The HHS Madrigals perform at a choir concert on December 18.
December is the season for music concerts at Hastings High School, and for some that can mean a couple of very busy weeks trying to balance all of those different performances.
The first main concert of the season was an orchestra concert on December 7, the next was a band concert on the twelfth, and the final main concert of the season before winter break was a choir and show choir concert on December 18.
One concert is enough to stress some people out, let alone two different concerts, but some very dedicated students manage to participate in all three of those concerts. Emily Beave, a senior at HHS, is one of those very dedicated students.
“It gets pretty stressful at times because the concerts go kind of late and it’s just a lot to remember to do,” Beave said.
All of that stress can really build up, especially during this extra stressful time for all students with finals. Beave does her best to keep it all from building up, but sometimes she does struggle.
“I don’t always handle stress well, but when I get stressed, I try to take things one at a time so I don’t get overwhelmed with the big picture of everything I have to do,” Beave said.
For most students, it may seem unrealistic to balance all of those musical activities with schoolwork and whatever else they have to do deal with during the holiday season. The thing that really keeps Beave motivated is her overwhelming passion for all things music.
“I definitely would say it’s worth being busy,” Beave said. “I like to have things to do and busy myself with, and I get to enjoy myself while doing that. It’s kind of like how people say if you love doing something, you never have to work a day in your life. I love music, so I’ve never once considered the time commitment that’s associated with it a burden.”
Beave sometimes has to put aside other things to stay focused on music, which can even mean prioritizing among the separate musical activities.
“I usually enjoy band concerts the most because we have the coolest music in band, and band is generally the favorite of my music classes.”
All of the different music classes mean something special to her, whether it is band, orchestra, choir, or show choir. For Beave though, it really isn’t that difficult to balance all of these different activities, mainly because she is used to them and they are a big part of her life that is worth putting in a lot of effort to participate and do well in. The main difference between a student who is able to balance many different activities, such as music concerts, is whether or not they have the motivation. Beave finds that that comes easy to her with something she loves so much.
“Music has always been a part of my life so I kind of think of them more as a core class than an activity,” Beave said. “I wouldn’t be who I am without all the musical ensembles I’m in, so I guess that’s what motivates me: the fact that it’s just part of me.”
