Fine arts students from band, orchestra, and choir represented the Phoenix music department as they made it into All-County, All-Districts, and All States. “I was really happy [to make it to all-district], but it’s mainly All-State that’s more anticipated,” senior Eshaan Nair said. 

Musicians like Nair, including sophomores Olivia McMahon, Claire Cho, Ava Loh, freshman Shivu Sathe, and many more, have worked hard to get where they are today, whether it’s All-District, All-County, or All-State. All musicians auditioned for these prestigious ensembles of their own accord. Through practice and perseverance, they turned their love of music into talent. 

Sophomore Ava Loh

Sophomore Ava Loh, who plays the French horn, made it into the All-District band this year and is eligible for All-State band.

Loh started band when she was in sixth grade, and she’s been playing ever since. “Honestly, I’ve always been a musical person, so I’ve always liked to play an instrument. I liked the environment that the band was in, and the way it was really fun and it wasn’t stressful,” Loh said. 

Even though Loh has been in band for more than four years, she still gets nervous during auditions and can find it hard to learn and perform new songs. “The more you [continue band] the harder things get, so there’s always things to learn,” Loh said. 

Loh placed higher on All-districts this year than she ever has before, but she still would like to improve her range and her ability to play higher notes. 

Senior Eshaan Nair

Choir member senior Eshaan Nair made All-District chorus this year. Nair has been doing school choir since eighth grade, but has been singing since he was five years old. His musical journey started when his parents noticed a musical inclination in him, motivating him towards vocal lessons. 

Nair has stuck to choir because he feels a sense of inclusivity, especially in gender roles throughout the chorus. “Rock Ridge choir is very diverse. It has a lot of guys, which is cool because generally there’s an issue of not having a lot of guys,” Nair said. 

For newcomers, Nair suggests for students to join choir in order to find a community, especially in a new environment. “It’s really difficult for you to adjust to high school or middle school, but I think choir is the best place to adjust. Being part of the music community and helping out with the service part [grants you] a lot of opportunities,” Nair said.

Freshman Shivu Sathe

Freshman Shivu Sathe has been a part of choir since sixth grade. In elementary school, Sathe used to do performances, growing her passion for singing. Even though she has been doing choir for many years, Sathe still gets nervous. “You get on stage and there’s giant lights and everyone is looking at you,” Sathe said, “It’s just like ‘I’m freaking out, there’s way too many people in here.’” 

Regardless of the anxiety on stage, Sathe still challenges herself to accomplish her goals. “I’d like to expand how much I can sing,” Sathe said. Through it all, Sathe made it to All-Districts. 

For individuals wanting to try choir, her advice is patience. “Sometimes the notes are gonna be really hard to learn, [like] music and rhythms are really hard. Definitely be patient,” Sathe said.

Sophomore Olivia McMahon

Sophomore Olivia McMahon has been in choir for four years, first starting with musical theater and then growing to like choir and various styles of music. Choir allows McMahon to be artistic and expressive with her friends. While she doesn’t get nervous before or during concerts, she does get nervous before auditions. To improve, McMahon seeks to diversify her abilities. “I would like to be a more technical singer and I would also like to be able to execute different types of genres [well],” McMahon said. 

She describes getting into All-District as a great opportunity where you can work with a lot of amazing people. This was McMahon’s second year in a row making All-District Choir and she wasn’t sure she would get in this year since so many talented singers audition for All-District Choir every year. 

Choir teacher Jordan Markwood sees a little bit of himself in McMahon with her work ethic and her constant strive for perfection. He strongly encouraged her to audition for All-Districts, as he was confident in her abilities as a singer. Markwood believes McMahon has grown throughout her singing journey; “her confidence in holding her part independently has grown a lot, and she is also able to use that in her musical theater shows,” Markwood said.

Sophomore Claire Cho

Sophomore Claire Cho started to play the violin when she was in fourth grade but stopped playing; however, she returned back in the sixth grade and has continued playing ever since. Cho was inspired by her mom who plays violin and piano. “My mom gave me a lot of reasons why I should keep on going and just keep on trying no matter where I go,” Cho said. “My mom majored in violin for college, and she’s been my private teacher and inspiration.” 

Although she practices with her mom and on her own constantly, Cho still gets nervous. “I shake and sweat a lot before a concert, but once we start everything just seems right,” Cho said. 

Cho believes that learning new music can be a challenge, but in the end, practice helps a lot. “[If] you’re really passionate and you’re willing to put the time and effort into it, I say go for it.” Cho said.

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