The Arts: Stretch your wings
High school is a great time to stretch your wings, try something different, and find a new way of expressing yourself. You need to have a creative outlet, whether it’s on the stage, in the art studio, in front of a computer, or in a band. You’ll have plenty of options to explore the arts at York. 
If you dance, sing, or play an instrument, you can dazzle us with your talent at the Solo and Ensemble Concert each spring. If being part of a larger ensemble—cast, choir, orchestra, band, or athletic team—is more your style, you’ll enjoy the camaraderie of working together to create something that is more than the sum of its parts: something that can bring joy, raise spirits, inspire, and unite.
Vocal and Instrumental Music
Our students are involved in singing groups (choir and chamber choir), jazz ensemble, concert band, and orchestra, both on campus and in regional or state-wide honor groups. We benefit from close ties with the Monterey Jazz Festival Traveling Clinician program and many of our students participate in the Monterey County High School All Star Jazz Band, Carmel Bach Festival, and Youth Music Monterey.
Theatre Department
Whether you’re a novice or a pro, you'll find a spot on stage in the compelling, challenging plays presented at York. Our fall play, typically a musical with a large cast, is designed to give everyone a chance to have a part. Our winter play usually has a limited cast, chosen by audition; in the spring, students write and direct one-act plays, small slices of life that are funny, poignant, or tragic. If you’d prefer to stay backstage, you can learn to operate the lighting and sound boards, be a director or stage manager, paint sets or manage props.
Visual Arts
If you’re into painting, sculpture, or Photoshop you’ll have working artists to help you try out new techniques. Our art teachers regularly show their own work in the community; so do our students, who often participate in the Youth Art Collective. Increasing your aesthetic literacy—understanding the power of symbolism, color, and perspective in artistic expression—opens new insights in other avenues of life as well.