During the COVID-19 pandemic, all activities halted. Students could not play sports or spend time with friends. One of the communities hit the hardest was the music community. Around the country, music classes and programs had to cancel their rehearsals or find creative ways to make music together utilizing online platforms.

Starting in March 2020, FLHS music students attended their classes online with no google meets. These classes had online assignments on websites such as Smartmusic and Music Theory. Students used Smartmusic to record pieces of music with as much accuracy as possible, and Music Theory was used to practice music theory skills, such as key signatures and intervals.

The choir and band students were hit especially hard this past year because both practices involve the musician’s breath, which would end up projecting aerosols with the virus into the air. Orchestra, on the other hand, was less affected because they only use the bow, which means they were not spreading the virus like the other music departments. Orchestra students are able to wear masks while playing, so they adjusted more easily to the pandemic.

Fortunately, by the end of this school year, music has finally been able to return to the community. On May 12, the upper level orchestra and band students held a concert for the senior award ceremony, with the orchestra inside in the auditorium and the band outside on the front field.

Szilvi Cimino, a junior in wind ensemble and french horn player, is very optimistic about the year to come. “I’m really grateful to be able to play as a whole band during the pandemic especially after so many other things in my life were taken away. Though I might not have prom, at least I’m able to continue playing music with such a talented and kind group of people!”

Many members of the wind ensemble are seniors, so these year-end concerts have given them a chance to perform with their friends and show their talents to the FLHS community one more time before they graduate.

FLHS senior Ava Pezzimenti says, “I was so excited that we were able to perform together at the end of this year because it felt like we were back to playing as a ‘real’ band again. Even though we missed concerts like Candlelight, I’m grateful that we experienced having these final performances together as the team that our band has always felt like.”

To end the year on the right note, all band students marched in the Memorial Day Parade on May 31. We appreciate all of your support of the music community!