Upperclassmen give wisdom for the next generation

(Photo by Lucas Lim)

Music mentor | Violinist junior Lucas Villareal helps guide freshman Sophia Coreas. “I think it’s a really good opportunity to teach [the underclassmen] not only skills when it comes to music, but also passions,” Villareal said.”

As the final curtain falls and the stage lights dim, the legacy of the seniors in the performing arts departments doesn’t end with the applause of the audience: it is carried on through the wisdom they share for the underclassmen.

After spending years in performances, rehearsals and practice sessions, these seniors have gathered lots of experience and are now sharing it. Their advice covers everything from managing nerves to building confidence. By passing along what they have learned, these seniors hope to help newcomers navigate the challenges of their respective arts department.

In choir, seniors emphasize the importance of developing fundamental music skills to help students succeed.

“I think you should definitely learn how to sight read. Sight reading and knowing music theory is very important because it helps you learn the basic things of choir such as sharps, flats and majors. This makes it easier for you to pick up on notes when you are singing,” Rhapsody in Blue member senior Rory Wang said. “It has helped me because it became very easy for me to understand what I was singing. I can just look at the notes and figure out how I should sing it since I know the notes already.”

In Blue Thunder Marching Band, head drum major senior Jaden Diep emphasizes the importance of finding what parts of the organization personally resonate with you.

“Find something within the band that you like because band is a very large group. There are a lot of different aspects so you should find an aspect within it and just stay true to yourself,” Diep said. “Just choose a level of involvement for yourself and join as many ensembles as you like, or if you just want to do a bit of band, you can choose to do that.”

As for Color Guard, Winter Guard co-captain senior Chloe Cayaban advises newcomers to stay committed to whatever new programs they join, even if it seems difficult at first.

“My biggest piece of advice is just to stick with [Color Guard] because it can be a bit difficult, especially in the beginning. Learning basics, getting your hands on the equipment and learning how Color Guard works as a whole can be really intimidating at first, but if you trust the process, it gets a lot easier,” Cayaban said. “Performance isn’t really something that we can teach, but it’s something that just comes out of an individual’s confidence. You really need to keep pushing forward with it and never give up because we can tell you what to do but it’s up to you to do it.”

Entering new organizations may seem daunting to some students, but Drama president senior Zaila Johnson offers advice for staying committed.

“Definitely don’t be afraid to speak out. Don’t be afraid to do anything in [Drama] because everyone is really nice,” Johnson said. “When you’re backstage and about to go on stage, it can be scary. Just take deep breaths, drink some water, talk to your friends and keep distracting yourself from the fact that something scary is happening.”

A common theme among these organizations is the importance of teamwork, especially in Dance Team.

“I think my biggest piece of advice is to dance for the girl next to you. This has really pushed me in many ways, especially when I’m really tired during 6 a.m. practices,” Dance Team co-captain senior Kiara David said. “I just remember that one of my teammates is giving 100 percent so why should I get to give 90 percent and it overall pushes me to do it for them so we all can give 100 percent.”