The Classical Instrumental program offers extensive pre-professional training to intermediate and advanced instrumental students in Piano, Strings, Brass, Winds, and Guitar. Instruction will focus on areas such as exploration of the standard repertoire, chamber music, theory, musicianship/ear training, as well as scales, etudes, and accompaniment.

The Creative Writing program is looking for curious, imaginative students who love language and are willing to work hard to develop their craft and grow as an artist. We study a variety of literature in many genres to explore the possibilities of literary expression and to make connections to our current moment as writers. Students are encouraged to develop their own voice and vision through reading, writing, discussion and critique, while supporting fellow writers in their own endeavors.

The NOCCA Dance Department accepts talented students who have an aptitude and interest in pursuing classical and contemporary forms of dance. Academic and performance standards are the same for all students, whether or not a career path is ultimately followed.

The Culinary Arts Department offers a four-year course of study for talented and disciplined students who aspire to be chefs and/or foresee a career within the broad scope of culinary. NOCCA’s Culinary Arts program, developed in collaboration with the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, features the first of its kind curriculum for high school students.

The Entertainment Production Design Department is created for students who wish to become theatrical designers and stage technicians. Students learn by doing, through hands-on instruction in stage lighting, sound design, costuming, make-up, hair, set construction and stage management. Entertainment Production & Design students provide resources and support to NOCCA student productions in all the performance arts.

The Jazz Instrumental Music Department is designed to create not only a proficient Jazz performer, but a well-educated and literate musician. Students are taught scales, chords, and fundamental stylistic elements of various periods of Jazz through specific repertoire of Jazz literature.

The Media Arts Department at NOCCA provides a foundational framework for film, animation, audio arts, and immersive media to prepare students for this dynamic and transformative field. From story development to visual storytelling to sound design, students are immersed in the fundamentals of media arts while being challenged to work critically and creatively as artists.

The Theatre Arts Department seeks to assist young theater students in discovering who they are as an artist. Through rigorous training, we hope to prepare them for conservatory-style college programs and for a career in theater. Theatre Arts contains two tracks – Drama and Musical Theatre. Students auditioning for Theatre Arts may choose whether they want to be considered for Drama, Musical Theatre or Both.

The Visual Arts Department creates a supportive and challenging arts environment that enables students to experience the discipline, knowledge and dedication required to excel in the Visual Arts field. Artist-teachers and visiting artists serve as mentors to student-artists-introducing students to contemporary and historical art, and the principles of artistic forms.

The NOCCA Vocal Music Department accepts talented students who have an aptitude and interest in pursuing vocal music. The Vocal Music Curriculum is designed to develop the student’s vocal technique, performance skills, and musicianship by focusing on classical vocal repertoire and technique in order to build a solid vocal foundation, which can then serve as a basis for future collegiate musical study in a variety of genres.