1950’s jazz music fills the Bolles Theater at Bonita Vista High (BVH), as the crowds murmur amongst themselves in anticipation for the Vocal Music Department’s (VMD) Open Mic Night on Sep. 14. A variety of singers take their seats, from Music Machine, Sound Unlimited, students from Bonita Vista Middle’s choir class to BVH alumni. The competition difficulties to the created communities are prevalent once again for the new year, and students realize their love for the event and the many opportunities that come from VMD.. The lights dim, and the show begins.
Open Mic Night serves as a starting point for the VMD’s competition season. The previous year they hosted “Past, Present and Future”, a similar event to Open Mic Night. Though, this year, the department aimed to create something new that is low pressure, but still building a strong sense of community where they could support one another.
“[VMD] is a community, you get to know each and everyone of those parents. We get to see the individual personalities, see them succeed as a group and in turn make life-long friends,” Music Machine’s ‘tech dad’ Errol Sugapong said.
Errol Sugapong performed with his daughter, junior and alto section leader Evelyn Sugapong, singing “You Are The Reason” in a duet. He is one of the many parents that support Music Machine, and is a crucial part of running the community that this department has created. Parents support the group financially and help manage events. Along with the supportive community, being able to sing and perform can be very beneficial for one’s well-being.
“I love singing [and music] in general. It is something to do when I am bored, it is an escape. I am glad I get to do it with my friends,” Evelyn Sugapong said. “Ever since I joined my group, I want to sing my thoughts. It has helped me bring out my voice and eagerness to interact.”
The community within VMD has been one with immense support, despite the intensity of competitions and the abundance of rehearsals, members are appreciative of the experience. An event like Open Mic Night allows these performers to express what they love to do. Music Machine and Sound Unlimited have also created ties with San Diego’s large and diverse music scene.
“It has given me a lot of opportunities. I have connected to so many different people that I work with, and they are good references for when I want to go to college or get a job,” junior and Soprano section leader and Dance Captain, Lily Hobson said. “San Diego is a very small knit community of well known, renounced musicians and some people believe that there is going to be a renaissance of choral music in San Diego, so it is the place to be right now and connected me to a lot of people.”
At Open Mic Night, Hobson showcases a cover of “Before He Cheats” in a passionate and confident performance, leaving the crowd in cheers. She finds numerous benefits in this program, beyond just letting it come out of her shell. She describes how the arts are a dying form [at BVH], but they try their best to keep it alive. Yet there are attempts to keep it going, and come reasons why people stay.
“I think about three things: people I meet, the experiences I had, and the places I traveled. I think about the people I never would have met if I was not in this program,” Michael Atwood, Vocal Music Director said. “You can say that about every organization, but there is something special about being in the trenches, doing so many performances, so many rehearsals and then getting to sing on stage with all of your friends.”
Atwood sang that night after his students in “What Kind of Man”, an original song written and performed with his colleague and friend Colden Lamb, in a musical theater-esc production. Atwood’s directing of the VMD allows his students to reap the benefits of being on stage, besides getting over the nerves, it has helped students discover more about themselves.
“[Performing] helped pull me out of my shell, because on stage I can be larger than life, in person I am very quiet, I do not talk much. I think it has helped me be more assertive when I need to be, and to make those connections with my community,” Hobson said.
Both Hobson and Eveyln Sugapong have found Music Machine to be a place of growth, musically and personally. Whether it helps them socialize more, or help them find a new side of themselves. Atwood describes how the skills they learn have advantages for the future as well.
“After they graduate, these are the experiences they remember, the people they have met, and the experiences they had. We do so much performing that [when] folks go on to do other things, performing doesn’t affect them as much,” Atwood said.
Atwood, who attended BVH and was in the music program, graduating in 2015, came back to see the growth of his students. Open Mic Night allows students to express themselves and be vulnerable in a unique way. Allowing students to connect with their community, and remember why they perform. Atwood believes it is an effective way to warm-up his students before the larger, more intense performances.
“This is a very casual event, but compared to competition and huge [holiday events], it is just really fun to explore my passion and indulge in what I love. I get to show that to my community and do it with my friends. This is the kind of community I could never have found anywhere else in the school,” Evelyn Sugapong said.
