Tuning Up
Orchestra camp being held at HMA
A few dozen students gathered Tuesday at Harmony Magnet Academy for a week-long band, choir and orchestra music camp.
“We’re here to help you get in shape for the school year and your performance,” said Rodelyn Lipumano-smith, president of Porterville Strings during the afternoon Porterville Strings Summer Festival.
Shortly after a quick introduction, the sectional
coaches — Alex Granger, Chiai Tajima, and Benjamin Hoffman — split the large group
into smaller groups. Pioneer Middle School Orchestra director Paul Young, and Conductor
Justino Perez also took students while Zander Smith, director of orchestra and guitar at HMA, went from room to room listening in and also instructing.
“This first session today, we are going through every piece of music and the primary focus is to put in fingering numbers, especially to unify sounds we want worked on in sections,” Young said to his group.
He talked about focusing intensely on velocity
and had his students tuning their instruments.
In another room, Granger also talked about fingering.
“I would suggest using the fourth finger in both A’s on Measure 21,” he said to his group and went on offering suggestions on when to play “open” and could be heard frequently complimenting his group with “very good,” “You got it,” and “Let’s make it better.”
He started the group by playing four notes, then added four more.
In yet another room, Perez worked with three students — Manuel Bermudez, Jess Kaimes-millan, and Dakota Heggie on bass.
Kaimes-millan said she has only played bass for a year and a half, but played the violin for three years prior to that.
“This is my second time at music camp,” said Millan after music camp on Tuesday. “I decided to attend because I wanted to learn how to play bass better. With the violin, I picked it up quickly and became a Concert Master on my second year of Middle School and even led orchestra. I hope to accomplish the same with the bass.”
Kaimes-millan said she was also able to reconnect with her old orchestra teacher — Perez.
“He was teaching me how to play bass. It was exciting,” she said. “I’m very excited about the rest of the week, very excited to learn more since I have only been playing bass since February 2020.”
But because she wasn’t allowed to play in class, she could only play after school on Wednesdays for 30 minutes. And when COVID restrictions stopped, and she was allowed to take the bass home, she had no direction, she said, and played mindlessly.
“Playing online was weird,” she said. “They can’t really give us feedback. The audios were always mashed together. I barely started really playing at the end of March.”
HMA Senior Bermudez, who said he has been playing bass for five years, said he signed up because of his great interest for music.
He talked about creating music, and music theory, notes and beats.
“In a beat, there could be a sub-beat, and because of that, it can help us students create our own music and helps show off their personality,” Bermudez said. “This camp does help me play the music, especially with the tutors. They are amazing people and really helpful.”
The program continues through Friday, with a “Finale Showcase Concert” slated for 2 p.m. Friday at Harmony Magnet Academy.