B10 A&E
The Chronicle
Sept. 25, 2013
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF DIANA KIM, MATTHEW LUCAS AND SYDNEY CHEONG
TAKE A BOW: Diana Kim ’15, top, perfoms a violin solo for the HW SOMA concert at Way Church Aug. 25. Matthew Lucas ’14, bottom, rehearses playing the piano at his home for an upcoming Junior Chamber Music show. Sydney Cheong ’14 and Alexia Le ’14, right, play violin and piano together at a JCM concert at The Colburn School.
Playing music is their forté
By Jivani Gengatharan
J
esse Liu ’14 arrives 15 minutes early to his orchestra rehearsal at The Colburn School, warming up on his French horn and practicing sections of Dvorak’s New World Symphony. This was Liu’s routine before rehearsal every Sunday afternoon during the 20122013 school year at Colburn, a performing arts school that contains various musical ensembles. Liu is one of many students who participate in orchestras outside of school and is one of four Harvard-Westlake participants at Colburn. Every June, students audition to be placed in an orchestra, regardless of their participation in previous years. They must perform a solo and sight-read a few excerpts for a panel of Colburn teachers. Liu joined because he knew he could improve many aspects of his playing, such as sight reading, intonation, rhythm and tone. He then auditioned last year for the Colburn Youth Orchestra, consisting of students who play both string and wind instruments. Heather Wattles ’15 began her journey at Colburn much earlier than Liu at the age of 9. She began in the Violin Ensemble and will be participating this year in the Colburn Chamber Orchestra, consisting only of string musicians. She spends time outside of school playing in the Colburn Orchestra, but she is also a member of the upper school symphony. She chose to participate in orchestras outside of school to be exposed to different styles of music and
Several students participate in orchestras outside of school, seeking a more rigorous music program to improve their artistic abilities.
methods of teaching. She at- in master classes and worktributes her development as a shops hosted by JCM. Each performer to the conductors group has self-run rehearsand the other musicians she is als and meets with a coach paired with. six times during the season. “Playing violin is my favor- In March, the ensembles all ite thing to do, so Colburn is gather for a final concert. really fun, not something that Matthew Lucas ’14, who I do for a grade,” Wattles said. plays the piano and the vioWhile Liu and Wattles lin, started at JCM during his have both participated in Col- sophomore year. He decided to burn orchestras in the past, join after seeing some groups Diana Kim ’15, a violinist, and from JCM perform at HarPaul Suh ’14, a cellist, attended vard-Westlake. their first reLast year, hearsal this Lucas perpast Sunday. formed in Both Kim four concerts You are held and Suh have with his piaccountable for every taken private ano trio. He lessons at noted the sound. ‘Air-bowing’ or Colburn, but coaching sesfake playing does not fly sions as his they decided here.” to audition favorite part for the Colof JCM. —Alexia Le ’14 burn Youth A l e x i a Orchestra Le ’14 joined this summer JCM as a and will join Liu this year. freshman, a year before Lucas. Both orchestras at Colburn She was first exposed to JCM have three concerts this year when Sydney Cheong ’14 asked and will be performing at the Le to play in her ensemble. Los Angeles County Museum Since then, Le has performed of Art. in many JCM recitals, through Colburn is not the only which she was awarded scholout-of-school orchestra that arships to the Idyllwild Chamattracts Harvard-Westlake ber Music Program and Monstudents. A few students are tecito International Music members of Junior Chamber Festival. Music, in which they are diLe said that the teamwork vided into approximately 20 involved in these small ensmall ensembles to play cham- sembles has made her a better ber music. musician. Applicants must first au“Chamber music has all dition with two pieces for a the benefits of orchestra in panel of JCM faculty and also that it blends different instrumention what period of mu- ments together in a harmonisic or composer they would ous fashion to your ears, yet be interested in playing. Then more challenging because you based on these factors and the are held accountable for every applicant’s age, small ensem- sound,” Le said. “‘Air-bowing’ bles are formed. or fake playing does not fly During the year, students here.” are encouraged to participate Sydney Cheong ’14, Justin
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Yoo ’15 and Sam Lee ’16 are also members of JCM. Enya Huang ’15, a violist, joined the Claremont Young Musicians Orchestra six years ago. Applicants must prepare a scale, a solo, four given excerpts, and sight-read during their audition. Every year, CYMO hosts three concerts at its home venue and performs a concert at Disneyland. Huang traveled with CYMO to Germany, Austria and Italy this past summer and performed at various historically acclaimed locations. Cheong, Huang, Le, Lucas and Yoo are all members of the upper school symphony and therefore have experience with both small chamber music ensembles and larger orchestras. Le found that chamber music in a small setting could bring out an individual’s style more than an orchestra could. “Chamber music ensembles are much smaller than an orchestra and democratic in that the pieces leave a lot of room for interpretation to each player, whereas in orchestra the interpretation is entirely up to the conductor and players must follow suit,” Le said. B e c a u s e these ensembles can take up a lot of time, Liu found it difficult to manage practicing
his French horn with other extracurricular activities and school work. “As a wind player, you have to practice every day,” Liu said. “If I don’t practice for one day, my level of playing the next day is significantly lower.” Le explained that being in an out-of-school orchestra allowed her to enjoy and learn more about music than she normally would have. “We have found so much meaning in the pieces that otherwise wouldn’t be found individually to make for a more interesting and entertaining performance,” Le said.
PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF PAUL SUH