Thirty-six choir students, 25 orchestra students and 15 band students from the school were invited to perform at the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) Honors Music Festival held at Viewpoint School on Feb. 6-7. The festival selects 8th-12th grade students from Southern California independent schools through teacher nominations to come together and put on a performance.
Symphony cellist Stella Bae ’28 said the most difficult aspect of the music festival was forming connections with unfamiliar musicians to make harmonious music together.
“Music festivals such as CAIS are challenging for players because students are forced to create connections with people they’ve never met from different schools in very short periods of time,” Bae said. “We had to establish a certain kind of chemistry to make the music sound beautiful. It can be very difficult when you are unfamiliar with their playing styles and even the people themselves.”
Chamber Singers tenor Pierce Moore ’28 said he was proud to be chosen for the CAIS Honors Music Festival.
“Being selected for this honors music festival is a huge accomplishment because I know that only top singers and musicians are selected,” Moore said. “Viewpoint School gathered hundreds of students to produce a breathtaking performance. CAIS allowed me to bond and perform with students from countless other schools while doing what I love.”
Symphony violinist Kayla Lee ’28 said the CAIS Honors Music Festival provided a unique opportunity for musical growth in a new collaborative environment.
“The CAIS String Orchestra was different from other orchestras because of its ability to help students grow, even during such a short period of time,” Lee said. “I chose to perform at the CAIS Honors Music Festival because I enjoy the different atmosphere and playing new music with a new conductor, all while meeting new people.”
Symphony flutist Yiya Gu ’28, who attended Viewpoint School before joining the school in ninth grade, said the music festival brought back fond memories at her previous school.
“I was so excited to visit my previous school for a music festival because I really enjoyed the time I had at Viewpoint,” Gu said. “I couldn’t wait to see my old friends and teachers again, especially since I didn’t have time to go visit Viewpoint anymore.”
Chamber Orchestra violist Kyle Henderson ’27, who attended the music festival for the fourth time, said he decided to participate multiple times because of the thrill of preparing for a concert with limited time.
“I decided to return to CAIS because I enjoy the challenge of putting together music in a short amount of time,” Henderson said. “My favorite part of the festival was meeting other musicians from neighboring schools.”
Bae said the large number of musicians in each orchestra section made teamwork vital.
“These festivals encourage and promote teamwork among musicians through the sheer number of people involved in each CAIS ensemble group,” Bae said. “For example, there are 21 violins in the Harvard-Westlake Upper School Symphony ensemble, whereas there were more than 40 violins attending CAIS. Because the number of instruments in that section alone was doubled, teamwork was essential for everyone to sound good together.”