Recently, many WHS music students have been accepted into honors ensembles via video. COVID-19 has affected all life as we know it, but the inability for musicians to practice together has been a particularly challenging roadblock for music departments to navigate around. However, WHS students have accepted this challenge with grace in performing as individuals before a computer screen. Such performances have qualified WHS music students for prestigious ensembles, such as the Southeastern Massachusetts School Bandmasters Association (SEMSBA), the Southeastern district of the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (SEMMEA) and the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) All-State Festival. 

Since COVID-19 is spread through respiratory particles, playing instruments and singing poses a great risk of transmission, so many alterations have been made for scholastic music practices and performances. Normally, music students audition for ensembles in person after rehearsing their audition piece, learning scales (which dictate the pitch of a piece of music) and preparing for the sight-reading portion of the audition. This year, audition format was reworked to be conducted virtually as All-State auditioners, for example, were asked to submit a video of their performance of the song “Angelus Ad Pastores.” 

“Having the audition be a submitted video was easier but also more difficult than in person,” sophomore Autumn Mathews, who was accepted for voice into the SEMMEA Senior Districts Festival and MMEA All-State Festival, said. “One, because you can have as many takes as you want, but in person, it’s one and done and you leave it all there in the room.”

Nonetheless, WHS music students are optimistic and grateful for the opportunity to perform, despite the challenges of virtual musical performances. One hopeful student is Gianna Pompeo is motivated to perform well as cello leader of the WHS orchestra as she advances to the Senior SEMSBA festival. Pompeo also shared some challenges of being part of an orchestra amid a pandemic. 

“Performing has been challenging this year because I can’t have stand partners, we can’t have sectionals to zero in on difficult parts in the pieces we play and I am not going to be able to meet or become friends with anyone as we might not even be meeting in person this year,” Pompeo said.

Although most performances this year must take place via Zoom, WHS music students have done so successfully as many advance to honors ensembles, such as the upcoming All-State Festival. The All-State Festival will be held on March 6 and consists of a master class via Zoom after which participants must record their piece. Once everyone has submitted their pieces, instructors will integrate these videos for a virtual performance. 

“My goal for the All-State Festival this Saturday is to learn my music beforehand, so I feel more comfortable when they go over it, and to participate and answer questions as much as I can to get the best experience out of it as possible,” Mathews said. “It is nice to see that other students in my area also care about singing as much as I do even during this respiratory pandemic where we literally can’t sing together.”

The following students have passed virtual auditions and will advance to honors ensembles. 

Junior SEMSBA Festival

Aditi Chougule – Violin

Andrew Miles – Cello

Senior SEMSBA Festival

Elizabeth Aspinwall – Viola

Ajay Bhagavatula – Voice

Stephen Bond – Violin

Nina LaRusso – Voice

Erin Ledwith – Voice

Rachael Leonard – Voice

Aden Levenson – Voice

Gianna Pompeo – Cello

Cameron Schmottlach – Trombone

Kyle Schmottlach – Trumpet

Sarah Van der Linden – Mallets

Shaylyn White – Voice

SEMMEA Junior Districts Festival

Catherine Borchardt – Violin

Lily Donnelly – String Bass

Diza Girhotra – Violin

SEMMEA Senior Districts Festival

Sahithi Gollakota – Violin

Zoe Jagelski – Viola 

Lisa Jair – Violin 

Catherine Lightbody – Voice 

Autumn Mathews – Voice 

Nina Roco – Violin 

Cameron Schmottlach – Trombone

Kyle Schmottlach – Trumpet 

Kieran Stover – Tuba 

Shaylyn White – Voice

Qualified to audition for All-State Festival

Zoe Jagelski – Viola 

Lisa Jair – Violin 

Catherine Lightbody – Voice 

Autumn Mathews – Voice 

Nina Roco – Violin 

Kyle Schmottlach – Trumpet 

Kieran Stover – Tuba 

MMEA All-State Festival

Catherine Lightbody – Voice

Autumn Mathew – Voice

Kyle Schmottlach – Trumpet