On Friday, March 27th, prepared, slightly nervous, and tremendously excited Grier students performed music pieces they had been working on for months, as their friends, peers, and teachers gathered in the Dance Building to soak in the rhythmic result of their hard work.
An Truong is a 10th grade student who plays upright base, electric base, and guitar, in addition to singing classical and modern pieces in choir and Grier’s Crimson Foxes rock band. “The best part about music is performing,” Truong said.
Many musicians extend a similar love towards performance; however, a music performance wouldn’t be complete without selectively curated outfits.Truong said that one of her favorite parts of performing is “looking cool.” She enjoys thrifting all black outfits, and, on Friday, she borrowed a shirt from Mr. Minnich, a composer and teacher at Grier.
Sydney Smith, a senior who is dedicated to the musical theatre program and a passionate member of the Crimson Foxes, also shared the reason for her love of performance. “It gives me joy to express what I might be feeling,” she said
For the musicians, it is important to make an impact on others’ lives by expressing personal emotions. As an audience member, many can agree that it is especially impactful to watch a performer who relates to the words they sing.
After interviewing four musicians from Friday’s show, the long, meaningful, sometimes tiring process became incredibly apparent. “It takes a ton of work to put these things together,” said Smith.
The orchestra began the first day with introductions, then jumped right into intensive practice. The orchestra practices twice a week directly after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays for about half an hour, and members frequently practice on their own time as well. Additionally, all performers participated in a dress rehearsal right before the show. They helped carry over instruments and tuned them repeatedly.
But, for members of the music theatre program, the preparation leading up to Friday was slightly different. As members of the audition-required musical theatre class, Sydney Smith and her peers began their solos in January. They would frequently perform their songs in class and give notes to each other.
Despite the intensive practice that all groups partake in, nerves, for many, are inevitable. Performing is challenging, and it takes courage to face a crowd of people. Adia Miller, a 6th grade student who is also a committed musician, commented on her anxiety. “I had some tea to help calm my nerves because I was really, really nervous,” Miller said. However, although she felt nervous, it did not hinder her performance, partly because of the people around her.
“You can turn to the person next to you and say you’re nervous,” Kaylie McCabe, ‘30, said when asked about performance anxiety. This welcoming community, which both Miller and McCabe enjoy, encouraged musicians to face the daunting crowd and push themselves in new ways.
Although McCabe acknowledged that people are undoubtedly accepting of stage fright, she did not experience it herself. “For me personally, I tend to be very nervous doing things in front of people, but for some reason, whenever I’m in [the] orchestra, I’m fine,” said McCabe. “Everyone in orchestra is great. No one minds if you mess up.”
The welcoming community that musicians at Grier establish is felt through the continuous acceptance of mistakes and celebration of growth. The audience also adds to this positive and supportive atmosphere. “I always have at least a few friends come to my show,” said Truong.
Friday night’s music performance was described by the performers as fun, electric, wonderful, and passionate. “It was so amazing to go on stage and play all those songs, especially the one that Mr. Minnich composed himself,” said Miller. Performers faced their fears and put on an amazing show; teachers composed songs and supported their students; and, finally, the audience showed up to watch and appreciate their friends’ talents. It was definitely a night to remember.
