The Fine Arts Department of Hamilton High School, as part of a comprehensive high school environment, offers the widest possible curriculum for HHS students. The department is divided into two major divisions, Visual and Performing Arts. The performing arts division includes, band, orchestra, chorus, dance, and drama. The visual arts division includes, AP Art History, drawing, design, and painting. Ceramics at multiple levels is also offered.
The activities within the department have won national, state, and local honors for their student’s performance individually and within performance ensembles. These include Arizona All-state ensembles, Southwest Region ensembles, state fair winners, and university and professional awards.
The concert bands, marching band, jazz bands, orchestra and choruses have won gold medals, superior with distinction, adjudicators awards, sweepstakes awards at music festivals on both east and west coasts and within the state. This year at the Anaheim, CA Heritage Music Festival the Concert, Symphonic, and Chamber Orchestras won Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals respectively. The Jazz Band and Big Band won Silver and Gold medals respectively. The Choruses won both silver and gold medals. The Orchestras and Jazz Bands wond the Band Sweepstakes trophy, Orchestra Sweepstakes trophy, and the combined Hamilton contingent won the Festival Sweepsstakes trophy. The Chamber Orchestra qualified for participation in next year's Festival of Gold activties.The 2012 Marching Huskies qualified for the State Marching Festival and from that festival qualified for the State Marching Competition where they finished 7th place.
The Drama activity has been recognized as state champions in state drama competitions, and the annual regional Shakespeare Festival in Utah on individual and group levels. Annual drama productions and musical productions are recognized as outstanding student productions.
The dance activity curriculum offers progressive dance instruction from beginning dance to the award winning Hamilton Dance Company. The Dance Company is invited to participate in several “by invitation only” dance competitions within the state.
The Visual Arts Division has amassed numerous best in show, 1st, 2nd, 3rd place awards at the state level, local Chandler competitions, and nationally in the Congressional Art Competition. At the 2011-12 CUSD Art Exhibit the visual arts division a total of 9 awards in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place as well as 1 best of Show.
The Fine Arts Department provides an opportunity for HHS students to explore the arts as part of their comprehensive high school education. Many of our students go on to college as arts majors and continue after college in the widest variety of the arts field. The faculty of the Fine Arts Department represents the broadest spectrum of both professional educational training and development, and progressional music, drama, art, ceramics and dance training and education. Many members of the faculty have professional careers outside of the Hamilton High School community. Our faculty includes: Frank G. Dubuy, department chair and instrumental music, Lisa Brandt, instrumental music, Christopher Holley, instrumental music, Ben Shafer, vocal music, Chris Vail, drama, Danny Milbauer, dance, Karen Tabor, art, Lynne Fox, ceramics, Kim Brown, ceramics.
