Students Attend State Musical Competition
Between Apr. 16-18, eight Exonians took part in the 2015 All-State Music Festival. The festival took place in the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, New Hampshire and hosted two choirs, one orchestra and one concert band, all of which consisted of high school musicians from around the state.
Students departed from the Academy on Thursday, Apr. 16 by bus and proceeded to spend the evening practicing with their respective music ensembles. All of Friday was used to rehearse, with the exception of a guest performance from a bassoon quartet called the “Breaking Winds.” On Saturday afternoon, the festival concluded with a vocal concert and an instrumental concert.
During the festival, lower Joonho Jo secured the role of first-chair cellist and won the award of “Outstanding Audition Honors” for achieving the “highest audition rating in respective performance area.”
“Given that the Exeter music program is so limited in the types of instruments and the number of musicians, it was great to meet so many skilled musicians from all over the state [and] not just from prestigious prep schools like Exeter or St. Paul’s.”
The preparation process for the festival started at the beginning of winter term. Last November, 15 Academy students auditioned at the Manchester Memorial High School. Results came back two weeks later. In March, the New Hampshire Music Educators’ Association (NHMEA), the sponsor of the festival, distributed the sheet music to those who had advanced to the next stage. Nine Exonians progressed, but one was ultimately unable to make it to the festival.
Accepted students were given the option to participate in a smaller, chamber winds festival in February. However, no Exonians decided to attend; they opted to wait for the mandatory, larger group festival.
Music instructor Charles Jennison has held the role of “All-State Coordinator” for the past five years and has been responsible for managing the hotel funds, setting up transportation and keeping in touch with the NHMEA. He commented on his motivation behind supporting the trips to the festival.
“I am a music educator and have taught some private lessons in public schools, and some of my former students are actually band directors of music programs that participate in All-State,” Jennison said. “I was interested in making sure that this opportunity was available to the students here at Exeter as well if they wanted to participate.”
The festival gave students the opportunity to leave the “Exeter Bubble” and meet like-minded musicians, as well as provide a challenging repertoire for those willing to push themselves.
“Given that the Exeter music program is so limited in the types of instruments and the number of musicians, it was great to meet so many skilled musicians from all over the state [and] not just from prestigious prep schools like Exeter or St. Paul’s,” lower Sydney Yoon said.
For lower Stella Woo, the festival was a chance to try something new. She played for the All-State Band. While at the Academy, she has participated in the Symphony Orchestra. In the process, she learned to play a different style of music from clarinetists like her.
On the other hand, some students found downsides in the intensity of the festival. The rehearsals were often too long and breaks too short. In addition, the concert band mostly practiced in a school gym, which hindered students’ ability to hear each other.
Lower Patrick Dickinson, a clarinet player, would have appreciated more frequent breaks. “We would rehearse for some nine hours a day, and by hour six my mouth felt like rubber,” he said.
Overall, the eight Exonians found the experience worthwhile. For Yoon, it was a relief. “All State was a weekend when I could simply focus on music and music alone,” she said.
Jennison urged all students to audition and experience music outside of the Academy’s program. “The quality of the ensembles is quite high because [NHMEA] brings in very well-known and respected directors from other parts of the country to conduct,” Jennison said. “It’s a good opportunity for any music student to work with a fine conductor and excellent musicians and play high level of literature.”
Yoon approached her recommendation of the program from a different angle, one of relaxation. “The festival gave me a much-needed time off from stress and the workload, as well as an opportunity to connect with both Exonians and other high school students,” she said. “It was a relief from the nearly stifling Exeter bubble.”