Summer Pre-College Programs

Ohio University’s College of Fine Arts Summer Pre-College Programs offer students aged 14–18 the opportunity to immerse themselves fully in the fine arts, working with faculty and visiting artists to improve their skills and techniques, hone their creative vision, and create meaningful personal work––all while living on our beautiful campus in Athens, Ohio.

Students focus intently on one area of study, allowing them insight into the future of college life in the fine arts. In addition, full days on film sets, in studios, and on stage give a glimpse of the professional worlds that they might enter. All students enroll for college credit, which can apply toward an Ohio University degree or may be transferable to another post-secondary institution. 

Pre-college students have the option to live in residence halls and experience on-campus college life fully, or may choose to commute to and from classes each day. Either way, they’ll have the opportunity to attend not only their class sessions and visiting artist presentations but also to take advantage of all that Athens has to offer in the summertime! Extracurricular activities are organized by resident advisors and instructors and may include independent films at the Athena Cinema, musical productions and concerts, craft nights, etc. Students also have the option to take advantage of the Ping Recreation Center, or explore Athens’ many independent cafés and shops.

SCHEDULE OF PROGRAMS

SESSION 1: June 10–21, 2024 
(residential stay June 9–22, 2024)

Details: Students select one area of study to focus on. Courses run 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Some courses may have final performances or events outside these hours, please see individual course descriptions.

Cost: Program fees are $645.00. Residential stay with all meals included is an additional $795.00 (for a total of $1,440.00). Students may choose instead to commute daily to their program.

ART + DESIGN

Ceramics: Wheel + Fire

This intensive studio course focuses on the process of wheel-throwing in ceramics to create functional vessels and sculptural forms. Students are introduced to a variety of firing and glazing methods, including raku-firing and high fire reduction, and make multiple projects throughout the course. Our professional ceramics studios are the perfect place to explore form, function, color, and surface!

All supplies are provided.

Contemporary Drawing

Students seeking to develop their drawing skills explore different materials and styles as they build a portfolio of sketches and finished projects. Students follow traditions of figure and still life drawing and build on these with abstract and experimental modes.

All supplies are provided.

Design Lab: Interior Architecture

Students interested in architectural elements and the built environment develop design skills to create supportive interior environments that are responsive to human needs. All aspects of the design process are introduced, from drawings to scale models to an introduction to industry software.

All supplies are provided.

Painting + Drawing Studio

This immersive studio experience helps students develop their individual painting and drawing practices through explorations of material, composition, and scale. Wet and dry media are introduced, including charcoal, pastel, and acrylic paint, and students complete individually-driven projects informed by contemporary art practices and experimental methods of idea generation.

All supplies are provided.

FILM

Summer Film Lab

Students with an interest in story-telling will create individual short films from initial screenwriting to final production in this intensive film-making lab. Working collaboratively to realize each other’s projects, students will have the opportunity to explore the different roles and equipment used on a professional film set. The course explores documentary and narrative modes using historical and contemporary examples, and culminates in a final screening of student work on Friday evening.

No previous software or camera experience is required; all supplies are provided.

THEATER

Theater Intensive

Act. Write. Collaborate.  
For Emerging Actors and Musical Theater artists  
Ohio University’s Summer Theater Intensive is built from the centering foundations of joy, discovering and amplifying your creative voice, and acting from an authentic use of self. Participants sharpen their performance and audition skills through monologues, scenes, and creative collaboration. The training integrates acting, movement, voice, and devised theater where students create their own work. Voice coaching will available as an elective for our Musical Theater students. In addition to daily classes, students will participate in evening rehearsals twice each week.
The immersive training culminates in a final showing of student work on the evening of Friday, June 21.

SESSION 2: SESSION 2: June 17–22, 2024 
(residential stay June 16–June 22, 2024)

Details: Students select one area of study to focus on. Courses run 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Some courses may have final performances or events outside these hours, please see individual course descriptions.

Cost: Program fees are $375.00. Residential stay with all meals included is an additional $395.00 (for a total of $770.00). Students may choose instead to commute daily to their program.

DANCE

Summer Dance Institute with Full Circle Dance Company

The Ohio University School of Dance welcomes Full Circle Dance Company (FCDC) from Baltimore, Maryland, for its 2024 summer intensive. FCDC is Baltimore's preeminent modern dance company, known for its thematic choreography featuring a diverse array of members. Highlighted in this group's end-of-session performances will be the choreographic work of School of Dance faculty, Travis Gatling.

Students in the Summer Dance Institute take daily classes in technique, composition, and repertory, culminating in a new student work performed in the Shirley Wimmer Dance Theater. This intensive is recommended for intermediate and advanced level dancers aged 16 and older.

MUSIC

OHIO Summer Music Academy

The OHIO Summer Music Academy is designed for high school musicians and performers who want to enhance their musicianship, develop their performance skills, and collaborate with talented high school musicians from around the world. Along with our award-winning faculty, the program welcomes distinguished musicians and performing artists to work with students and share their experiences in the field. Students in all areas receive individual instruction and participate in group practice sessions and seminars each day, though individual schedules may vary. Each program ends with a finale concert scheduled on Friday, June 21 or Saturday, June 22, 2024.

The OHIO Summer Music Academy includes the following five streams:

OHIO Summer Music Academy: Band Camp

The OHIO Summer Music Academy Band Camp is an immersive experience designed for intermediate to advanced high school brass, woodwind, and percussion students who, with our distinguished faculty and guest clinicians, want to enhance their musicianship, develop their performance skills, and collaborate with high school musicians from the region and beyond.  Daily classes include both large and chamber ensemble sessions and master classes, as well as seminars on various topics such as music theory, rock composition and electronics, instrument repair and maintenance, acoustics, improvisation, and music leadership with members of the Ohio University Marching 110.  New for 2024: The leadership course selection track will include a Drum Major componenet with former Western Carolina University “Pride of the Mountains” drum major, Sheldon Frazier!

Participants will perform in a culminating finale concert on Saturday, June 22 with Summer Music Academy Wind Ensemble.

OHIO Summer Music Academy: Contemporary Music and Digital Instruments

Ohio University’s new Contemporary Music and Digital Instruments program offers an opportunity for students to combine popular music and technology to create their own musical works. Composition and performance is taught through hands-on experiences with a wide range of digital instruments including loopers, MIDI controllers, digital audio workstations, beat making software, and synthesizers. Students benefit from individual and group instruction, as well as seminars that explore a wide variety of musical styles.

OHIO Summer Music Academy: Piano

The OHIO Summer Music Academy Piano program provides pre-collegiate students with the opportunity to study piano in a stimulating and nurturing learning environment under the guidance of our distinguished artist faculty and guests. The program also provides participants with both individual and group instruction, supervised practice time, master classes, ensemble study, performance opportunities, and seminars on a variety of topics (i.e. jazz piano, organ, practice strategies, careers in music, etc.).

Piano academy participants perform in a finale concert on Friday evening, June 21.

OHIO Summer Music Academy: Strings

The OHIO Summer Music Academy Strings program is an immersive experience designed for high school strings students. Daily classes include both large and chamber ensemble sessions and master classes with instrumental faculty, in addition to seminars that explore a variety of musical styles and practice. 

OHIO Summer Music Academy: Voice

High school students interested in voice performance work directly with our distinguished vocal music faculty and guests to build their voices and develop their singing techniques.  Vocal music students will explore contemporary a capella, choral music, vocal music recording, and live stage performance in addition to explorations of composition, music theory, and studies of extraordinary vocal performers.