HyBreeze would like to take a moment to highlight some students at BBHHS who demonstrate outstanding musical talent. Playing an instrument and dedicating oneself to such a commitment is not easy, yet these students show exceptional skill.
These students display incredible talent and showcase it through various out-of-school opportunities.
Abigail Choi, a junior, has shown an outstanding commitment to music. She joined the orchestra in 4th grade and has continued ever since, leading to a 7-year dedication. She is part of two groups, CYO and NERO, and was encouraged to join these by her violin teacher.
Dawson Still, a senior, is passionate about music in all forms. He has been 
playing percussion for over 10 years and has dedicated 4 years to choir. He also has extensive piano experience, though he says he has lost count of how many years he’s been playing. Dawson’s musical journey started with his parents. “My parents sat me down at a drum set, and I started playing,” he recalls. He is involved in CYO, NERO, and Matrix Percussion.
Cami Reed, a freshman, has been playing the flute for 4 years and piano for even longer. She is a proud member of the CYWS band. Cami got into music thanks to her father, a former piano teacher, and was drawn to the flute by her mother, who was originally a flutist. Her private teacher suggested that she joins CYWS, which she did with great enthusiasm.
Creek Smith, a freshman, is a member of COYC and COYCCE. She has been singing for 7 years and started her musical journey at her former elementary school, Old Trail. Creek chose to branch out into music to develop her love for it further and to seek new opportunities.
Logan Smith, a sophomore, has been involved in numerous musical activities. His commitments include CYWS (3rd year), TRI-M (1st year), Capital University Honor Band (1x), Ohio State Honor Band (1x), OMEA All-State Band (1x), All Ohio State Fair Band (1x), and Youngstown State Side-By-Side Honor Band (1x). He has been playing his instrument for about 6 years. “When I was younger, my parents signed me up for piano lessons. Even though I stopped taking those lessons 4-5 years later, I still liked playing music, which led me to play in a private school band in the 4th and 5th grades. I decided to continue with music when I transferred to BBHMS,” he explains.
Aiden Zumwalt, senior, has been involved in music for 15 years. He is part of NERO, Capital University Honor Band, OBDC All-State Band, and the St. Basil the Great Contemporary Choir. Aiden joined these extra groups to showcase his love and talent for music.
How Much These Students Practice
Choi practices 30-40 minutes several times a week. However, during auditions, she and other students increase their practice time, sometimes practicing for hours a day in the weeks leading up to auditions.
Reed practices flute and piano for 20-30 minutes, 5-6 days a week. However, sometimes she loses track of time and ends up practicing for hours.
Creek Smith practices 15-30 minutes every day.
Logan Smith typically practices for 45 minutes to an hour each week, but when auditions or performance solos approach, he ramps up his practice to 3-5 hours per week.
Songs Played in These Groups
In NERO, students have performed Capriccio Espagnole Op 34, Lightspeed, October, and Marche Militaire Francaise.
In CYO, they are currently working on several commissioned pieces: 1000 Words, Between Gardens and Giants, Drive, Everything Beautiful, and Gravitas, as well as a cello concerto.
Creek, among her groups, is currently singing Brahms’ Schicksalslied and Poulenc’s Gloria.
In CYWS, Logan’s group is working on Rakes of Mallow, Cafe 512, The National Game March, Scenes from the Louvre, and Tight Squeeze.
For OMEA All-State, Logan’s group is playing Lament, Alpina-Fanfare, Rise, Grace Before Sleep, New Day, and Canticles. The All Ohio State Fair Band (AOSFB) performed about 70 songs, including Stars and Stripes Forever, a big band polka, and Pirates of the Caribbean.
Rehearsals
For CYO, which has around 100 members, including strings, winds, and brass, rehearsals often begin in sectionals, followed by full group practice. Rehearsals are held for 4 hours each Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with a 30-minute break. “It’s nice because most people practice at home, so rehearsals are enjoyable,” says Choi.
NERO rehearsals are similar to CYO but last 2 hours longer and include a dinner break. These rehearsals take place once a week during October-November on Sundays, 2:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
For CYWS, rehearsals are 2 hours long, held at CSU. “We usually arrive early to warm up and check in for attendance. Then, we tune with the oboe before starting rehearsal,” says Reed.
Creek Smith’s rehearsals mainly focus on sectionals and learning the music together, usually from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Honors band rehearsals often span 2-3 full days, sometimes with overnight stays at a hotel. The OMEA All-State Band rehearsals take place at CSU.
Zumwalt rehearses with his church choir for an hour before mass, often accompanied by a bass guitar, two guitarists, a drummer, and the music director on piano/organ.
Concerts
CYO concerts are held in various halls, with their most recent concert at the Agora. Their next performance will be at Maltz.
NERO concerts are typically held at the University of Akron’s Performing Arts Hall.
CYWS concerts take place at Severance Hall, and Creek’s concerts are held at Severance as well as UCMC.
These have shown what it means to be dedicated to music. From hours of practice to amazing performances, they’re proving just how much talent BBHHS has. These students inspire everyone around them with their passion for music.
Many other students deserve recognition for their musical talent including Jacob Astey, Bobby Johnston, Kayla Kosla, Trevor Madsen, Tim Hawkins, Lilah Reasor, and Jimmy Schneider.
These are some students, along with the ones featured, that make BBHHS a great place for music.
