Band, the backbone of our school
Band is a class that contributes a lot to our school. They continually grow each year and like any other class in school, the band tends to become more rigorous as you get older. The students playing in band take a lot of time out of their day to perfect their pieces and turn it into something that everyone will love.
As someone who played band in middle school, I wondered what it would be like if I continued to play throughout high school. It would be a lot of commitment and would require a lot of love for my instrument.
“I like my instrument because it provides a constant challenge for me. As I get better and continue to play, it sounds better as well,” said Lauren Mac, a junior in the band.
Mac stated that the band in high school, “is much more serious than middle school. The kids that still continue band into high school really love music and they’re always looking to improve.”
Clare Chung explained the difference from middle school and high school orchestra. “High school orchestra has a different level of difficult music and it’s more engaging than middle school bands and orchestras. High school music is more enjoyable as well, because of the diversity and the number of students in the class,” said Chung, a junior orchestra student.
Where the students come from also plays an important role in the learning process. All Castro Valley students start out in numerous elementary schools, advance to only two middle schools, and then eventually all graduate out of the same high school. Some students in the music classes don’t meet until high school, it builds relationships and it’s always a new experience for the students and teacher.
As I sat in the band room listening to the students play, I could only imagine how much joy some students felt. Some have worked their whole lives for this exact moment and there’s only one high school career to make their dreams come true. A dream could range from wanting to be on stage for the rest of their life performing for a crowd or their dream could be to learn a new skill. As cliche as that sounds, it’s important to recognize the small things band students do to achieve their personal goals. These goals may consist of simply learning a new skill or learning to play a new instrument. A bigger goal may be to learn how to work with other people in music and listen to the people around them. Band provides these students with an opportunity to find a safe space for themselves.
I recommend you to listen to the music around you being played by our very own students of CVHS. At the end of the day, week, month, or school year, band is something that not everyone can do. Playing an instrument takes a lot of effort and it’s definitely time-consuming. Mark your calendars because from Dec. 7 to Dec. 10, the fantastic CVHS Band and Choir will be performing. The next time you pass by the music room, sit at a football game, or go to a concert, keep an ear out for any CVHS music programs, it doesn’t get better than them.