CVHS music

Dear CVHS music department,

I have to admit that I doubted you. When half of you showed up at our morning rehearsals, it stunk like running over a skunk and then getting out of the car to see what you hit. It was SO frustrating.

See, I have an amazing experience every year when we do that concert. We practice and practice and practice. Then the day of the concert comes with high levels of stress and excitement. Then we play and move and sing and dance (Madrigals). The audience is satisfied for the most part, but then again, half of them have a lack of musical knowledge.

My freshman year, I despised orchestra. In my mind, I debated whether I should stay in orchestra. It wasn't really the happiest place to be and I wasn't in love with playing my violin. I dreaded every A day when I had to go to orchestra.

When the Christmas concert rolled around that year, I just wanted to sing the combined piece, Vivaldi's Gloria. I loved singing it. Playing it was a totally different story. I sucked at it. And since I didn't like playing that much anyway, I didn't practice outside of orchestra until a few days before the concert.

To make a long story short, that night when we sang our combined pieces, I fell in love with playing the violin. The energy was so high and the sound so beautiful. We were one mind, one voice, one song. I felt that with everything I had.

Since then I have anticipated that feeling. This year I was particularly worried that it would not come. And the reason being is that only half the choir showed up at rehearsal. Some people didn't know what to expect, at all. I doubted like I have never doubted.

But when I walked into the choir room to see so many people, I started to feel more at ease. When you all walked on stage for that blasted Russian piece, I knew that it was going to just get better. When the orchestra butchered the Overture on the Cantata, you, my dear choirs, made up for it. Sure, it we have had better vowels in past years, but for this year, IT WAS SO GOOD. And for half of you not showing up at rehearsal, you exceeded all my expectations in a way. Deep down I knew that you could pull it off. But that isn't the point. It was so good.

And then came O Come Emmanuel. OH MY GOLLY! WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?! I could actually play loud with everything I could give! And it is because of YOU! The energy was so exuberant. I had the same feeling that I had my freshman year, the feeling that makes me just want to play and sing and dance all day long. The audience felt how powerful those words were. And we could not have done it without you.

To Landon, James, JP, and Cameron: thank you for coming to the concert when you were sick. My heart rejoices because of your dedication and determination.

I love you all.

Love,
Michelle