• Students gear up for OSAI

By Meghan McCormick

Transcript Staff Writer

Thirty-five Norman teenagers will get the chance to learn from award-winning artists in nine disciplines when they attend the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute this summer at Quartz Mountain Arts and Conference Center in Lone Wolf.

According to a press release, students will arrive June 14 for a two-week stay. All teenagers were required to audition for a spot at the institute.

Annina Collier, Oklahoma Arts Institute, director of public relations and outreach, said 272 students from across the state were selected to attend the program which is celebrating its 31st anniversary. The Oklahoma Arts Institute offers instruction in the areas of acting, creative writing, ballet, modern dance, orchestra, chorus, drawing/painting, photography and film/video.

“This is the only one that has nine different artistic disciplines all together,” Collier said.

Students selected into the program include creative writing, Jisu Kim and Ali Van Swearingen; ballet, Christy Strauss, Talya Krumholz, Michelle Yu and Mindy Crow; modern dance, Clare Springer, alternate, Jaclyn Denny; orchestra, Natalie Mann, Dylan Reif, Zhou Fang, Kelsie Brooks, Clayton Blosser, Alan Pate, Skylar Gilbert and Zihao Xia. Alternates: Tony Lai, Samuel Wang, Erin Raiber, Justin Hoelscher and Benjamin Zhou; choir, Katie Gardner, Caitlin Royse, Mackenzie Rogers, Kira Rice and Kirk Forthman, alternate, Christina Doak; film and video, Molly Youngblood; photography, Julie Bragg, Shyloh Cooper, Dani Knight, Chelsey Oliver and Hannah Stapp; drawing and painting, Melissa McDonald and Michael Lombardo.

Collier said the residential arts program allows teenagers to collaborate and feed off each other. Each student who is accepted, receives a full scholarship into OSAI worth more than $2,000.

This will be the fourth year for Norman North senior Kirk Forthman to attend the OSAI. Forthman, 18, has focused on choral music every year.

“The institute is a really good place to meet friends and study in an environment where you can devote yourself to what you’re studying,” Forthman said.

In the fall, Forthman will attend the University of Oklahoma. He has chosen to major in music education.

He said he will continue to work with choral conductors on techniques that a musician must acquire to do well. The curriculum proves to be challenging.

“They always bring in the best of the best when it comes to conductors,” Forthman said.

Seventeen-year-old Alexis Van Swearingen said being accepted into the OSAI is a rare opportunity for young artists. This will be her first year at the arts institute.