The new year began with many accolades and awards for the Lehigh Valley Charter HS for the Arts (Charter Arts). Charter Arts was named a Grammy Signature School semifinalist. Finalists for this prestigious distinction will be announced in March. In other news for the music department, Charter Arts will be honored at the 17th annual Lehigh Valley Music Awards with a Board of Directors Award, 17 students will be participating in the Northampton Community Band, two students will participate in the PMEA Regional Orchestra Festival, three students will participate in the PMEA District Jazz Band Festival, and the Charter Arts Jazz Band will participate in the SteelStacks HS Jazz Band Showcase.

In the visual art and literary art departments, students earned over 70 awards at the prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The school is also proud to be hosting the Scholastic Art Awards exhibit in the Charter Arts Gallery in April. The visual art department held an opening reception for its alumni group art exhibit Feb. 5. This exhibit will be on display until March 23.

A blizzard could not stop the theater department’s production of “The Taming of the Shrew.” The production received rave reviews from audiences. The department is now in rehearsals for the upcoming production of “The Bald Soprano,” which is being produced by the school’s student-run theater company, and runs in the Charter Arts Black Box Theatre Feb. 25-28. Rehearsals have also begun for the spring musical, “Evita,” which will open April 14. Tickets for shows can be purchased online at www.CharterArts.org.

The dance department recently held a residency at Kirkland Farm in Bucks County for intense rehearsals in preparation for the upcoming high school dance festival and various spring dance concerts. Thirty dancers from the Rutgers University dance department also recently visited the school to hold a master class for dance majors.

Charter Arts will be holding auditions for the 2016/2017 school year Feb. 26. Any student residing in Pennsylvania entering 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade is eligible to audition. Auditions are by appointment only and can be scheduled through the school’s registrar.

The Charter Arts Theatre was also recently host to the Piano Recital, The first Wanda & Leo DeLong Honors Piano Recital, Faculty Recital, and the student-organized Rock Your School Benefit Concert.

Upcoming events include the Jazz Cafe in the Charter Arts Theatre Feb. 23; the parent association’s Flying Solo Fashion Show benefit March 6 at the Palace Center in Allentown; and a side-by-side percussion concert with the IUP Percussion Ensemble March 8.