Performing at school meeting is unique. For an artist, the whoops, hollers, and name-shouts that they elicit simply by stepping foot on stage are thrilling. This may not be the sort of energy one often associates with classical music or jazz. At school meeting, however, this energy is generated by even the most experimental music. It provides an opportunity for Choate’s student musicians to feel rewarded for the toils of their practicing, as well as for the community to glean insight into the work of a small but committed part of the student body. Students who have never performed at school meeting should understand what this fantastic experience feels like.
The wait in the doorway on the wing of the stage is exhilarating. You see Mr. Stanley and Ms. Kegel standing in the other wing, from which they will gesture for you to walk onto the stage when the audience is sufficiently full. In the crowd, a few friends have spotted you and start smiling and waving. Traditionally, classical music or jazz performances rarely involve any mystery – the audience always knows what they’re in for. There is often a predetermined order of music, and performers are visible to the crowd only during their piece. Their arrival is a surprise to no one. School meeting performances are the antithesis of this — most audience members don’t know who’s about to perform, let alone what piece will be played. This energy results in a sentiment for the performer that is different from any I have experienced from performances in concerts, recitals, gigs, competitions, masterclasses, or private lessons.
Once you walk on stage, the crowd is immediately uproarious. There is no program or emcee to introduce you; instead, it is the screams of your fellow students that set the stage for the music. The crowd eventually settles to a silence, and you are immediately reminded of your monumental task: produce music that is enjoyable to teenagers who mostly have little to no experience with classical music or jazz. Most musicians enjoy the music they play, or at least play it in the way that they find most agreeable. However, pleasing any audience is a daunting task; I feel added pressure to entertain an audience of my peers.
I’ve never had a truly great performance at school meeting. I’ve performed alone, in a duo, with a small ensemble, and with a whole jazz band, and never have I felt that I conveyed my musical intentions as clearly as I do in my best performances. The acoustics of school meeting are rather different from traditional student performance venues. However, nothing feels quite as good as a standing ovation from hundreds of your friends, classmates, and teachers.
One of the things that keeps me playing music is the thrill I get from performing for others. The buzz of school meeting performances is special, and those of us who have had the honor of getting up to play in this setting know how much of a positive incentive it is to continue pursuing our craft.
