At St. Paul VI Catholic High School in Chantilly, the arts are present everywhere from the amazing sounds of the choir and band to beautiful visual images from fine arts and film. This spring, the school will present its first-ever film festival, a two-day art show and several concerts to highlight what students have been working on throughout the year.
PVI launched a new arts class last school year: digital video design and production. Taught by Brian McClernand, the class introduces students to the basics of filmmaking, and students have learned about a variety of techniques used in moviemaking. Students film scenes, prepare shot lists, edit and solicit constructive criticism from their classmates. They have worked on creating scenes such as chase scenes, documentaries, montages and movie trailers.
“In digital video design and production, I’ve gained more knowledge for the production of film, and how much time and effort it takes to prepare and edit video footage,” said Aubri Culligan (’26).
The class will become a part of PVI’s new media department next school year. The digital video design and production class, along with creative writing taught by Peter Troy, will provide the foundational works for the inaugural PVI Film Festival May 6.
In addition to this spirit of collaboration, Paul VI has a vibrant community with teachers who love working with students.
“I am inspired by my art students because I see myself in them. Watching them grow into their own unique artistic voices fuels my passion to guide, support and teach them,” said art teacher Cindy Ali.
This year’s art show, May 6-7, will bring the school community together to showcase the talents of art students.
“Interacting with everybody and talking and getting to know the artists (and) the grand reveal aspect is fun,” said Dani Bruno (’26).
Katie Le (’26), president of PVI’s Art Honor Society, said her favorite part about the art show is, “Seeing everyone’s art up and watching them get the recognition they deserve (and) seeing all their friends and family supporting them.”
In preparation for the art show, students put together more than just the art. From the start of the school year, they begin the long process of creating their portfolios. All students have six to 15 pieces to present; each piece complements the others in one overall theme. After each piece is completed, the students frame their pieces with 2-inch black matting to provide a cohesive look for the gallery. In the weeks leading to the show, students put up display panels and hang the pieces in accordance with the artists’ visions. Pieces in the hallways consist of students’ art from honors, dual enrollment, and advanced placement classes, while students’ art from studio art and intro to art classes are displayed on the classroom walls. The last step in preparation for the show is for students to put up title tags for each piece.
Choir and band share a similar preparation plan when getting ready for their concerts. Each group works with tight timelines to practice new pieces. They start at the beginning of the school year and work toward their first concert, then begin again for the next. Students in choir prepare diligently for their concerts, studying a collection of songs selected by choral director Sara Prince, that will be perfected and performed. As the concert gets near, Prince focuses on the small details to ensure that the choir sounds perfect. Through this process, students learn how their music impacts the audience.
In addition to concerts, choir members can sing at all-school Masses. “From my freshman year until now, I’ve sung at Mass, and I think that’s the biggest way choir has helped me grow in my faith,” said choir member Kayla Moreira (’27).
The band which follows a similar yearly schedule of events, spends class time playing scales, sight-reading and working on their music. Band students learn several pieces for each concert that are chosen by Jan Siegried, director of instrumental music, as well as a selection of their own. As their concerts near, the band holds more frequent rehearsals after school and brings every ensemble together to tweak any last details to present a perfect piece to a crowd.
“Playing in an ensemble is so different from playing individually,” said Grace Lemmon (’26). “If you don’t work as a team, you’re not going to sound good. Being part of the music department has given me the knowledge and patience to work with a huge group of people to make something wonderful.”
“We are blessed to have talented students who excel in the arts and share their God-given gifts with our community so that we may all appreciate their talents,” said Principal Tom Opfer.
Paul VI invites others to join their community to celebrate the creativity and talent of its students at these campus events: Art Show and Film Festival May 6; Art Show and Choral Concert May 7; Instrumental Music Concert May 14.
