Fine Arts Capstone is a one-semester course at Central offering students the opportunity to pursue higher knowledge related to the field of music.

Fine Arts Capstone starts with drafting a course proposal and the selection of a mentor from the fine arts department. This proposal must be submitted the semester prior to enrolling.

Maeve Shamo and Amanda Cima are seniors in the capstone class. Their research is accompanied by regular check-ins and assistance from Central band director DJ Alstadt, their mentor.

“[Fine Arts Capstone] really allows a student to find a particular topic that they can deep dive into,” Alstadt said. 

Cima’s capstone inquiry involved her arranging the “love theme” from George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” for a clarinet sextet. 

“[The arranging process] took about a month; then we rehearsed it for about a month as well,” Cima said. 

Shamo’s project focuses on conducting, specifically with Central’s Symphonic Band for the duration of the class. Her role includes taking performers through the steps of learning repertoire, just as a band director would. 

“[I] spent the first half of the semester studying and mentoring [with] Mr. Alstadt and Mr. Estes, then worked with the actual band students to conduct a piece of their concert,” Shamo said.

The culmination of Cima and Shamo’s work respectively was arranging and conducting at the Nov. 9 band concert.

“Both of our Redhawks knocked it out of the park,” Alstadt said. “They’re doing work that is beyond their years.”

Nolan Shen contributed to this story.