Over the past years, The King's Academy has proven to be outstanding in the area of Fine Arts. The experienced and talented staff encourages students to use their God given talents to glorify Him in all manners, whether on the stage, the ladies ensemble, band or art.
Students are instructed by incredibly gifted teachers who strive to develop within each student a love for the arts. Students are encouraged to discover their God-given talents and use them to honor and glorify His name.
In 2011-2012 year, The Fine Arts Department heartily welcomes Mrs. Vicki Palmer who is teaching Art to all levels. We are looking forward to see how the Lord will use her talents to enhance our own students. Welcome to the TKA family Mrs. Palmer!!
All of our Fine Arts staff members bring their talents and experience to the Fine Arts Department to enhance TKA students' artistic endeavors as well as help them explore and develop their talents to God's glory.
Mission Statement
The Lord God is the giver of every good and perfect gift. We recognize this abundance of His grace and our response is to worship Him radically through every creative venue. Our goal is to advance the Kingdom of God by demonstrating extreme excellence in the development and expression of every art form, whether traditional or newly innovative, thereby representing His character faithfully before the Church, Heaven and the world.
Art
Art is available to students in the Lower, Middle, and Upper School.
Instruction is age appropriate and the basic skills of drawing are consistently reinforced. Students’ will have a wide range of experiences to reinforce and form a basis for art expression. Each student will work in a variety of art media such as; water based paint, oil pastels, pen and ink, markers, crayons, and drawing pencils. Self expression is always encouraged and developed through creative use of materials. Each student will be encouraged to produce their personal best and to appreciate the talent of others.
Art is offered as an elective to both Middle and Upper School students.
Students will be encouraged to participate and create their best work for the SCISA Art Show.
Staff Credentials
We are so excited to welcome Vicki Palmer to our TKA Fine Arts Department. She has a B.A. degree in Art, Art Ed., from Winthrop University, Rock Hill, S.C.
Her work includes:
Free Lance Artist-1984-1997
- Painted for The Hearon House Gallery, Bishopville, S.C.
- Painted for Harris and McCallister Gallery, Market St. Charleston, S.C.
- Painted a decorative line of furniture for a furniture maker out of Pennsylvania.
Grants Received:
- Dwight D. Eisenhower, awarded May 1998,
- Pee Dee Grant, awarded September 1998,
- Dwight D. Eisenhower, awarded March 1999.
Her Lower School art students will be selecting pieces from their portfolios to display at the “TKA Fine Arts Night”.
Band
Band instruction begins in the 5th grade and is also offered to all Middle and Upper School students at two levels: an intermediate band (grades 6-8)
and an advanced band (grades 9-12).
The intermediate band works on improving technique and music-reading skills in addition to covering some basic music theory. The advanced band continues in all of these areas and studies music history as well.
The two bands combine for concerts, which are given in December and May.
In addition to concerts, other performances for students include playing for chapel, playing for pep rallies and games, and preparing a solo for the SCISA Music Festival in March.
Staff Credentials
After receiving his Bachelor of Arts with an Emphasis in Education degree from the University of South Carolina, Paul Clayton is in his first year as a Band Director at The King’s Academy. While at USC Paul served as Drum Major for the Carolina Bands from 2005-2007 and was winner of the First Annual Carolina Band Arranging Contest where his original composition was performed, recorded, and placed in the USC School of Music Library.
Along with being a professional music educator, Paul is also a professional French Horn player. In 2005, Paul co-founded the Carolina Horn Quartet with his twin brother, Patrick. With a mission to raise money for band programs in need, the quartet founded the Helping “Horns” Foundation in 2010 giving free concerts to the public in various churches and schools. The quartet is excited to announce that their first CD will be released in April, 2011. For more information on the Carolina Horn Quartet or the Helping “Horns” please visit this website at www.carolinahornquartet.com or email them at carolinahornquartet@gmail.com.
- Composes and arranges music for the Carolina Horn Quartet, as well as other ensembles.
- Composed a piece for Riverland Hills Baptist Church of Irmo, SC where he was the Orchestra Director from 2003 – 2010 and a member of the orchestra since 2001.
- Performed with the Augusta Symphony Orchestra and the College Street Brass Choir.
- In 2007, Paul was invited to perform a double horn concerto as guest soloist at his high school alma mater, Irmo High School. Following this performance he was invited to perform the concerto with the Wild Irish Band, of Columbia, SC as they toured Germany, Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic in the summer of 2007.
- As a private instructor he has helped teach many successful high school marching bands across the state of South Carolina including Chapin High School, Clover High School, Dutch Fork High School, Irmo High School, Seneca High School, and Sumter High School.
- Since 2008, Paul has been the Drill Designer for Ashbrook High School of Gastonia, NC and their Music Arranger since 2009. He was also the Drill Designer for Clover High School’s Winter Guard in 2008.
- In 2005, with the desire to watch high school band students have a synergetic effect on their band program, Paul created a leadership workshop called, BANDTEAM. BANDTEAM giving high school programs a more modern approach to their student leadership teams.
In his free time, Paul enjoys composing and arranging music for the Carolina Horn Quartet, as well as other ensembles. Recently, he has composed a piece for Riverland Hills Baptist Church of Irmo, SC where he was the Orchestra Director from 2003 – 2010 and a member of the orchestra since 2001. Paul has also played with the Augusta Symphony Orchestra and the College Street Brass Choir. In 2007, Paul was invited to perform a double horn concerto as guest soloist at his high school alma mater, Irmo High School. Following this performance he was invited to perform the concerto with the Wild Irish Band, of Columbia, SC as they toured Germany, Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic in the summer of 2007.
As a music educator, Paul has participated as a private brass instructor in after-school mentoring programs since 2002, taught privately out of his home, and has been a master class clinician for numerous middle and high schools across the state. Along with being a private instructor he has helped teach many successful high school marching bands across the state of South Carolina including Chapin High School, Clover High School, Dutch Fork High School, Irmo High School, Seneca High School, and Sumter High School. Since 2008, Paul has been the Drill Designer for Ashbrook High School of Gastonia, NC and their Music Arranger since 2009. He was also the Drill Designer for Clover High School’s Winter Guard in 2008.
In 2005, with the desire to watch high school band students have a synergetic effect on their band program, Paul created a leadership workshop called, BANDTEAM. BANDTEAM was created to give high school programs a more modern approach to their student leadership teams.
Recent Awards
At the 2011 SCISA Music Festival, there were 4 soloists from Director Paul Clayton’s band, 6 vocal soloists and 2 piano soloists who brought home 6 gold medals and 6 silver medals.
Drama
Drama is a hands-on opportunity for students to learn the fundamentals of acting, improvisation, reader's theater, and performance.
Students participate in performances with each other during class, competitions, school plays as well as for school chapel. Upper School drama covers the fundamentals of acting with a concentration on performance. Students will develop skills in acting through theater drill games, skits, and improvisations. They also explore techniques, method acting, playwriting, oral interpretation, some puppetry, and stage and set design.
Students also have the opportunity to participate in the One Act plays and Competitions, the Dinner Theatre, the TKA Christmas play, and the SCISA State Literary Meet and Drama Festival. Past Spring Musicals include "Annie Junior", "Smoke on the Mountain", "Willy Wonka Junior", "A Place on the Mountain" (our first original musical) and in 2011 Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”.
The school currently holds 22 Best Overall awards, 9 Second Best Overall and over 100 individual awards in drama and speech from the SCISA State Literary Meet and Drama competitions. The Speech and Drama Department was also awarded The SCISA Fine Arts Award – Outstanding Contributions to the Arts through SCISA Literary Meet. 2004-2008.
Staff Credentials
Gina Llaneza has been on staff at TKA for 11 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education from Fairmont State University, Fairmont, WV in the field of Oral Communications with a Specialization in Speech and Theatre.
- Member National Forensic League (NFL) 1977-1981. National Forensic League National Qualifier for Competitive Public Speaking, 1977-1981. Participated and won multiple awards at undergraduate level.
- NFL Student Winners in competitive public speaking 1996-2003 over 60 individual student trophies.
- SCISA Student Winners in competitive speaking 2001-2011over 90 individual student trophies.
- Advisor, Coach and sponsor to SCISA events listed above, YMCA Youth in Government Conferences, VFW’s VOD, Optimist Club International. And the National Forensic League.
- Assistant Director in Getting to Know Fiddler on the Roof 2003, Getting to Know The King and I 2004 , The Music Man Jr. 2005, Getting to Know Oklahoma 2006,
- Director of the following Plays, Annie Jr. 2007, Smoke on the Mountain 2008, Willy Wonka, Jr. 2009: Wrote and directed in 2010 our first original play “A Place on the Mountain” , with original and published music. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast 2011
- 1995 to Present- Six Plus One Studios, Florence, South Carolina: Voice-overs and Radio commercials for Kevin Smith (Owner)
- Participated in numerous roles in theatrical productions at an undergraduate level.
Past and Recent Awards
- Club and Zone Winners for Optimist Club International Oratorical Speech Contest -2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 thus qualifying for District.
- District Winners in The Optimist Club International Oratorical Speech Contest 2005, 2008
- Veteran of Foreign Wars for Voice of Democracy Contest; Club and Zone winners 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008.
- School Awards: YMCA Youth in Government (YIG) Premier Delegation 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
- YMCA YIG Best Witness 2009, YMCA YIG Outstanding Attorney 2006, 2010, 2011, YMCA YIG Outstanding Statesman 2003, 2006, 2011, YMCA YIG Outstanding Attorney Team 2011 3rd place, Alternate Attorney Team for YMCA National Mock Trials in Chicago, YMCA YIG Outstanding Newspaper Staff Award 2006. Most Outstanding Bill (Student Authors) 2009.
AND… Awards from SCISA ( Individual awards are not included)
1992 Newspaper 1st place Artwork
1992 Newspaper 1st place News Article
1999 Middle School One Act Region III Finalist
1999 Middle School One Act SCISA State 2nd Place
2000 Upper School One Act Region III Finalist
2000 Upper School One Act SCISA State 2nd Place
2000 Middle School Best Overall SCISA State 1st Place
2001 Middle School Best Overall State 2nd Place
2002 Middle School Best Overall State 1st Place
2003 Middle School Best Overall State 2nd Place
2003 Middle School Best Overall State 2nd Place One Act
2004 Middle School SCISA Regional One Act 1st Place
2004 Middle School Best Overall SCISA State One Act 2nd Place
2005 Upper School Best Overall SCISA State Literary 1st Place
2006 Middle School Best Overall State Literary Meet 1st Place
2006 Upper School Best Overall State Literary Meet 1st Place
2006 Middle School One Act Regional 1st Place
2006 Middle School One Act State 2nd Place
2007 Upper School Best Overall State Literary Meet 1st place
2008 Upper School Best Overall State Literary Meet 1st place
2008 Middle School Best Overall State Literary Meet 1st place
2008 Upper School Regional One Act 1st place
SCISA Fine Arts Award – Outstanding Contributions to the Arts through
SCISA Literary Meet. 2004-2008
2009 Middle School Best Overall State Literary Meet 1st place
2009 Middle School Regional One Act 1st Place
2009 Upper School Regional One Act 1st Place
2009 Middle School One Act State 1st Place
2009 Upper School One Act State 2nd Place
2010 Middle School Best Overall State Literary Meet 1st Place
2010 Middle School One Act Regional 1st
2010 Middle School State One Act 2nd Place
11-22-10 Middle School Regional One Act 1st Place
11-22-10 Upper School Regional One Act 1st Place
2011 Upper School State Drama Festival 2nd Place
2011 Middle School State Drama Festival 1st Place
2011 Middle School Best Overall State Literary Meet 2nd Place
2011 Upper School SCISA Regional One Act 1st Place
2011 SCISA State Drama Festival Runner Up (2nd place) Best High School One Act
Lower School Chorus gives students in 3rd-5th grades an opportunity to learn ensemble music as well as basic vocal techniques and performance skills.
TKA hosted its first Pee Dee Regional Fine Arts Music Festival in March 2007. Professional adjudicators heard vocal, piano, band instrument, string soloists from grades 4th through 12th, as well as Middle School Chorus. Their comments encouraged and further strengthened the instruction provided by TKA staff. This was a wonderful experience in preparation and presentation of traditional repertoire in addition to contemporary genres.
Staff Credentials
Mrs. Charli Moore is a graduate of Furman University; certified by ACSI, and started at TKA in January 1992. Formerly with The Fine Arts Academy of Florence, Mrs. Moore has enjoyed a career of concertizing and teaching in Missouri and the Carolinas.
After joining us in January of 2010, we are blessed to have as choral director Susan Hiltibidal. Mrs. Hiltibidal trained at the Free Will Baptist College in Nashville and is stepping into the director/teacher position of the Middle Chorus and Upper School Ladies Ensemble. She is an outstanding director and also an accomplished vocalist and voice teacher.
Susan Hiltibidal is a gifted musician and teacher with 28 years of teaching experience among a very diverse range of programs and cultures. In addition to a bachelor’s degree in psychology/counseling, specializing in adolescent behavior, Susan has thirty-six credit hours in music education. Her study of vocal performance includes many credit hours of vocal instruction and vocal pedagogy. She is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors and uses her counseling experience to assist her as a dedicated teacher. Former students quite often return to thank her as much or more for the love and spiritual guidance they received as for their musical development.
Susan is very knowledgeable in the science of vocal pedagogy and has worked to build choral programs in some of the strongest Christian schools. Those schools include Raleigh Christian Academy in Raleigh, N.C., North side Christian Academy in Charlotte, N.C. and Dade Christian School in Miami, Florida. At the inception of her tenure at Dade Christian the high school choir had fewer than 15 students, and by the time of her departure, the entire choral department had in its membership close to 200 choristers.
Aside from directing choirs and ensembles, Susan has provided private vocal instruction for many students. She either instituted or enhanced the private vocal program in each school in which she was employed. This not only provided tremendous advancement for the individual singers but also resulted in moving group performance ratings from good to superior.
In addition to the usual Christmas and spring concerts, the following is a representative list of the many performances and competitions in which her choirs and private students have been involved:
- Epcot Candlelight Processional
- Florida Vocal Association Solo and Ensemble Competition
- Florida Vocal Association Performance Assessments
- Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools Competition
- Orange Bowl Merrick Caroling Competition
- Music in the Park
- North Carolina Christian School Association Fine Arts Competition
- American Association of Christian Schools National Fine Arts Competition
- Florida All State Choir
- University Honor Choir
- Southeastern Association of Christian Colleges and Schools
Mrs. Hiltibidal’s choirs, ensembles and soloists placed consistently in the top three at the various local and state competitions, with several state championship titles. Mrs. Hiltibidal’s private voice students have performed the national anthem at many professional sporting events including the Major League Baseball’s Florida Marlins and Atlanta Braves, the National Basketball Association’s Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets and NASCAR’s Charlotte Motor Speedway Coca-Cola 500 Time Trials. Two of her students have recorded in Nashville, Tennessee under Christian labels, and another placed third in The Gospel Music Association’s National Songwriting Competition.
Mrs. Hiltibidal has directed many choreographed musical productions including Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Phantom of the Opera and many children’s musicals which have been a memorable addition to her student’s choral experience.
She believes her greatest musical accomplishment is the many former students all over the nation who are building the Kingdom of God through their full time music ministries.
Recent Awards
At the 2011 SCISA Music Festival the 9-member TKA Ladies Choir won gold under Susan Hiltibidal's capable leadership, Susan Lee led 20 singers in the Middle School Chorus to a silver medal and Charli Moore directed the Lower School Chorale to a silver medal as well. There were 4 soloists from Director Paul Clayton’s band, 6 vocal soloists and 2 piano soloists who brought home 6 gold medals and 6 silver medals. Judges were very complimentary and encouraging in their adjudication comments to the TKA students.
Past Awards
2010 Excellent rating for Lower School Choral
2010 Gold medal for Upper School at the SCISA Music Festival
2009 Superior rating for Lower School Choral
2008 Excellent rating for Lower School Choral