The Academy of the Arts

The Academy of the Arts is NCCS's longest running academy. Formed in 2003 as a school within a school under the name North Atlanta School of the Arts (NASOTA) it has become the model for the Academies program at NCCS. The program was designed as a training ground for future arts professionals.

Upper school students who successfully pass an audition specifically designed for their proposed arts major will be invited to become a part of the Academy. Providing students academic core classes with intensive training in their chosen art field has allowed students to expand and enhance their talents and gifts in ways typically not offered at the high school level. The success of the arts program has paved the way for the other intensive courses of study currently offered at NCCS. We believe each student has unique gifts and abilities endowed by God and we welcome the opportunity, and consider it a blessing, to help students explore, expand and enjoy the calling of God on their lives.

The current major courses of study offered through the Academy are vocal performance, theatre and visual arts, with plans to add an instrumental major in the near future. The audition criterion for each major is included in the materials packet given to students who show interest in the Academy program.

Interim Director of the Arts, Mr. Matthew Lynn Hendrix

Director's Bio

Matthew Lynn Hendrix, Director of the NCCS Academy of the Arts, is an accomplished actor and director, proving that it is indeed those who can that teach. During his nine years at NCCS, Matthew has led the theatre program to three first place finishes in the GISA One-Act Play Competition and one State Championship.  He has also directed three major productions utilizing the talents of students from all artistic disciplines and including students from Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools.  In 2006, Matthew was named Director of the Year in the Georgia Independent School Association Region 3AAA.  Matthew has also won multiple awards and nominations for both lead and supporting roles in the Atlanta area.

Matthew holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees from Erskine College: one in Christian Education and one in French.  While at Erskine College, he helped found the college's first improvisational acting troupe. He is a member of the Rho Psi chapter of Alpha Psi Omega, the National Honorary Theatre Society. He and his wife Liza are expecting their first child in August and they attend Midway PCA Church.

As Director of the Academy of the Arts, Matthew takes the lead in nurturing student's talents and helping a very gifted arts faculty prepare students to pursue a life in the Arts.

Courses of Study:

Visual Arts Track
Drawing
Painting
Art History
Senior Portfolio/Exhibit

Vocal Arts Track
Advanced Choral Ensemble
Music Theory/Ear Training I,II, III and IV

Theatre Arts Track
Acting 9: Stanislavsky's System
Acting 10:Checkovian Acting
Acting 11: The Meisner Method
Acting 12:Practical Aesthetics

Possible Career Interests:
Dance Instructor Choreographer Producer Wardrobe Consultant Drama Teacher Technical Arts Set Designer Graphic Artist Actor Cartoonist Music Business		Artist Illustrator Animator Advertising Musician Architect Art Teacher Music Teacher Dancer Interior Design Composer/Arranger