Finding Rhythm

Max Robins still remembers the rst time he picked up a pair of drumsticks. Since then, he has enjoyed his two years in Middle School percussion.

Each semester, Middle School students in grades 5-8 have the option to take part in the Greenhill band and pursue percussion.

“I remember the rst time I tried percussion, giving it a shot,” Robins said. “I thought it was fun and have stuck with it ever since.” roughout the year long elective, students can learn many instruments. ese include timpani, xylophone, snare drum, cymbals, bass drum, gongs and triangle.

Each semester, the Middle School Band holds performances that include percussion students. at includes a year-end concert set for May 4.

“Percussion plays a huge role in these performances,” said Middle School percussion teacher Tony Lopez. “ keep the rhythm for each song and add an aspect of color.”

Middle School percussionists also take part in audition competitions every couple of months where they play their own solo in front of a judge.

“ e excitement each person has before they play their piece is incredible,” Robins said.

Vishaal Gaitonde said his initial percussion experience in the h grade included a concert that didn’t go so well, but he stuck with it because he always loved instruments and just wanted to learn more about them.

“ e rst year with Mr. Lopez was super memorable,” Gaitonde said. “He made our experience fun, and he was a teacher who just wanted to help the students.”

Now, he enjoys the percussion instruments he has learned to play – especially the timpani, his favorite, because it is big and is always heard by the audience.

For Middle School percussion students, months of work build to a year-end concert.

“Everything the Middle School percussion has learned up to this point will be utilized in the upcoming concert,” Lopez said. e concert is an opportunity for Middle School percussionists to play with more experienced high school performers.

Each grade will play two pieces.

“In the past years, this event has been really fun, and I look forward to preparing for it and for performing it,” Robins said.

Spring sports teams had their Hornet Night on March 24. Lacrosse, baseball, so ball and tennis competed at Greenhill, and track and eld had a meet at Parish Episcopal School. e night also included a community picnic on the basketball slab, with food and games for students and parents.

e Upper School Chamber Orchestra and Upper School Singers will have their spring concerts on April 10-11. e concerts will take place in Rose Hall in the Marshall Family Performing Arts Center.

Fi h-grade students celebrated their annual Greek Day on March 9 with a Greek play and other activities. Leading up to Greek Day, students prepared performances for the play, created sets, planned Olympic activities and learned about Greek mythology in their English classes. e day included festivities such as the Greek Day feast and Greek Olympics.

is year’s Independent Schools Association of the Southwest Fine Arts Festival takes place April 13-15 in Fort Worth at All Saints Episcopal School. With over 3,000 students from 40 independent schools, ISAS boasts over 20 performance opportunities and various other art showcases. Greenhill will take place in some of these performances and showcases in the upcoming festival.

“She Kills Monsters,” the 2023 Spring Play production by Upper School theater students, ran from March 30-April 1 in the Marshall Family Performing Arts Center’s Studio eater. “She Kills Monsters” is a drama-comedy play that tells the story of Agnes and the journey she takes to learn more about her late sister, Tilly. A er losing her family in a car accident, Agnes explores a Dungeons & Dragons module written by Tilly, discovering things she had never known about her sister.

Upper School students have excelled in recent regional and statewide competitions. In February, Middle School and Upper School Latin students earned over 100 ribbons at the annual Junior Classical League area convention, qualifying several students for state in late April this year.

On March 4, Greenhill band and string students earned 72 superior medals at the Texas Private School Music Educators Association North Instrumental Solo and Ensemble Festival. As a result of their performances, 12 Upper School band students and four string members quali ed for the TPSMEA State Solo and Ensemble Contest in May. Finally, a school record 43 debate students competed in the Texas Forensic Association’s State Tournament in Houston onMarch 9-10.