NM Music Dept. Visits Vermont, Boston

UVM Royal Tylell Theater

This past week the NM Music Department consisting of the Wind Symphony, Treble and Chamber Choir traveled up north to the University of Vermont, Von Trapp Lodge, Currier Art Museum, and ending in Boston. 

At the University of Vermont (UVM) students got to see the spiritual home of the Choir Director Caleb Chew where he graduated from in 2020. Students toured the music and theater buildings and met with Dr. Yutaka Kono, head of the UVM music program and Professor Sarah Nelson, UVM theater production manager and scene designer. Later that day they traveled to the Von Trapp lodge to perform a diverse selection for hotel guests including several small brass and woodwind quintets/duets.

The next day the group traveled down to Manchester, NH to the Currier Museum of Art and got a private tour of their new exhibition ‘I live a journey of a thousand years’ by the French-Italian artist Raphaël Barontini. Barontini was present and gave a short presentation on the philosophy of his artwork and how it was born. Afterwards students performed multiple pieces throughout the museum, the highlight of which being the chamber choir’s performance of  ‘Loch Lomond’ with senior soloist Nate Reed. The song evoked strong emotion and tears from museum staff and attendees. The power of music to bring different cultures to the forefront of our thought is unparalleled, the performance goes to show the criticality of music education and how important it is to prioritize district arts programs.

Choir Director Caleb Chew

On the final day in Boston students headed to the Marriott Long Wharf where they were given a brief tour and walkthrough of the Audio-Visual element of event hosting as well as a look into the industry by the Director of Event Technology Carl Benevides

After the tour the choir and band split up for a clinic, the band went with the aforementioned Benevides who is also a professional saxophonist and former high school band director. The choir clinic was conducted by David Jiles Jr. who is a professor of voice at Berklee College of Music and Emerson University.

Students regarded the trip as ‘one to remember’ and the hopes is that next year the journey will be even bigger and better.

NM Chamber Choir performance excerpt from ‘Loch Lomond’