Celebrating Classical Music Month
October 8, 2018
September was Classical Music month, a time to celebrate musicians, composers, and conductors such as Bach, Mozart, and dedicated students pursuing their musical dreams. Classical music has been so important to people throughout history, yet it has still managed to slip through the fingers of other musicians. “I think it’s a lost art and a lot of the musical community– like a lot of people– aren’t classically trained. They pick up the guitar and boom, there, they have millions of followers on Instagram,” said Owen White (11), a musician with the MSHS orchestra.
In 1994, President Bill Clinton proclaimed September as Classical Music month. His goal was to honor musicians and classical music because of the the impact it has had on the United States. “What was heard in a Vienna Opera House was heard again in a colonial theater in Charleston, South Carolina, was echoed at the inauguration of President Lincoln, was repeated in turn-of-the-century Chicago, and is played again today by a range of musicians from the most skilled of virtuosos to the youngest student struggling with the complexities of the violin,” said Clinton in his proclamation.
“I think that just the way that they [classical music pieces] are written and the thought and work that went into writing them is really admirable,” said Talia Traxler (11), a bass, cello, and piano player. She has been playing music since she was about five years old. She has grown to love classical music more than modern and wants to pursue the cello professionally. Classical music is in Traxler’s past, present and future.
Traxler isn’t the only one looking to music for a career. “I think it would be cool, in the future, to teach clarinet students […] private lessons,” said Hailey Matas (11). Matas currently plays clarinet and has previously played saxophone and violin. She has been involved in music since 6th grade. Classical music is in Matas’s past, present and future.
Yet another pursuer of music is White, the first chair violinist of MSHS. “I do want to pursue music as a career,” he said. “I want to be a concert violinist, that would be my goal.” White has been playing music for 11 years. He plays violin, piano and guitar, and is a conductor. White likes that classical music is a way to express himself creatively. Classical music is in White’s past, present and future.
Orchestra teacher Danny Tramel thinks that the history of classical music is what makes it so special. “When you play some of these songs, you are bringing to life a melody that could be 100, 200 years old. That was written that long ago, and you are somebody that is keeping that melody going in today’s present world,” said Tramel. Classical music is in Tramel’s past, present and future.
Classical music can mean a lot to many people; it impacts their lives and can build connections to others. It is so important, honoring it is not limited to just the month of September. To celebrate Classical Music Month, people should be, “practicing more than ever, going to honor orchestras, just sort of filling your life with it as much as you can,” said White. No matter what people decide to do to celebrate the timeless melodies of classical music, they should most importantly enjoy it and appreciate it. Ways to do this are by attending concerts of all levels, playing an instrument, and listening to classical music.
Music of all kinds is constantly changing and building upon what it was from the start. Tramel said, “It’s pretty incredible that long and we can still, as musicians, have the kind of power to bring it back to life.” Tramel also summed up classical music as, “the start of it all. It’s the beginning. It’s sophistication in music, it’s creativity, it’s beauty. Everything we love about music, classical music has and that’s where we got it all from.”
