High School Performances

When performing at high schools, we prioritize dialogue with the students. We try to give the students threads to listen for that will keep them interested in our performance. We often give a brief historical context for the piece we are playing and describe our thoughts on the main thematic ideas, comparing them to characters and storylines. We structure these concerts similarly to our main-stage programs in terms of variety, but in smaller chunks to keep the students’ attention, alternating between classical works, modern/20th century works, and our own compositions. We also include pop songs and a section of improvisation based on audience suggestion. At a recent high school performance, we musically illustrated a tall tale one student told about their morning commute via the subway!

For music students at the high school age, our program is structured similarly except we go into more depth with our introductions to each piece. We have also invited the students to join us in the improvisation portion, leading to some of the most magical moments of musical exchange.