The cultural heartbeat of ABAC is fueled by the Fine Arts department, providing access to participate and experience extra-curricular activities for course credit or simply for personal enjoyment. Students have the opportunity to participate in performance groups such as the Concert Choir and Band, Baldwin Players, and the Art Students League.
School of Arts and Sciences
Department of Fine Arts
The Fine Arts department at ABAC offers a liberal arts approach to a well-rounded education with courses in music, art, and theater. Students will have the chance to develop their artistic talents to a professional level while expanding opportunities and knowledge that enhance the quality of life in every community.
The Associate of Fine Arts degree in Music offers a broad-based approach to a career in the music field with an emphasis on performance. This program provides a foundation for students interested in transferring to pursue a Bachelors of Fine Arts degrees at senior institutions in either vocal or instrumental music at the junior level. The AFA in music provides focused personal instruction and experience in performance as an individual and in large and small ensembles. Students will also be exposed to the full range of theory and skills expected in the first two years of music school.
An audition for the music program is required in addition to the standard ABAC admissions. Students are required to perform two pieces of contrasting styles- instrumentalists should show proficiency in scales and piano and voice students should prepare to perform from memory.
For more information, please contact Mr. Basko, Program Coordinator for the School of Arts and Sciences, kbasko@abac.edu.
Instrumental Track
The Associate of Fine Arts degree in Music is a broad-based approach to music experience with an emphasis on music performance. This program prepares students to transfer into the Bachelor of Fine Arts programs at senior institutions in either vocal or instrumental music at the junior level. The AFA in music provides focused personal instruction and experience in performance as an individual and with large and small ensembles. It also provides the full range of music theory and skill training expected in the first two years of a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
Vocal Track
Music Program at ABAC
A part of the Department of Fine Arts, The Music Program at ABAC is comprised of dedicated, driven students that are relentless in their pursuance of artistry. Our students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives which culminates in a supportive environment that enhances musical performance and professional achievement. The music faculty at ABAC includes nationally renowned performers, scholars, conductors, clinicians, and adjudicators that are committed to the mentorship music students require. Our student-to-faculty ratio is ideal for providing individual attention to every student in the program.
Theatre
Baldwin Players
The Baldwin Players is the theatre performance organization at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. It provides an opportunity for students, faculty, staff, and community members to experience and enjoy live theatre. There are two shows produced each year, one in fall semester and one in spring semester. Under the direction of Dr. Brian Ray, the main stage plays are performed in Howard Auditorium, ABAC’s 330 seat theatre, and there are other venues, such as the Georgia Museum of Agriculture, that are available to perform smaller, more versatile plays.
The director of the Baldwin Players is Dr. Brian Ray. He brings a life-long passion for theatre to the Baldwin Players. In addition to one of his English Literature doctoral specialties being Renaissance Theatre including Shakespeare, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts. Further, he has been in over 75 productions over the course of his career in community and academic theatre as an actor, director, and technician in dramas, comedies, musicals, and experimental theatre. He has also performed in several independent films.
Director’s Welcome
Let me welcome you to the Baldwin Players’ world of THEATRE! Yes, theatre is a special place where the stories written by playwrights across the ages come to life. You may ask what live theatre is all about, especially when there are so many entertainment options beckoning for your attention. While television, movies, video games, and other sorts of possibilities exist, none of them can equal the energy and excitement that watching or participating in a live theatrical performance can bring to the audience member and the performer. The play gives a living, breathing form to the stories that fill the stage. The connection that is formed between the actors and the audience is, for lack of a better word, MAGIC! Come try it for yourself, just once, and I’m sure you will want to come back, time and again.
Support Fine Arts at ABAC
ABAC Fine Arts Academy
The extension division of the Fine Arts Department is a community centered learning venue of ABAC. It combines a warm and supportive atmosphere providing the community of Tift County and surrounding areas with outstanding Fine Arts education classes, and high-quality performance opportunities for pre-professional training, continuing education, and lifelong enjoyment.