This past week, I got the opportunity to perform in Carnegie Hall with the WVU Wind Symphony. We were one of the showcase ensembles for the New York Wind Band Festival. High schools from all around the country came to perform and were adjudicated in one of the most prestigious concert halls in the world. One band, in particular, stood out: Stoneman Douglas High School of Parkland, Florida.
On February 14th, their high school was ravaged by an armed gunman. The gunman claimed 34 victims. 17 were wounded and 17 were killed. The school closed for two weeks and reopened on February 28th. Even when the school was reopened, the students only attended partial days of classes. This means that their ensemble missed plenty of rehearsals, and it wasn't decided whether they would be coming to the Festival.
I'm usually a very "out of sight, out of mind" type of person when it comes to this kind of tragedy. I'd heard the news stories, but it was so far away from me that I just didn't pay it much mind.
One rehearsal, our director shared with us that the band director at Stoneman Douglas High School, Mr. Kaminsky, was a close friend of his and that they were planning to perform at the Festival. We all didn't really know what to say. The tragedy had become tangible.
We decided to dedicate one of our pieces, "Only Light" by Aaron Perrine, to the school. In the program notes, Perrine says "Only Light is meant to convey a sense of hope and healing". We rehearsed with them in mind until the day that we performed.
When we got to Carnegie Hall, we watched six high school bands perform. All of them were wonderful -- I mean, they had traveled across the country to perform in Carnegie Hall. But Stoneman Douglas gave a different performance.
They played their adjudicated pieces, but after they were done, the entire hall leapt to their feet in a show of support. We stood and applauded for easily five minutes. Their director left the stage and came back on, crying. A few students in the front row started to tear up, and so did I.
I don't usually cry at things like this, but I just couldn't handle the level of emotion in that hall. Mr. Kaminsky walked back and gave his son a hug, then came back to the podium and thanked us.
When they left the stage, there was such a tangible feeling of camaraderie and support. Later that night, we came back to perform our selections: Among them, "Only Light" by Aaron Perrine. We didn't say anything, we just played it.
After we performed, West Chester University performed their showcase, and Stoneman Douglas was invited back to the stage to perform the closing piece of the Festival.
Again, the whole hall leapt to their feet. Again, Mr. Kaminsky and the students teared up. But this time, I could see the entire ensemble fighting back tears -- not just the front row.
I am so glad that I got the opportunity to not only perform in Carnegie Hall, but to also share this experience with so many others in that room.
