Watauga High School’s music programs are flourishing after the temporary setbacks introduced by COVID-19. This year, Watauga High School students have performed at Carnegie Hall, in the Western Regional Jazz clinic, and attended renowned music festivals.
Watauga High School Juniors Stevie Helms and Alex Testori were accepted into the Western Regional Jazz clinic after a lengthy audition process. After being accepted into the clinic, Stevie and Alex rehearsed with the band for two days at a high school in Asheville.
“The Western Region kids in jazz band all gathered together,” said Helms. “We played music together and performed on the last day.”
The clinic wasn’t held in person last year due to COVID-19, so this year was monumental in revitalizing it.
Students from Watauga High School’s orchestra program had great accomplishments this year. Early this year, Watauga High School senior Henryk Kosmala played in Carnegie Hall, one of the most prestigious music halls in the world. Out of 10,000 students who auditioned to play in the orchestra, Henryk was selected 7th chair in the 1st violin section. Henryk Kosmala, concertmaster, in the
Honors Orchestra’s October concert.
“To audition, I submitted two recordings,” said Kosmala. “One was Schindler’s List and one was the first movement of the Israeli Concerto.”
Henryk practiced with the orchestra for four days, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., until the final performance.
“When you pick up an instrument, you can create mountains, and valleys, and the sky,” said Kosmala. “People can interpret your work however they like it.”
Watauga High School’s Honors Orchestra participated in the North Carolina Music Performance Adjudication (MPA) held by the NC Music Association. School orchestras from all over North Carolina were scored in sight-reading and performance categories.
“MPA is a day where schools come and play the pieces they’ve been preparing for judges to score,” said senior Jaidyn Toomey, the first-chair cellist in the WHS Honors Orchestra. “We are a grade four orchestra out of six.”
The Honors Orchestra received a “superior” score, the highest score possible.
“I thought it was exhilarating,” said Toomey. “Playing together, working together as a team, it was really fun.”
MPA not only provided students with an opportunity to play for judges but a chance to perform in a professional setting after COVID-19 setbacks. Watauga High School’s Honors Orchestra wasn’t able to perform during MPA last year.
“We all felt confident in each other,” said senior Sophia Llibre, who plays the violin. “When you’re in school for so long, music classes offer a place where you can grow as an individual and as a team.”
MPA and music classes in school provide students with learning opportunities that they can’t get in traditional academic settings. In music classes, students learn about self-expression, how to collaborate with sound and expression instead of words, and develop a part of their brain that traditional academics can’t touch.
“Music teaches collaboration and noticing others, it’s a great way for people to have leadership opportunities,” said Toomey. “Music is a great outlet for self-expression, it’s beautiful and makes people happy.”
Watauga High School’s Choir department achieved great things this year. Watauga High School’s Honors, Treble, and Beginner’s Choirs attended MPA this year. They both received a “superior” score.
“We were judged on tone quality, diction, and all of the little detailed aspects of our music,” said Junior Virginia St. Clair.
Brandon Winbush, the choir director, said this year’s choir programs “got one of the highest scores we’ve gotten in the last twenty years.”
This school year, St. Clair was selected to attend the NC Honors Choir clinic as one of 170 students selected out of 2,000 auditions in the state. Similarly, Junior Elias Topper was selected to attend a choir festival at Mars Hill University in February after a lengthy audition process
“Both Mars Hill and NC Honors are made up of the best choral singers at the high school levels in the state,” said Winbush. “It’s the students who are focused and dedicated to the craft, and the music that’s produced at these festivals is not something you’d hear at a high school.”
Mr. Winbush noted that students who participate in the choir program perform at high levels in athletics, academics, and other aspects of their lives. Skills developed in music classes carry over into academics, like mathematical and critical thinking skills.
“Choir gives you an experience you can’t get anywhere else,” said Topper. “You meet so many new people and friends because you both have a love for music that connects you.”
Music in our lives provides enrichment that you will not get anywhere else. The community, connections, and relationships that music can build are profound.
“Music-making involves so many skills and virtues that can be transferred into the world: teamwork, goal setting, focused-listening, adjusting, interacting, and expressing with others,” said Watauga High School’s orchestra director William Selle. “It is easy for me to see the happiness and joy that we can all share through music, and I couldn't be prouder than to be making music here at Watauga.”
"We must be continually reminded that the act of music-making in itself has the power to change the world, and our musicians are doing just that," said Selle.
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