The senior class at Gibbons has had its fair share of shake-ups. A tumultuous four years full of online learning, the green and gold split, and numerous cancellations in the art department but now it seems like the Gibbons they were promised in 2019 is finally coming to pass. Senior Editor, Honora Quinn sat down with four of her classmates to discuss this topic, the following is transcribed from a recording taken on October 15th, 2022 originally as a group interview, however, the recording has been separated to focus on the band.  [NOTE: Some of the events mentioned have occurred since recording.]

Preliminary:

Honora Quinn: How long have you been in the art department, and what program you’re representing here?

Ben Miranda: I’ve been in the arts department for four years. And I’m representing the Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, and pep band.

Riley McGarry: I’ve also been in the art department for four years, and I’m also representing the music department.

HQ: Question 1: What teacher has had the most impact on you?

BM: I’d say in the band program, it’s pretty easy to pick one out. Mr. Cashin is so influential, he has been running this program for a really long time, and he’s done an amazing job with it. He pushes all of us especially as we become more senior in the program to learn and challenge ourselves as much as we can with music.

RM: For me, I would also have to say, Mr. Cashin, especially on a personal level, because he’s been my band director for nine years. But then I also have to give a lot of credit to Mr. Brown who just joined our Arts Department last year, and it’s been like a major influence on I know, the choir program. And he’s also been co-teaching our band classes, and it’s just been so fun to have him as a part of the music department.

HQ: Question 2: Upcoming Events: What are you most looking forward to? 

RM: For me, I’m really excited for our winter concert, because we’re doing a combination with the Wind Ensemble and Choir. So the choir is gonna have their part of the concert, we’re gonna have our part, and then we’re combining and there might be a Christmas sing-along involved, like, it’s just super exciting, and it’s gonna be super fun.

BM: Yeah, I would say, also in the band program, I’m always excited every year for our Pops concert, which happens in the spring. And I don’t know what the lineup is going to be for the songs there. But it’s always really fun and really relevant. You know, movie music or stuff from pop culture. And it’s always super fun to play those pieces.

HQ: Question 3: Why should students join the Arts at Gibbons? Especially if they didn’t as freshmen.

RM: I would say definitely if you’re considering joining an art like just do it. Because I know speaking from experience, like our group of seniors in the band, we’re just, we’re our own little family. And if it’s like even if you join a program, later in high school, you’re still like roped in as a part of that family. And it’s just like, it’s a nice, little group, you know, it’s not super stressful, and it’s just like a break from the seven other classes that you’re taking,

BM: So kind of branching off that, I think it’s super important to have something that’s not super academic or academic-focused because having that as one of your classes is sort of a break. And for me at least, it’s a literal and figurative breather from all the rest of my classes that I do. When I’m, you know, playing the tuba. And I’m not really worrying about so much else and, I can, you know, talk with all my friends that are, in that class,

HQ: Question 4: How has COVID affected your experience with the arts especially now that things are getting back to normal?

RM: COVID band was absolutely awful. It was the worst thing I’ve ever gotten in my life. Our teacher was on paternity leave. Our sub gave us a whole new list of assignments that we weren’t supposed to do. And then going into sophomore year, when we’re in this hybrid moment, half of the band is in person, the other half is at home. And zoom is just awful. So you hear little bits of what they’re practicing. And Mr. Cashin is like, okay, we’re running these measure numbers, and then he mutes himself, and you can’t hear anything. And then there’s playing tests and there was just so much stuff that just honestly really made band like not an enjoyable class for me. But then now that it’s like coming back to normal, it’s a great experience to have everybody back and we’re all not playing with masks and Bell covers and all that stuff, but just like oh, sad that you know, it’s our senior year and everything’s back to normal and that we now we’re leaving and we this is our first normal year.

BM: Yeah. [Riley] hit basically everything. There’s not really much to add to what you said. I mean, the playing tests, we didn’t [like] have proper concerts and that stuff. And then Bell covers and playing with masks on as always was just so weird. But I think you basically hit everything on the bands and stuff that was, that’s pretty much the whole thing. But being back and being, you know, able to do concerts, able to host events, able to go to the football games and do all the rest of that is just awesome. And it’s so great to see everybody back together.

HQ: Question 5: What advice would you give to your freshman self or freshmen starting out in the arts?

RM: [Going off of what Luciana said], if you’re passionate about it, just do it. Because like my freshman year, I was like, ‘oh, you know, it’s so embarrassing to be in band like I just, I’ll quit after sophomore year, because then I just get my arts credit, my PE credit’ But now I’m a senior and I’m getting like, honored on Friday for you know, sticking with the program or even just like being in there as a senior. So it’s like, don’t let any stigmas around the arts department scare you away. So if you know if you want to do drama, if you want to draw, if you want to play in orchestras, sing in choir or band, just do it. It’s worth it.

BM: Advice to freshmen;  I would say, if you’re interested in doing it, again, just do it. Try it out. And I mean, [Luciana said this, Riley kind of touched on it as well]. But you can leave if you don’t like what program you’re in, or you can even switch programs. But especially here, it’s hard to switch into programs. And those opportunities don’t really open up again until you’re an upperclassman. Which it is always really difficult to try to join in a program. I know a lot of ours do have really, you know, tight knit communities. And being able to hop into those is actually really easy, but it can be a little bit intimidating. But yeah, just take it as soon as you can and try it out.

RM: It’s okay to be a nerd!

HQ: Question 6: What formers students/upperclassmen had a big impact on you as an underclassman?

BM: Yeah. Um, I would definitely say my number one would be Alex Zukowski. So, Zuk, if you see this, you really made a difference. I feel like all the seniors sort of in the sections that you get to meet really do have an impact in the band program because we do break it down by section or by instrument. So all the upperclassmen in the low brass you know, Zack Moore and then all the other people as well in the tuba/sousaphone section specifically so Zuk, Alex Tutors another name that comes to mind. But these people are people that you get to know and they do invest in you in the arts and make you feel like you’re worth something. Also, the leadership that we have built in the drum majors, Jillian Kearney, Abby Melton, you know, this year with Kate Sullivan as well, not graduated yet. But you know, those people that do have those leadership roles do care. And they make you feel again, like you’re seen, which is really valuable, especially when you’re joining one of these programs.

RM: Yeah, and I think my, you know, like upperclassmen would probably be Mary Hollis and Abby Melton. So Mary Hollis went to my middle school. And she’s two years older than us, I always looked up to her as an inspiration. And you know, she kept on with the band in high school. So I was like, alright, I’ll keep on in high school. And she’s just, she’s just a, like, a wonderful person, like all around. And then Abby, like Ben said, was one of our drum majors last year, she was also a flute player. And so we just, she was so nice to like, literally everyone. And she made sure that everyone, you know, felt comfortable during the games. And if people were stressed out, she’d always talk to them. And she was just like, I don’t know, she very much shaped our flute section. And then I think I know personally, Kate Sullivan and I are trying to kind of keep that culture alive and keep it going for when we graduate and then the juniors will take it over.

BM: Okay, one last one that I can’t move past this section without saying is my sister, Josie [Miranda], she also went through the band program and did all the same stuff. And she gave me this sort of advice, when I was, you know, applying to Gibbons, and deciding whether or not I wanted to be in the band program. So even though she’s my sister, I mean, having her as that sort of positive older influence in the band program was super helpful specifically in the arts department.

HQ: Final Question: What will you miss most about the Gibbon’s Art Department?

RM: I think I’ll miss just like, personally, the closeness that we have, cuz I mean, like for wind ensemble, we’re maybe like 35, maybe 30 people? I don’t know. But it’s just like, our group is just so close. And, you know, we’re able to, like, do all the pep band stuff. And we’re going on a trip in February and just, we have our own little community. And I think, you know, after graduating after leaving, our big thing as seniors is like, how do we make our impact? And how do we leave our mark, after we graduate, I’m, you know, I’ve been trying to do that, especially through the jazz program, because that’s something that I’ve tried to build up since freshman year. So I think honestly, just leaving the like, the culture of the arts department behind is going to be kind of the saddest part.

BM: I feel like I could double pretty much anything that anybody said here. You know, other people in the program, teachers, everybody else. I say the one thing that I miss the most is actually the senior class specifically. And the people that you know, have been in these classes with me for, you know, 4 years has been, you know, an awesome experience. And again, you have that closeness, because you’re in the same class with the same people year after year. So you really do get to know them. And, you know,  I’m going to miss the rest of the senior class. It’s probably going to be a mantra that’s going to be said over and over for these next few months. For the next, the rest of the semester is moving forward, but yeah, I think it’s going to be, you know, bittersweet come May.

This Concludes the Senior Spotlight on The Arts: Band Interview,

The subjects of which would like to personally thank their teachers, friends, family, and the Gibbons community for getting them all here to this point.