OCSA Season Final

OCSA’s annual Season Finale, hosted last Saturday, was a nostalgic look back toward this past year and an exciting look toward the future of OCSA.

Classical & Contemporary Dance Conservatory. Photo by Cheryl Walsh.

All 14 conservatories presented exciting and interesting performances that demonstrated the students’ unique artistic talents. Instrumental music and its various conservatories, including the Fredrick Fennell winds program and the Commercial Music program, presented beautiful pieces of music. Dancers in both Classical & Contemporary Dance as well as Commercial Dance demonstrated their ability and grace through an excerpt from Coppelia and a modern piece, respectively. Creative Writers presented original slam poetry.

Classical Instrumental Music Conservatory – Symphony Orchestra. Photo by Cheryl Walsh.

Many other conservatories presented video productions that showed the year the conservatory had. For example, Acting showed a backstage at their play “My Three Sisters,” and Digital Media provided a look inside the design process. Some conservatories did both, like Music and Theatre, where a video of highlight was accompanied by live singing.

Creative Writing Conservatory presentation. Photo by Cheryl Walsh.

Performing in Season Finale is an honor, but also a scary situation. Around 3,000 people watch the show, whether they be community partners, parents, incoming or current students.

Because of the large audience size, Season Finale is hosted in the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Professionals from Segerstrom assist OCSA Production and Design students in lighting and managing the large venue. There are several displays of visual arts from conservatories like Integrated Arts, Digital Media, Production and Design, and Visual Arts in the lobby, which gives guests a beautiful look into these less performing-oriented conservatories.

Visual Arts gallery at Season Finale. Photo by Cheryl Walsh.

The season finale also provided an optimistic look toward the future. The school’s founder, Dr. Ralph Opacic, presented information on OCSA’s new building campaign, Masterpiece in the Making. This funds a new $20 million-dollar building, which will have some of the largest dance rooms on the west coast, music rehearsal rooms, and science labs.

In some ways, Season Finale is a way to say goodbye to seniors while wishing them the best on their future endeavors. Seniors, chosen by conservatory directors, emcee-d the show, as different groups of the graduating seniors announced the upcoming performance as well as the past year’s accomplishment. All of these emcees also announced their future plans: whether it was a prestigious art school, and Ivy League college, or a combination of both. Opacic joked about the students who were planning to pursue an education in both the arts and sciences, noting a double major in neuroscience and music composition or one senior’s plan to major in studio art and biology.

Student presenters. Photo by Cheryl Walsh.

Certainly, Season Finale was amazing experience for all.