Barbara Ingram School for the Arts

Did you know that the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts Foundation and the Maryland Symphony Orchestra have collaborated this summer to bring members of the MSO to the String Orchestra Summer Arts Academy? Four members of the MSO will join instructor Petr Skopek (who is also a member of the MSO) during the academy, which runs June 22-25. They will teach different master classes to our String Orchestra students! Instructors include Alice Tung (Viola), Dr. Shawn Alger (Associate Principal Bass), Kat Whitesides (Violin) and Alyssa Moquin (Cello).

There are still a few spots left--Register TODAY!

Happy Retirement to Principal Dr. Rob Hovermale, who has graced the halls at BISFA for 13 years. Thank you, Dr. H., for providing a friendly and warm atmosphere for the students, teachers, staff and parents of BISFA. We appreciate your leadership, countless hours and dedication to making BISFA a top school in the county and the state of Maryland. You will be greatly missed, but we wish you all the best on your next adventure!

Do you have a student who dreams of being in a rock band? Now's their chance to try it out with the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts Foundation Summer Arts Academy: Making a Rock Band! This two-week camp for 6th-12th graders is for singers, songwriters and musicians who want to rock out. They will perform some popular cover songs and work together to compose their own song.

Do you have a middle school student interested in art? This summer, the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts Foundation is offering a brand new arts academy called Graffiti Art! Join instructor Peter Arizmendi July 6-9 for this fun camp suitable for students in grades 5-12. All Summer Arts Academies take place at the school from 9:00 AM-4:00 PM.

We are excited to welcome to our Summer Arts Academy program this year. He will be teaching a Graffit Art Academy for us the week of July 6-9, 2026.

Peter “Bam” Arizmendi was born and raised on Manhattan’s historic Lower East Side, a neighborhood alive with rhythm, art, and creativity. Surrounded by the sounds of Salsa, Disco, and the emerging pulse of Hip Hop, he developed an early love for dance and the expressive energy of New York City.

​Bam began his journey with the legendary Crush City Rockers, later joining the world-famous Dynamic, New York City Breakers and the innovative Rhythm Technicians, led by Locatron John. These experiences solidified his reputation as a dynamic force in the evolution of urban dance.

In 1999, Bam co-directed the internationally acclaimed stage production Break! The Urban Funk Spectacular, a vibrant theatrical showcase that brought the history and power of street dance to mainstream audiences. In the next year, Bam organized a workshop with the legendary group Chain Reaction at Carnegie Hall.

From 2014 to 2025, Bam owned and operated Fresh Academicz, an urban arts academy dedicated to teaching dance, music, Hip Hop culture and art inspired by Keith Haring, Basquiat and Lee from The Lower East Side. Through Fresh Academicz, he built a creative community that empowered young artists to develop their craft while embracing the positive and unifying values of Hip Hop culture.

Today, Peter “Bam” Arizmendi remains an active member of Crush City Rockers, the crew that started it all for him continuing his lifelong mission to preserve, teach, and innovate within the world of street dance. His work now centers on filmmaking, writing urban dance scripts, Theatre, Art, Urban Fashion and teaching New York Boogie style—a movement language inspired by the artistic energy of New York City.

We still have space available in his academy. Use the link below for registration and additional information.

https://barbaraingramfoundation.org/summer-arts-academy/

The Barbara Ingram School for the Arts Foundation has a two-week Filmmaking Summer Arts Academy, running July 13-23 with Craig Kilgore. Mr. Kilgore is an award-winning filmmaker and founder of Next Level Visions. He also serves as an adjunct for the BISFA Photo & Cinema Department. During this camp, he will introduce the fundamentals of storytelling, camera work, lighting, sound and more. Don't miss this opportunity!

We are excited to welcome Craig Kilgore to our Summer Arts Academy program this year. He will be teaching our 2-week Filmmaking 101 Academy taking place July 13-23, 2026.

Craig Kilgore is an award-winning filmmaker and the founder of Next Level Visions, a professional video production company based in Hagerstown, Maryland. He specializes in cinematic storytelling for businesses, organizations, and community projects throughout the region.

Craig has worked on corporate films, commercials, live events, and documentary productions. His recent documentary work has screened at multiple film festivals and earned audience recognition. In addition to his professional work, Craig is passionate about mentoring young creatives and helping students develop confidence through hands-on filmmaking.

In Filmmaking 101, he guides students from idea to screen, introducing the fundamentals of storytelling, camera work, lighting, sound, and editing in a supportive and collaborative environment.

We still have space available in his academy. Use the link below for registration and additional information.

https://barbaraingramfoundation.org/summer-arts-academy/

The Barbara Ingram School for the Arts Foundation has a new Summer Arts Academy this year called Beginning Gourd Art with Reagan Bitler. It's always fun to try something new! Be sure to sign up your student before it fills up.

We are excited to welcome Reagan Bitler to our Summer Arts Academy program this year. He will be teaching 2 beginning gourd art sessions and 1 intermediate session this summer.

Reagan resides in Hanover, PA and is the owner of Godahavom Gourds and the Creatives on King Gallery and Artists’ Studios in York, PA.

Reagan’s exploration with raw gourds as a canvas and his honing of the skills and processes of crafting them into works of art has spanned nearly two decades. His work stems from an appetency for nature and cultivates his attraction to shape, color and texture. Simplistic forms become transformed through his use of dark line pyrography, the intricate cut-out of negative space and the application of vibrant colors, leaving the admirer with a tribute to nature’s beauty.

Reagan is serving in his 3rd term as President of the American Gourd Society, a national non-profit consisting of 21 chapters and approximately 3,500 members, and is a co-founder of the Collective Rogue Artists group. At the conclusion of the 2023-2024 school year, Reagan retired from public education after serving 31 years as a social studies teacher with the Hanover Public School District.

We still have space available in his academies. Use the link below for registration and additional information.

https://barbaraingramfoundation.org/summer-arts-academy/

Check out the Godahavom website and see some of his beautiful pieces:

https://www.godahavomgourds.com/

Did you know the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts Foundation is offering guitar academies this summer? Do you have a student asking you to try the guitar? This is the perfect opportunity for them to check it out. Beginning guitar starts June 22 and runs through June 25 from 9:00-12:00. We would love to have your student join us!

We are excited to welcome Lauren Kourtz to our Summer Arts Academy program this year! She will be teaching a Beginning and an Intermediate Guitar session this summer.

Lauren Kourtz is a Barbara Ingram alumna who graduated with the class of 2018. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Music from Towson University where she studied guitar performance. At Towson, she received performance-based awards and scholarships and graduated Cum Laude in 2022.

Lauren has extensive experience in a variety of musical styles through performing in rock groups, wedding bands, jazz bands, and as a solo classical guitarist within the DMV area. Lauren started teaching privately in 2018 and has gained years of experience working with students of all ages from as young as 3 to adults in retirement.

In addition to teaching at BISFA, she has taught at Hagerstown Community College and currently teaches at Sloan School of Music and Shepherd University.

Lauren emphasizes building a strong musical foundation by incorporating
music theory, ear training, and improvisation in her lessons. She strives to create a fun and engaging learning experience that fosters students’ love for music while exploring the fundamentals.

We still have space available in both of her academies. Please use the link below for registration and additional information.
https://barbaraingramfoundation.org/summer-arts-academy/

Have you registered your student yet for a Summer Arts Academy with the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts Foundation? The academies are for students in grades 4th-12th, Monday-Thursday from 9:00 AM-4:00 PM. Some options include: Dance, String Orchestra, Guitar, Graffiti Art, Filmmaking, Photography & Vocal Music. This is a great opportunity to check out the school first-hand and meet some of the instructors and adjuncts. (Be sure to read each description to see the ages and qualifications.)

Hey song birds, how long until opening night? Only 1 day! Thank you for waiting for us. All we’ve ever known is how amazing this show is and we hope you’ll enjoy it anyway the wind blows. We hope you’ll come home to Hadestown with us tomorrow night, Sunday afternoon, next Saturday night and Sunday afternoon as well. See you way down!