama had yet to decide on a show as of September 6, Hiscavich said: “They are working on the early stages of putting the autumn drama together.”
In November, veterans will be welcomed back to local schools, and Hiscavich highlighted the high school’s ceremony, which will be much closer to “normal” than it has been in recent years.
The winter concert season begins in December.
“Our elementary school choirs are singing again this year,” Hiscavich said.
Hiscavich thanked all members of the district’s “arts team” for their “incredible creativity, flexibility and patience” in getting Newtown’s students through the pandemic. The support of the district administration and the board of education also made this possible, she said.
Overall, Hiscavich said she’s thrilled that “we can now get everyone back to the full schedule” as far as music events and arts programming goes. People attending music and arts events means “the happiness of bringing everyone back together with the arts” will return.
“It will be wonderful to see that happiness again for everyone,” Hiscavich said. “It’s joyful, and that’s the art: it’s a place that brings people together.”
The following is a list of music and arts events planned for the 2022-23 school year as provided by the district. In most cases, local parents will be given further details prior to the events. Events are open to the public unless specified as auditions for specific groups.
Time schedule
September 18: Marching Band at the Newtown Arts Festival Fairfield Hills.
24 September: New Milford Marching Band Competition.
October 1: Naugatuck Marching Band Competition.
October 8: Ludwig Musser Classic marching band competition at Met Life Stadium, NJ
11 October: Tri-M/Art Honor Society induction ceremony, 7pm at NHS.
15 October: NHS Marching Band & Color Guard Home Show, the annual Joseph P. Grasso Music Festival, 6pm, rainy date 16 October, at the NHS.
22 October: Marching Band Competition in Southington.
22-23 October: NMS Scarecrows and Pumpkins exhibit at NMS.
29 October: Marching Band USBands New England States Championships in New Britain.
November 5: USBands Marching Band National Championships at Met Life Stadium, NJ
November 9: Marching Band Banquet, 5:30-8 p.m. at the Newtown Community Center.
10-13 November: NHS Fall Drama, TBD, Thursday to Sunday at 7pm and Sunday at 2pm on the NHS.
11 November: NHS Veterans Day celebration at the NHS.
November 19: CMEA Western Region High School Festival Auditions at Ridgefield High School.
December 1: Sandy Hook School Fourth Grade Choir Concert, 7:00 p.m., Snow Date, December 8, at Sandy Hook School.
November 3: CMEA Western Region Middle School Festival Auditions at Fairfield Woods Middle School.
5th November: NMS eighth grade concert (band/choir/orchestra), 7pm, snow date 7th December, at the NHS.
6th November: NMS Year 7 Concert (band/choir/orchestra), 7pm, snow date 7th December, at the NHS.
19 November: NHS Choir Concert, 7pm, Snow Date 22 December, on the NHS.
20 November: NHS Band Concert, 7pm, Snow Date 22 December, at the NHS.
21 November: NHS Orchestra and Jazz Improv Class Concert, 7pm, Snow Date 22 December, at the NHS.
7-8 January: Unified Theater Production, Snow Date 14-15 January, Saturday 6pm, Sunday 2pm, on the NHS.
9th-27th January: Scholastic Art Show, Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm, weekends 12pm-4pm, Silpe Art Gallery, Hartford Art School in Hartford.
9 January: Hawley Elementary School Fourth Grade Choir Concert, 7:00 p.m., Snow Date on 17 January, at Reed Intermediate School.
10 January: Head O’ Meadow Elementary School Fourth Year Choir Concert, 7pm, Snow Date 18 January, in Head O’ Meadow.
11 January: Middle Gate Elementary School Fourth Form Choir Concert, 7pm, snow date 18 January, at the NHS.
January 13-14: Western Region High School Music Festival, Snow Date January 20-21, at Greenwich High School.
January 19: Reed Choir Concert, snow date January 23, in Reed; Fifth Grade Choir at 6:30 p.m.; Sixth Grade Choir at 8 p.m.
Jan 24: Fifth Grade Reed Concert, Snow Date Jan 30, Blue House at 6:30 p.m., Green House at 8 p.m., in Reed.
January 25: Sixth Grade Reed Concert, Snow Date January 31, Blue House at 6:30 p.m., Green House at 8 p.m., in Reed.
January 26: Reed Orchestral Concert of Classes 5 and 6, Snow Date February 1, Class 5 at 6:30 p.m., Class 6 at 8 p.m., in Reed.
February 4: Winter Guard Competition TBD
February 4: All-State Auditions, Snow Date February 11, North Haven High School.
February 11: Winter Guard Friends and Family Show, Reed.
February 18: Winter Guard Competition TBD.
February Date TBD: NMS Art Enrichment Information Meeting, 6 p.m., NMS
February Date TBD: Google Meet 25 Winter Guard Contest TBD
March 4: Winter Guard Competition TBD
March 11: Winter Guard Competition TBD
16-19 March: NHS Musical TBD, Thursday to Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 2pm and 7pm and Sunday at 2pm on the NHS.
17-18 March: Western Region Middle School Music Festival at Wilton High School.
March 18: Winter Guard Competition TBD.
March 25: Winter Guard Contest TBD.
March 30-April 1: All-State Music Festival/Elementary Honors Festival/CMEA Conference in Hartford.
April 1: Winter Guard and Winter Percussion MAC Championships, 2:45 p.m. – 9 p.m., TBD.
April 1-30: District Art Show, hang up March 30-31 and take down April 28 at the Newtown Municipal Center.
April 4: Reed Chamber Concert, 7 p.m., Reed.
Date open in April: NHS Jazz Band at the Wilton Jazz Festival at Wilton High School.
13-16 April: NAFME Eastern Division Conference & Honors Ensemble Festival in Rochester, NY
19 April: NHS Composers Concert, 7pm, at the NHS.
Date in April TBD: Fairfield County String Festival for grades six through nine.
28-29 April: Reed Musical, Lion KingFriday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Reed.
May Date TBD: Percussion Clinic, 6:30-8:30pm, at the NHS.
May 3: Sandy Hook School Fourth Grade Choir Concert, 7 p.m., at the Sandy Hook School.
4 May: Newtown Night of Jazz, 7pm, on the NHS.
Date open in May: Congressional Art Competition of Connecticut 5th Congressional District, at the Mattatuck Museum.
May Date TBD: Percussion Clinic, 6:30-8:30pm, at the NHS.
8 May: NMS Year 7 Spring Concert, Band/Choir/Orchestra, 7pm, at the NHS.
9 May: NMS Year 8 Spring Concert, Band/Choir/Orchestra, 7pm, at the NHS.
May 10: Reed Art Show, 6:30-8:00 p.m., at the Reed.
Open Date in May: Middle Gate Art Show, 5:30-7:00pm, at Middle Gate.
Date in May TBD: NMS Musical TBD, Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 12pm, 3pm and 7pm.
Date open in May: Sandy Hook School Art Show, 5 p.m., at the Sandy Hook School.
Date open in May: Hawley Art Show, 5 p.m., in Hawley.
Date open in May: Head O’ Meadow Art Show, 5 p.m., at the Head O’ Meadow.
May 11: Hawley’s Fourth Class Choir Concert, 7 p.m., in Reed.
15 May: Middle Gate Year 4 Choir Concert, 7pm, at the NHS.
16 May: NHS Band concert, 7pm, at the NHS.
17 May: NHS Choir Concert, 7pm, at the NHS.
18 May: NHS Orchestra and Jazz Improv Class Concert, 7pm, at the NHS.
May 22: HOM Fourth Grade Choir Concert, 7pm, Head O’ Meadow.
May 23: NMS Art Student Showcase, 6-7:30 p.m., at NMS.
Date open in May: Teen Visions Art Show, at Sacred Heart University Art & Design Gallery, receipt date open at 2:00 p.m.
May 24: Reed Choir Concert, 5th grade at 6:30 p.m., 6th grade at 8:00 p.m. at the Reed.
30 May: Reed Orchestra Concert, 5th grade at 6:30pm, 6th grade at 8:00pm at the Reed.
May 31: Fifth Grade Reed Band Concert, Blue House at 6:30pm, Green House at 8pm, in Reed.
1 June: Sixth Grade Reed Band Concert, Blue House at 6:30pm, Green House at 8pm, in Reed.
Date open in June: “Ice Cream” for Jazz, 7pm, at the NHS Cafe of the NHS.
Date open in June: NHS Marching Band Open Day, 7pm, at the NHS.
Education Editor Eliza Hallabeck can be reached at [email protected]
Andrew Sposato (centre left) and Michael Spanedda (centre right) jump rope with other cast members on stage in the school’s auditorium during a recent rehearsal for the NHS’ music production of Footloose. – Bee photo, Voket
