Transitioning from middle school to high school can be a bit difficult for some people. Grades now have a long term effect, there’s more pressure, more people. When you throw an extracurricular in like band or orchestra,  it can become even more difficult. So, upperclassmen can become really important to helping with their music. “It’s really influential to be around all these people who know what they’re doing and they’ll explain things like when they’re shifting and why they are shifting,” said orchestra member Juliet Tadema (Viola).

Some of the changes that freshmen have to adapt to is the pace that comes with the step up. “We are getting new songs much faster and progressing faster than in middle school,” said concert band player Eli Song.

“In middle school, once everyone knows the basics, everyone’s together; Davies does it to learn music on your own and you’re supposed to know it in a week or two and fine tune, before it was just learned during class.” Tadema added.

During the start of the year it can be especially difficult. Adapting your schedule to align with the new pace, the added pressure from class and not having much time before the first concerts. Yet that didn’t seem to bother them too much. “After the first concert I think that we all played very well even though we only played one piece. it displayed our growth in being able to let the melodies stand out more in comparison to the other sounds going on in the piece,” said Song.

For a lot of students in middle school band or orchestra, that balance and busy schedule can be a bit too much, as a lot of students especially in middle school drop out of music. “My older brother is a freshman in college and has been doing cello since as long as I can remember. My parents wanted me to start playing when I was young to pursue scholarships. It’s never been something I ever considered dropping,” said Tadema.

Freshman year can be a difficult transition for some students, but that doesn’t seem to bother how they’re playing. With as little time they had to prepare for the first concert, they turned out amazingly, and should continue getting even better for years to come.