Haldane is home to many musi- cians, and some go above and beyond to contribute to the arts. Whether they perform for our school band, chorus, Blues Devils, or an outside program, Haldane’s musicians are seeking opportunities to showcase their talents and to better their craft.
One of these musicians is Alice Stevenson, a sophomore who plays the violin. She takes lessons with her teacher, Rachel Evans, and believes that playing an instrument has greatly benefited her life. Stevenson said, “Music has positively impacted my life by giving me an outlet to express my emotions, and I’ve learned so much about myself through playing music.” Stevenson also expressed that her music can be therapeutic as well. She said, “I also think playing music is great for calming your mind because it forces you to slow down and focus on your technique.”
Stevenson is not the only Haldane student who plays a stringed instru- ment; however, Haldane doesn’t have an orchestra, so these students are un- able to directly share their craft with the Haldane community. Stevenson commented on this as well, “I think an orchestra would be a great idea! I feel like there are a lot of talented musicians at Haldane.”
Delia Starr is a junior at Haldane and an accomplished composer. Starr started composing when she was young. She said, “I’m a fourth-gener- ation musician, so music has been a part of my family environment from the start.” Starr also noted, “I began composing with inspiration from my dad, who is a composer, and I’m influ- enced by French impressionist music as well as film scores.” In school, Starr plays both the flute in the Haldane Wind Ensemble as well as piano in the Jazz Band. Starr recently performed with fellow Haldane musician, senior Sofia Kelly, in a classical concert at Saint Mary’s on May 31.
Henry Schimming, a senior, is an- other musician at Haldane. He plays the guitar in Haldane’s rock band, The Blues Devils. In addition to this, he has started his own band, Michigan, with seniors Daniel Campanile and Daniel O’Sullivan, two of his friends. Schim- ming said, “This band has positively impacted my life because I’ve met a lot of new friends playing music, and I think that guitar is a hobby that has taught me a lot about perseverance and hard work.”
