The Return of the Ensembles

This December, Baldwin High School had its first full concert since 2019. While there were some modifications in the lineup and audience structure, such as splitting the performances into separate days per instrument family, all the music ensembles were able to perform for an audience. This time, I conducted an interview with some members of the Concert Choir, Chamber Orchestra, and Wind Symphony executive boards. It went as follows:

Question: How did you feel before the concert?

Xavier Panky: I was pretty excited, but also nervous … in the past we sounded okay and within the last few weeks, we were really able to lock in. 

Roland Roselli: I was feeling fine because [Panky and I] have been in the band since freshman year, so we’ve had a lot of concerts together. 

Jiselle Carlo: A little nervous … It’s always a little nerve-wracking because you think of everything that could happen. I think we were prepared enough, we were just nervous. 

Kimora Turenne: [For the orchestra] I felt worried that we wouldn’t play as a whole, and for the choir I feel like we didn’t have confidence, so everyone was kinda singing as if it was an obligation and not something that moves them.

Angely Beharry: Personal skill I felt alright, the ensemble itself I was a little worried about because we still need to figure out how to play cohesively as an ensemble.

Q: How do you feel about this year’s concerts? 

Turenne: I feel we really pulled together as a unit … we really played like it was something that meant something to us and we performed regardless of the flaws … regardless of the fact that the audience was significantly smaller and it wasn’t recorded online…

Beharry: I agree [with Kimora], everyone put 110% of their energy into the concert to make it what it was, and y’know they played as well as they could and it turned out great in the end. 

Q: How was the prep your ensembles did? Do you think you guys were ready after COVID?

Turenne and Beharry: [unison] No, absolutely not.

Turenne: There’s never enough prep for a performance. 

Beharry: There’s always something they can improve on … [COVID] took the motivation out of playing, out of the enjoyment of playing.

Carlo: We did a good job, the exec board is very much on the same page about performing and what we were doing.

Panky: Prepped enough, uhm, I think we could’ve definitely prepped more but at the concert it was kinda an off feeling, the audience didn’t really realize I think, but our first piece “Themes from ‘Green Bushes’” by Percy Aldridge Grainger, it was just a bit off … (Nicolas: You think it was nerves?) Yeah I think so, just being up on stage in front of everyone with all the lights, even though Mr. Dunn, he gave us a talk about it … Besides that I think we sounded pretty good, we did what we could.  

Q: Do you think that after COVID you guys were prepared enough to put on a performance? Do you think your performance was affected by COVID?

Carlo: Yeah, once again the exec board is very much on the same page about things and we do a lot, we help each other out. 

Panky: I think yes, definitely the band. I think as a whole the music program has been affected by COVID, I think it’s caused … a decrease in interest in music, especially in the middle school; I heard they didn’t do much with music, so a lot of incoming freshman weren’t as prepared or as where they would’ve been without COVID.

Q: What do you think about the future of the music department in Baldwin?

Carlo: Well I think it needs to be taken more seriously; I think the only way it will be taken more seriously if people part of the music classes…say something because athletes are very much important to the school and I think music should be held up to the same standard because we put a lot of effort into it. 

Turenne: I’m definitely worried about it because motivation is dropping, enrollment is dropping … we used to have the String Fest and Choral Fest, we used to have the Honors Concert where you’d go down and perform for the 8th graders, and now none of that’s happening so at least for a couple of years there might be a low … It’s not a community feeling the way it used to be, we’re not like a family like we used to be, but I feel like in a couple of years if this clears up or if we manage to figure out how to live through this, we’ll be able to reach out and build it up.

Q: Do you think we’ll have any other concerts this year?

Carlo: I would hope so.

Beharry: I do think so, yeah, I definitely think we’ll have more concerts and performances.

Turenne: This year, I think we will have the spring concert, but I think that’s it; like the small ensemble concert I don’t think it’s gonna happen, the Honors Concert I don’t think it’s gonna happen, but I think we’re gonna pull through and try and get this spring concert for the seniors. 

Q: Is there anything you’d suggest or change regarding the concert?

Carlo: No, I think we did good. We all did great. 

Beharry: There’s not really much we can change because of the circumstances, we did everything that we could. 

Turenne: I guess I would change, I know this is a health requirement but if it wasn’t the case, letting students see the performances because it really makes a difference. 

Panky: I don’t think so, I think it’s nice for all the parents to be able to hear the different ensembles, but also y’know, especially with rising cases of COVID recently, it’s just better to kind of keep it more separate and have people be more spread out. 

Q: Do you think the concert was memorable?

Carlo: Parts of it were.

Beharry: I think it was memorable in terms of that it was our last first concert as seniors, so we’re always gonna remember that…

Turenne: …and it was our first official concert after having an outside concert and then no concert. Every concert has its own perks that make it memorable, but it wasn’t my favorite concert that we’ve done.