Idyllwild Arts Academy

Private school in Idyllwild, California

Idyllwild Arts Academy

Address

52500 Temecula Road

Idyllwild

California

92549

United States

Information
Type| Private, day and boarding
Specialist arts school
Established| 1946
President| Pamela Jordan
Dean| Eric Bolton
Head of school| Jason Hallowbard
Grades| 9–12, Post-Graduate
Gender| Coeducational
Enrollment| 311 (2018[1])
Campus size| 205 acres (83 ha)
Campus type| Rural, San Jacinto Mountains
Accreditation| Western Association of Schools and Colleges[1]
Affiliations| The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS)
Website| www.idyllwildarts.org

Idyllwild Arts Academy is a private school located in Idyllwild, in the San Jacinto Mountains and San Bernardino National Forest, within western Riverside County, California. The school was founded in 1946. It was previously known as Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts.[2] Joy in the Making (1967) is a documentary about its summer arts program made by filmmaker Virginia Garner, who became a Trustee Emeritus of the Board of Governors and Trustees of the Idyllwild Arts Foundation.

## Academics

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It offers a college preparatory program for grades 9–12 and post-graduates, with training in music, theater, dance, visual art, creative writing, fashion design, film, and interdisciplinary arts. An audition or portfolio is required for admission.

It was the first independent boarding high school for the arts in the western United States.[citation needed]

Idyllwild Arts Academy offers programs including music, visual arts, theatre, creative writing, dance, fashion design, film & digital media, and interdisciplinary arts. Outside of the regular school year, Idyllwild Arts Academy offers summer workshops that include Jazz in the Pines, ESL, Native American Arts.[3]

## Notable alumni

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* Casey Abrams, American Idol season 10 contestant and musician[4]
* Amanda Aday, actress[5][6]
* Neal Bledsoe, actor on Smash and Ugly Betty[7]
* Douwe Blumberg, sculptor[8][9]
* Evan Christopher, clarinetist[10][11]
* Shepard Fairey, artist[12][13]
* Greer Grammer, actress[14]
* Nora Germain, violinist[15]
* Trevor Hall, musician[16]
* Celeste Headlee, author and radio host[17]
* Marin Ireland, actress[18]
* Aaron Lee Tasjan, musician
* Nate Lowman, artist
* Orpheo McCord, musician, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
* Jennifer Missoni, actress[19]
* Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor and pianist[20]
* Liang Wang, oboeist[21]
* Mara Wilson, actress[22]

## Notable faculty

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* Lisa Adams, painter
* Suzanne Jackson, visual artist and dancer
* Michael Kabotie, Hopi silversmith[23]
* Bella Lewitzky, Modern dancer and founding chair of the Dance Department at Idyllwild Arts Academy (1956–1972).[24]
* Mary Stone McLendon, Chickasaw artist and educator.[2]
* Eleonore Schoenfeld, cellist and longtime professor at University of Southern California (USC) at the Thornton School of Music.[25]

## In popular culture

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In the television series The Fosters the character Brandon Foster attends a summer program in piano competition at Idyllwild.[26]

Author Justin Cronin confirmed on Twitter that Idyllwild Arts Academy eventually becomes the community called First Colony in his book The Passage as humanity tries to survive one hundred years into a vampire apocalypse.[27]

## References

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1. ^ a b "School Profile 2018" (PDF). idyllwildarts.org.
2. ^ a b Coburn, James. "Edmond authors gather at book fair Saturday". The Edmond Sun. Retrieved April 24, 2020.[permanent dead link]
3. ^ "Explore Idyllwild Arts Academy". Niche. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
4. ^ Gawecki, Marcia (August 2013). "Casey Abrams Makes the Jump from Idyllwild to Burbank". Palm Springs Life. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
5. ^ Seminar Series, IIFC. "Women in Independent Film and Television". Idyllwild Town Crier. Archived from the original on January 20, 2014. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
6. ^ "IDYLLWILD: Seven decades later, arts program still 'changing lives'". Press Enterprise. March 20, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
7. ^ Wesson, Gail. "Idyllwild: Arts School Leader Retires". The Press Enterprise. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
8. ^ Blumberg, Douwe. "About the Artist". Douwe Studios. Archived from the original on August 14, 2015.
9. ^ Gross, Julie. "William Shatner tours the Frazier Museum and brings a 200lb bronze friend". Louisville.com. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
10. ^ Independent Ear, The. "Heard Evan Christopher Yet?". Open Sky Jazz. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
11. ^ Christopher, Evan. "About Evan Christopher". Clarinet Road. Archived from the original on November 19, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
12. ^ Wesson, Gail. "Idyllwild: Artist Shepard Fairey shares inspiration behind work". The Press Enterprise. Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2012.
13. ^ "Shepard Fairey - The Giant: The Definitive Obey Giant Site". The Giant. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
14. ^ QAmbassador. "Los Angelenos". conciergequestionnaire.com. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
15. ^ Fessier, Bruce. "Jazz in the Pines puts emphasis on arts academy alumni". The Desert Sun. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
16. ^ Aguilar, Ashleen. "Artist Spotlight: Trevor Hall". The Daily of the University of Washington. Archived from the original on November 26, 2013. Retrieved January 28, 2010.
17. ^ "Celeste Headlee – Alumni of Idyllwild Arts". Retrieved March 5, 2020.
18. ^ Rizzo, Frank. "Reasons to Admire Marin Ireland". The Courant. Retrieved June 7, 2009.
19. ^ "Jennifer Missoni". Vogue.it. November 2, 2010. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
20. ^ Kelly, Cynthia (January 18, 1997). "A Birthday Tune for Idyllwild Arts". LA Times. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
21. ^ Wakin, Daniel J. (April 8, 2007). "Pilgrim With an Oboe, Citizen of the World". The New York Times. Retrieved April 8, 2007.
22. ^ Wilson, Mara. "Brushes with Greatness". marawilsonwritesstuff.com. Archived from the original on March 13, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
23. ^ Benesh, Carolyn (2010). A Trickster For the Arts (PDF). San Marcos, CA: Ornament Magazine. pp. 34–37\. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 30, 2021. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
24. ^ "Bella Lewitzky". Jewish Women's Archive (JWA). Retrieved April 24, 2020.
25. ^ "Eleonore Schoenfeld: A Life of Elegance". Thornton School of Music, USC. June 19, 2014. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
26. ^ Johnson, Joanna (August 10, 2015), Idyllwild, The Fosters, retrieved February 22, 2023
27. ^ @jccronin (February 1, 2019). "You nailed it. My wife and I taught ESL there one summer in the early 90s" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

## External links

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* Official website
* The Association of Boarding Schools profile Archived 2014-05-23 at the Wayback Machine

33°44′06″N 116°44′54″W﻿ / ﻿33.73498°N 116.74847°W﻿ / 33.73498; -116.74847

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz place

Other|

* Yale LUX