How to Make the Most of Your Fine Arts Experience - University of Valley Forge

How to Make the Most of Your Fine Arts Experience

How to Make the Most of Your Fine Arts Experience

For anyone who’s ever been in Fine Arts, you know the immense joy and struggle that goes into the preparation and execution of every performance of every category: is my timing right? am I smiling? how is my delivery? stage presence? am I exaggerating my facial expressions enough? and a million other questions may float through your mind.

Karlee Kipe – a senior at the University of Valley Forge majoring in Music Education – shared four tips with me about her years in Fine Arts and how her experience can help you make the most of yours:

1. Be Prepared
“Be prepared way in advance with whatever performance you are doing, whether it is a vocal solo, drama, or short sermon. It can get a little nerve-wracking when it comes to actually performing, but the more you prepare, the less nervous you will be and the better you will be able to minister!

2. Ask for Help
“Don’t think twice about asking for help! Seek out people within your church that can help guide and encourage you through this process. Fine Arts is an incredible opportunity to grow and develop the gifts God has placed within you, and being able to minister in front of your friends and church family allows you to become more comfortable and confident in sharing those gifts.”

3. Apply Constructive Criticism
“Another huge thing is asking someone you know that may be at a higher level in what you are doing to review and give you some constructive criticism. If you’re in the short sermon category, make sure to help yourself and deliver that short sermon within different groups of people; maybe an older or younger crowd, or a larger or smaller one. Don’t forget to take what the evaluators say seriously and use those comments to help improve your ministry! Fine Arts helped me to be comfortable with leading people into worship and has also opened up the opportunity to minister with one of our traveling worship teams at UVF.”

4. Try New Things
“Branch out! You have no idea what gifts God has entrusted you with that you may not be aware of. Try categories that are maybe out of your comfort zone and allow your experience with Fine Arts to be an awesome growing and teaching experience. Fine Arts definitely allowed me to see the gifts God had given me within the realm of music and played a part in spurring me on with confidence to further my education by going to UVF. Overall Fine Arts was a major blessing to me and I would encourage anyone to get involved!”

 

Written by Melea Fowler