Senior Recitals

Senior Laura Zawarski rocked her bow across the strings of her violin as senior Ki Hong Ahn played interlocking, melodic notes on his clarinet. This warm blend of sounds resonated throughout Phillips Church this Sunday, pleasing the ears of the audience who had taken time out of their weekend to listen to the duo’s senior recital.The music department holds senior recitals every spring, allowing senior Exonians to showcase their musical talents in front of family, friends and faculty. The ten seniors who are performing this spring have practiced diligently for the past year, and the talent has not disappointed so far. This year, the performers range from baritone and soprano singers to a piano duo. Although three concerts have already taken place, five more are scheduled for the remaining weeks.“I have been planning to do a senior recital since my prep year,” senior Shirley Cheung said. “Giving a senior recital is actually the most daring thing I have ever done. I am really nervous, but at the same time, I have never been closer to the piano.”Others echoed the personal significance of performing their own senior recital.“My senior recital as a whole has been a really amazing experience. The concert in the end was also something I have been excited about,” senior Valerie Bright said. “Senior recitals are also important because they give the musicians at Exeter an opportunity to showcase what they spend hours every week working on.”Unlike other extracurricular activities at Exeter, music does not offer many chances to exhibit one’s talent, so for many Exonians, these recitals are all the more valuable.“Almost the entirety of the musician population of this school feels the same: having a senior recital is considered kind of a culmination of the musician's musical career,” Ahn said. “Compared to athletes and other extracurricular participants, musicians are not often given the chance to really bring forth their talents and communicate with the rest of the Exeter population. Therefore, it is a great opportunity for us to show off what we can do.”Senior Oishi Banerjee, who will be singing soprano in her recital, added, “We have to choose a large quantity of music, master several different musical styles simultaneously, and perform continuously for up to an hour without tiring. This chance provides students with a unique experience that few other high schools offer.”Even though the concerts typically last about an hour, all the seniors have put extensive planning and hard work into their performances. The group met formally as Music 500, where they practiced and worked together to further improve their work, and also put forth innumerable hours from their own time to enhance their pieces.“Everyone in Music 500 is talented to begin with, and they have put a great deal of thought and effort into their programs,” Banerjee said. “I have studied professional recordings of the songs I will perform, translated lyrics from the songs that are not in English, and rehearsed repeatedly with my teacher, Ms. Strazdes, and my marvelous accompanist, Ms. Vallone.”Cheung also noted some of the sacrifices the class has had to make. “We have all put in so much time and effort into practicing—most of our weekends are spent in the music building,” she said.But for these seniors, the hard work has paid off, and Music 500 has left a memorable impact on them.“The Music 500 class has really given me an opportunity to grow as a singer,” Bright said. “The class has taught me a lot about delivering the pieces that I am performing, getting the message across to the audience and enjoying music more.”