Student Musician Showcase wows the audience
On March 2, the second annual student musician showcase took place in the NPHS Performing Arts Center. Made up of Tri-M Music Honor Society students, IB Music students and student musicians across campus, this showcase donated $600 of their profits to the Harmony Project, which is a nonprofit, music education organization that provides free music instruction to underprivileged students in Ventura County.
Students from various musical backgrounds came together to put on a unique performance. Deepa Venkat, senior and the president of Tri-M Honor’s Society, enjoyed the creative aspect of the showcase. “This is the first concert that was entirely student-led, from writing pieces, planning rehearsals and choosing accompanists, backing tracks, performance attire, etcetera. I think that it was really amazing to see everyone’s creativity come together as performers and musicians,” Venkat said.
The performance was also marked by its focus on the student. Tina Huang, orchestra director and IB music teacher at NPHS, takes pride in the students’ work. “It’s not a typical ensemble where you have one person directing a whole group. Most of the pieces are student run in small groups, without the presence of a conductor. My role in it has mainly been mentor and advisor to each individual group,” Huang said.
The event was an exceptional experience for the audience, with a combination of musical performances unlike any other. David Kwon, senior, was awed by the unique combination of musical performances. “There were a diverse range of genres that were performed, including classical, country, rock and anime,” Kwon said.
The untraditional mix of songs and genres gave the event a special touch, but for the audience, the event was made more special by blurbs read out about each student’s perspective in composing or choosing their song. “[The blurbs] allowed the audience to understand where the student was coming from when writing their piece, which enabled them to listen to it in an entirely different way,” Venkat said.
Ultimately, the event served as an enjoyable experience for the performers and audience alike while also giving back to the community. “It was really gratifying to see all of the club’s hard work result in an event that individual students were able to enjoy so much and that helped the community,” Venkat said.
