To empower and inspire students to grow in self-discovery and achieve their creative, expressive potential through experiences in the arts for the purpose of developing innovative leaders motivated to serve a global community within the Jesuit tradition.
Vision
Integrate the arts and all its inherent benefits into the life of the Loyola community.
Using a variety of tools and materials, Studio Arts students grow in areas of self-discovery and skill by visually responding to the world around them using drawing, painting, printmaking and 3D approaches to art. In courses designed to meet the needs of the beginning student through the advanced artist, students improve their ability to create, contextualize and talk about art in studios that support personal expression and discovery.
Students in the Architecture Program blend their creative and technical abilities to develop design thinking from early ideation stages through to the completion of projects. Through architectural drawing and model making, students learn the historical foundations of architecture and how to apply them to their own designs, systems and materials. Graphic Design students use an artistic design approach along with the latest computer software to combine imagery and text in the creation of print-based media such as posters, logos and magazine layouts. All design courses seek to connect the student with real-world issues to foster an awareness of design’s impact and influence on our everyday lives.
Photography students explore image-making using digital and analogue single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras. Gaining working knowledge of the camera, lenses and basic photographic equipment, students use technical skills to develop aesthetic and expressive competencies grounded in the principles of art. Digital image manipulation is also studied as an expressive tool. In Filmmaking, students work both behind and in front of the camera to explore every aspect of making a film such as writing, directing, editing and producing.
AP Art History students examine how art, society and history overlap to both reflect and influence the world in which we live. Through analysis and discussion, students study the development of art from eras throughout history and regions across the globe. All students enrolled in AP Art History take the Advanced Placement test in May. This is a required course for Dumbach Scholars.
The Loyola Academy Music Department (Band, Orchestra, Choir) empowers students to express themselves through the performance and analysis of music. Students that study music at Loyola advance their instrumental and/or vocal technique and hone their collaborative and leadership skills through ensemble and in depth understanding (e.g. band, vocal, orchestra and guitar and AP Music Theory). The formal study of music is complemented by an array of cocurricular opportunities for students.
Theater students at Loyola build skills and experience in acting, directing, tech design and script writing in an environment that is both nurturing and empowering. With the support of a department that celebrates a range of abilities, theater students develop self-expression and creativity onstage, backstage and in the audience. A focus is placed on the collaborative art of theater with the ultimate goal of developing creative, innovative leaders. Multiple levels of courses are complemented by a variety of cocurricular opportunities.
The Dance Program at Loyola focuses on the creative process of dance as an art form. Students develop artistic self-expression while simultaneously building technical and critical thinking skills through choreography, collaboration and performance. The formal study of dance is complemented by an array of cocurricular opportunities for students.
The 2024 Spring Band Concert, held on Thursday, May 9, featured all of Loyola's concert ensembles, including Symphonic Band, Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and Beginning Instrumental students. The program included classic and contemporary works written by significant composers including Antonin Dvořăk, Stevie Wonder, and Frank Ticheli.
Loyola Academy's Spring Orchestra Concert took place on Wednesday, May 7. It featured out symphony orchestra, beginning guitar, guitar ensemble, and combined orchestras playing music by Ben E. King, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Harold Arlen.
On Friday, May 3, Loyola Academy students presented the Spring Dance Showcase, which featured performances by Honors Dance, Dance 2, Orchesis Dance Company, Step Team, Asian Youth Group, along with cast members from The Children of Eden, Loyola’s spring musical production. Together, these groups put on a beautiful performance in the McGrath Family Performing Arts Center.
On Monday, May 6, six Loyola Academy seniors signed a letter of intent to study a fine or performing art or design in college. Congratulations to the following students and their parents! Click here to view the presentation from the ceremony.
The McGrath Family Performing Arts Center was transformed into a vibrant gallery space showcasing the culmination of months of creativity and dedication by its visual arts and design students during the 2024 Visual Arts and Design Show. The exhibition offers a glimpse into the artistic journey of each student, highlighting the process behind their remarkable creations.
Thespian Society Board Member Tommy Grant '25 was selected by Broadway in Chicago as an Illinois High School Musical Theatre Award (IHSMTA) nominee for Best Performer in an Actor Role for his performance as Cain/Japeth in Loyola Academy's production of Children of Eden. This year, over 80 high school musicals throughout the state of Illinois participated in IHSMTA. Of the twelve male nominees, the student chosen as Best Performer in an Actor Role will get to represent Illinois at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York.
Four Loyola Academy artists were selected by their teachers for this year's edition of the IHSA Art Exhibition held at the Bridgeport Art Center. Kristina Gillen '26 displayed a drawing, Sydney Smith '25 a cast plaster sculpture, Patrick McCauley '24 had a digital photograph, and Francie Ryan '25 created a mixed media relief sculpture. A reception for all of the student artists was held on Sunday, April 21, at the Bridgeport Art Center.
Loyola's Spring Choir Concert, titled "The Distance Between You & I," took place on Thursday, April 18, and featured students in concert choir, contemporary vocal ensemble, chorale, chamber singers, combined choirs, and Loyola's a capella group Nothin' But Treble.
Photographs by Jonathan Hernandez '25 (Teen Burnout) and Annie Loeb '25 (Hidden Figures) have been selected for the juried Student Perspectives 2024 Show. The Perspective Photography Gallery, located at 1310 1/2B Chicago Avenue in Evanston, received over 500 images from Chicago area high school student artists. The show was juried by Nate Matthew. The show opens on May 2, with the opening reception and award ceremony on May 4, and runs through May 26. Find out more at https://perspectivegallery.org/.
Loyola Academy Performing Arts and Thespian Troupe 4729 performed Children of Eden to delighted audiences on March 22–24, with a special matinee for students from Chicago Jesuit Academy and East Lake Academy grade schools on Thursday, March 21. Freely based on the Book of Genesis, Children of Eden is the heartfelt and funny story of Adam, Eve, Noah, and the "Father" who created them—with show-stopping musical numbers from Stephen Schwartz, the composer of Wicked and Pippin.
Congratulations to Allison Gregorio '26 (voice) and Sean Vanegas '24 (piano), winners of the Best of the Day Award at the 2024 IHSA Solo and Ensemble Contest! At this contest, students prepare solos, small ensembles, and large ensembles to perform before a judge. The judge rates the student(s) based on tone quality, rhythm, pitch, expression, diction, and skill.
The Winter Band Concert took place on Wednesday, March 14, in Loyola Academy's Leemputte Family Theater and featured the combined orchestras performing music composed by Rogers and Hammerstein II, Gustav Holst, Antonin Dvorak, and more.
Loyola Academy's AP Studio Art and Design Exhibition, now in its thirteenth year, is an annual celebration of student work in the visual arts held at the Evanston Art Center (EAC). Many of the students exhibiting work in the show have been in art courses at Loyola for two to four years and come from the following disciplines: studio (drawing, painting), graphics, photography, and architecture. The opportunity to present in a professional gallery is a unique and valuable experience for students.
The Winter Orchestra Concert took place on Thursday, March 7, in Loyola Academy's Leemputte Family Theater and featured the combined orchestras performing music composed by Stephen Sanchez, Alan Menken, Hayley Williams, and more.
On Wednesday, February 28, Loyola Academy Choirs presented their annual winter concert titled "The Distance Between Then & Now." The concert featured songs from Billie Eilish, The Beatles, and Kirk Franklin.
The Loyola Academy Orchestra took 4th place in state at the IHSA Division AA contest in Burbank, Illinois! Our strings, which include pianos, did an excellent job competing against schools with orchestra programs five times their size! Bravo to all the IHSA participants from the Combined Orchestras.
On Friday, February 9, and Saturday, February 10, students in Loyola's newest dance company Orchesis, presented a wonderful winter concert in the McGrath Family Performing Arts Center.
On Saturday, February 3, the Loyola Academy Jazz Ensemble performed at the 41st Annual New Trier Jazz Festival. After the performance, our students participated in a clinic with professional trombonist and educator Dr. Javier Nero, one of the festival's featured performers for the evening's headlining concert, who provided valuable feedback and insight on the ensemble's performance. Throughout the day, the Loyola musicians took part in a variety of workshops and clinics led by other professional Jazz musicians and educators and attended performances of other schools and featured groups.
Annie Loeb '25 and Brandon Matejka '25 were chosen to exhibit their work at the Drexel University Juried High School Photography Exhibition in Philadelphia. Students exhibiting in the national competition will be judged on January 19 for six national winners. The exhibit will be held from February 17 through March 9.
Loyola Academy's music ensembles came together to offer their annual Christmas Concert collaboration on Friday, December 1, and Saturday, December 2. Among the ensembles performing were Loyola's Symphonic and Concert Bands, Percussions Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Guitar Ensemble, Honors Orchestra, Concert Choir, Contemporary Vocal Ensemble, Chorale, and Chamber Singers. Each delighted audiences with popular Christmas tunes such as: "Do You Hear What I Hear," "The First Noel," and "Wonderful Christmas Time".
Loyola alumni with a passion for the performing arts have gone on to pursue successful careers in a wide variety of creative disciplines, from music and dance to theater, television and film. Today, many of these talented alumni light up stages and screens around the world and enrich our lives through their contributions as actors, comedians, directors, screenwriters, dancers, choreographers, composers, singers, songwriters, jazz and blues artists, symphonic musicians and more.
List of 25 items.
Debo Balogun '13
actor
Matthew Cherry '99
writer, director
Pat Corcoran '08
artist manager
Brian Doyle-Murray '63
actor, writer, producer
Pat Finn '83
actor, improvisational comedian
Jess Godwin '01
singer, songwriter
Bill Grady '10
blues musician
Joseph Guzaldo '76
actor
Kellyn Jackson '08
dancer
Jay Lavender '93
writer, producer, director
Bill Murray '68
actor, writer
Joel Murray '80
actor, director, writer
John Musker '71
writer, director
Jonathan Nolan '94
writer, producer, director
Chris O'Donnell '88
actor, producer, director
Abby Pierce '06
actor, writer, director, teacher
Gregory "GQ" Qaiyum '94
actor, director, writer
Jeffery "JAQ" Quaiyum '97
writer, music producer
Jennifer Radelet '02
actor
Mike Reed '92
Jazz drummer and composer, Pitchfork Music Festival founder