Few teenagers can lay claim to have graced the world-famous stages of the Kennedy Center, but now members of Alexandria-based St Stephen/St Agnes School Chamber String Orchestra join the ranks of those that can. The ensemble performed on the Center’s Terrace Stage Thursday evening as part of a musical tribute to honor 9/11 victims hosted by Black Women United for Action.
The concert, titled "The Healing," is part of a series of events sponsored by the northern Virginia-based non-profit to commemorate the 25 anniversary of the Mount Vernon Slave Memorial on Sept. 27.
The St Stephen/St Agnes Chamber String Orchestra is comprised of about 30 9th through 12th graders from the school. The group shared the stage with the Howard University Choir, the Fifth Grade Chorus of Jamestown Elementary School and the Intermezzo Choir Ministry of Philadelphia.
The orchestra was invited to participate in the tribute by one of the event’s co-chairs, Ted Adams. Adams’ son, Theo, is a junior at St Stephen/St Agnes. The elder Adams extended an invitation to the group after seeing them perform last spring at a school event.
The ensemble performed four pieces, providing a captivating combination of rousing and peaceful moments. Music selection was made by Dr. James Criswell, who has served as the orchestra’s Director for five years. For him, it was a challenge to select pieces appropriate for the two themes of the evening, commemorating Sept. 11 and the Slave Memorial.
"It was tricky to find a balance," said Criswell. "I tried to have reflective and uplifting pieces. This helps with healing."
Criswell also made an effort to select works the audience might recognize. His choice of Mozart’s Rondo Alla Turca met this goal, leaving audience members tapping their feet to the familiar melody.
For the orchestra’s young performers, the chance to play at this occasion drew a variety of reactions.
"Exciting," replied junior cellist Will Jakes when asked what it was like to be onstage at the Kennedy Center. This response was repeated by several players. A sense of the profound significance of the commemoration was also felt by many.
"9/11 means a lot to so many people, I wouldn’t want to mess up," said senior violinist Gweneth Van Son, adding that she "felt honored that we got to participate in something so important."
For sophomore violinist Janet Yien, the final piece the group performed, Mussorgsky’s solemn "The Great Gate of Kiev," from Pictures at an Exhibition was "the most suited for the occasion."
"It was important to end with a piece that’s powerful," agreed Van Son. "It made me think of going through a gate, moving on."
Because this concert took place at the beginning of the school year, the orchestra only had two weeks to rehearse. Usually, the group takes two to three months to master the pieces they play in concert. Despite this, the performance went off without a hitch. The musicians were calm and confident after leaving the stage.
"I felt prepared," asserted senior violist Cameron Brown.
"It went better than I could have expected," said Criswell, who worried that with freshman class members just joining the ensemble, the group would not have a chance to gel before the concert.
"They worked very hard," he said, "and they had a lot of fun both preparing for this concert and on stage. I think that showed."
The Chamber String Orchestra is looking forward to performing its usual concert series this year and to its annual trip – this time to New York City. If their performance on Thursday is any indicator of how the group continues to play, they will no doubt enjoy a very successful year.