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Wellesley High grad Katherine Liu finds flexibility key in music, academics & life

June 5, 2023 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Katherine Liu, Wellesley
Katherine Liu

Like all COVID-era students, Katherine Liu missed out on a certain number of experiences during her high school years. Collecting her degree alongside her peers during a traditional, mask-free, in-person graduation-day ceremony  is not something the 2023 Wellesley High School graduate has taken for granted. “Magic,” is a word she uses to describe that feeling of connectedness to a live audience, whether between graduates and their proud families or musicians and their listeners. A veteran of Zoom classrooms and virtual musical performances Liu, an accomplished, award-winning concert pianist, knows all about embracing flexibility. She cites the learned skill as the most important take-away of both her academic education at WHS and her musical education at New England Conservatory.

“Flexibility is something that’s really needed in society right now,” Liu said in a Zoom interview. “We all like to emphasize consistency and resilience, and sticking with something, but our world is evolving, and we need to change with it, too”

It’s a lesson that helped earn her a Davidson Institute Fellow Laureate Scholarship in 2022. The title of the project she submitted in her application for the prestigious $50,000 award was, “Innovation  and Worldviews: A Challenge to Consistency and a Call for Change.” As a pianist since early childhood, Liu is well accustomed to the everyday repetition that high-level proficiency demands. But over the years she made an important observation. “When we practice something, we practice for hours on end. We may repeat it 100 times. But sometimes the method in which we’re practicing is wrong.”

That observation led her to realize that there were times when no matter how hard she worked, she wasn’t getting to where she wanted to be. Once Liu acknowledged that constant repetition (consistency) with little introspection (a call within herself to consider change) might not be the best way to practice, worlds of understanding opened up for her. She started asking herself how she could honor the techniques and methods her instructors had armed her with while asking new questions of herself like, “How can I develop a better way for myself to practice? How can I tailor these techniques and these methods to my own use?”

whs graduation
Co-valedictorians of WHS Class of 2023, Katherine Liu (left) and Caroline Thornton. Liu will attend Harvard University in the fall; Caroline Thornton is heading to Colby College’s Presidential Scholars program. Congratulations to the the entire Class of 2023. Photo courtesy of Kris Chang.

Liu then took the idea of challenging consistency to a broader level, rejecting the comforting call of nostalgia. “When the world is not the world that was 50 years ago, you don’t have to go back to the good old days, you have to look forward to a new era, to a new sparkling world we can create…flexibility is something we can even apply to systemic prejudice, to things that have gone on way too long, like marginalization and oppression.”

This ability to advance her thinking from personal experiences and radiate it outward to potential societal good impressed not only the Davidson Institute, but her WHS teachers. “I have never had a student quite like Katherine Liu. Her academic and extracurricular accomplishments are extensive and impressive—but what I’ve appreciated most about her over these past two years as her teacher is her capacity for wonder,” English teacher David Charlesworth said in an email. “Whether it’s staying after class to continue the conversation or using her writing assignments to discover a profound truth about herself or her world, Katherine’s curiosity is boundless.”

Harvard University agreed, and Liu is looking forward to matriculating there next fall. After years of traveling the world for piano competitions, she’s happy about sticking close to home for her undergraduate years. She and her mom, Fumei Huang, the person Liu credits as her first contact with music; her dad Jason Liu, who she describes as an “avid listener”; and her younger brother Jonathan Liu, a junior at WHS and a cellist; will be close by, ready to share homemade bao buns around the kitchen table. “My mom will bribe me to come home on weekends with yummy food,” Liu says confidently.

As for music, Liu will continue to study under her most influential mentor HaeSun Paik at New England Conservatory in Boston. “She’s absolutely wonderful, and inspirational, and one of the strongest people I know,” Liu says.

Whether becoming a professional concert pianist is a part of her future, Liu considers an unknown. There are many doors at Harvard she’s already excited about opening—the intersection where the arts and science meet; the humanities; neuroscience and computer science—”I would definitely be interested in researching what kind of science goes on behind music,” she says.

Suddenly Liu sounds like a teenager unable to make up her mind. And why should she? Summer’s here, the fall’s a lock. A bit of dream time seems in order.

“I would love to travel around the world and bring music to a lot of people, and at the same time if that doesn’t happen I’m sure that I will find some other purpose somewhere else. And music is a lifestyle. I don’t think that I will ever stop playing music or enjoying music,” Liu says.

Congratulations to Liu and the entire Class of 2023 as they move on to great things.

More on Katherine Liu (2023 Presidential Scholar in the Arts; 2022 winner of the Arthur Fraser International Piano Competition; the Bellagrande International Piano Competition; and the Harvard Musical Association High School Competition).


Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Filed Under: Education, Music, Wellesley High School

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POPS Senior Profile: Frank Mendes did not always love to sing

June 1, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

Special to The Swellesley Report courtesy of the Wellesley High School Bradford and Parents of Performing Students (POPS). This is one in a series of POPS Senior Profiles we’ll be publishing.


When Frank Mendes ’23 was little, he refused to sing. Whether it was the ABCs at daycare or music class in third grade, Mendes was determined to keep his mouth shut. Yet somehow, since then, Mendes abandoned his childhood defiance and discovered his love for choir. Now, as a senior at Wellesley High School, Mendes is known by his community as an accomplished singer and passionate leader. 

 “Frank Mendes has been among the most active and accomplished singers in Wellesley High School history,” said High School Choral Director, Kevin McDonald 

Since sixth grade, when Mendes first joined choir, he has put hard work into refining his technique and mastering even the most challenging of pieces. From Brooks Brothers to Concert Choir, Keynotes Singers, Rice Street Singers, and Inchordination A Cappella, Mendes brings artistry to every corner of the high school music department. 

“I’ve always joined every choir or singing group I possibly could,” said Mendes. 

Frank Mendes (left) and Nika Shabestari (right) before the Acatober concert. Photo courtesy of Frank Mendes.
Frank Mendes (left) and Nika Shabestari before the Acatober concert. Photo courtesy of Frank Mendes.

 

Outside of school, Mendes is also a member of the Handel and Haydn Society Chorus of Tenors and Basses, Chamber Choir, and Solo Artists Program. He has been a part of the MMEA Senior District Chorus, All-State Chorus, and perhaps most impressively, the All-National Choir. All-Nationals is a yearly gathering of the best 240 high school singers in the country. This year, selected students met in Washington, D.C. and got to sing together under conductor Frances Fonza for just a few days. 

“It was an incredible experience to be surrounded by so many other harmony fanatics from all over the nation,” said Mendes.

Mendes’ path through Wellesley’s Performing Arts department has been, in every sense of the word, epic. He started choir in middle school for the same reason most students did: the seventh-grade Trills and Thrills Six Flags trip. He quickly learned, though, that he had something the other 12-year-old boys did not—a low voice. Soon, he found himself a valued member of the prepubescent ensemble as the Brooks Brothers’ only bass. 

“Initially I was the low voice—it was an interesting challenge. I wasn’t very good at [singing] until, arguably, sophomore year,” said Mendes.

Apart from his interest in experiencing Superman™ The Ride, Mendes attributes his initial involvement in singing to Wellesley Middle School Choir Director, Lauren Connors. 

“She was the first person to encourage me to audition for Junior Districts in seventh grade, and that encouragement set in motion everything I’ve done since,” said Mendes.

When Mendes started high school, he was quick to join the men’s choir, multiple select ensembles, and an a cappella group. His love for the rehearsal process and the working-through-challenges part of singing has kept him motivated through strenuous rehearsals and difficult repertoire. Mendes does not turn away from difficulty, instead, he leans into challenge as a necessary step towards success. 

“I live for choir rehearsals,” he said. “There’s something captivating about having to sight read a piece, and it being pure chaos, only to work on it together, and hear the individual voices starting to lock into the piece, and to each other.”

To Mendes, those moments, when everything comes together and the arrangement finally “works,” are exhilarating. When last fall Inchordination A Cappella performed their arrangement of “Movement” by Hozier—and Mendes soloed it—Chordz had one of those moments. 

“It was so cool to see an arrangement I’d worked on for months finally coming to life. The first time it worked in rehearsal, everyone crescendoed into like this big moment, and Izzy Pavano and I just smiled at each other from across the room,” said Mendes. 

Andy Shen ’23, a friend of Mendes and member of Renegade A Cappella, recalls how inspiring Mendes’ performance of “Movement” was. To Shen, the Acatober concert, and Mendes’ solo, felt like an important moment of success after almost three years of COVID-19.

“It felt kind of like the culmination of everything we’ve gone through, to hear him sing it [Movement] so well and so passionately… it’s definitely been a journey,” said Shen. 

Partway through Mendes’ freshman year, the first COVID-19 outbreak occurred. Students were sent home for three weeks and told to be careful. The next three years were rough. Social distancing, Zoom classes, and, for students like Mendes and Shen, outdoor masked rehearsals became the norm.  

“It was a strange experience. We kind of just weren’t singing for the longest time,” said Mendes

The years of pandemic hit WPS’ singing departments pretty hard. For obvious reasons, singing in large groups became difficult, and New England winters made outdoor solutions a challenge. 

“We had 300 [students in the department] at some point, and now we’re down to about 150,” said Mendes.

For Mendes, the massive loss of students wasn’t entirely depressing. Rather, he saw it as an opportunity to lean even more into community. 

“Rebuilding our community became something I dedicated myself to,” said Mendes.

Frank Mendes (left) alongside fellow Inchordination A Cappella upperclassmen. Photo courtesy of Frank Mendes.
Frank Mendes (left) alongside fellow Inchordination A Cappella upperclassmen. Photo courtesy of Frank Mendes.

 

Peers and teachers describe Mendes as a resilient worker and musical “powerhouse.” As an upperclassman and community leader, he mentors students of all levels in a kind and deliberate way. 

“Frank is very wise when it comes to singing, just being around him makes you a better singer,” said fellow Chordz A Cappella member, Nika Shabestari ’25

To Mendes, being music leader of Inchordination A Cappella means collaboration and thoughtful coaching. Zoha Rehan ’23, a co-leader of Chordz, attests to Mendes’ creative approach and seamless song arrangements. 

“He’s never unwilling to try something, even if it’s a different genre of music that not everyone really likes, he’s always down to try it,” said Rehan.

Like most WHS seniors, Mendes has spent the last few months thinking about his post-high school life.  Mendes plans to attend the University of Michigan in the fall and pursue a dual degree in business administration and vocal performance.  

“I applied to a mix of music and business degrees, or some combination of the two. I might end up doing something like nonprofit music management and some singing on the side,” said Mendes. “I wouldn’t consider applying to a college that didn’t have a large singing community—this is really my home.”

Article written by WHS Bradford’s Features Editor Annabelle Nolan ’23 and Arts Editor Maddie Merowitz ’23.


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Filed Under: Music, POPS Senior Profile, Wellesley High School

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Wellesley Town Band concerts slated for June

May 30, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

Contributed by Thomas E. Peisch., Wellesley Town Band member

Summer in New England arrives as the Wellesley Town Band is hard at work rehearsing for its two highly-anticipated June concerts. The events take place on Sunday, June 4, at 3 PM in the High School auditorium and on Wednesday, June 21, at 7 PM outdoors in the park down the hill from Town Hall. Admission to both is free, so mark your calendars, and come join the fun of high-quality community band music.

WellesleyTownBand
Wellesley Town Band

The Band will celebrate its 10th anniversary in September and was the brainchild of long-time Wellesley resident Herb Gliick. Herb had begun playing the trombone late in life, and he envisioned a community-based opportunity for musicians to hone their skills AND to provide entertainment to young and old. In a stroke of genius, Herb persuaded multi-instrumentalist and long-time Wellesley Middle School Music Director Henry Platt to take charge.

Henry was nearing the end of a distinguished career as a music educator and was willing to accept the challenge. For the past ten years, Henry has provided the Band with expert musical guidance, from the selection of playing material, to presiding over weekly rehearsals, to conducting  concerts. Without Henry’s expertise and patience, there would be no Band.

The 2013 version of the Band consisted of Herb and twelve other Wellesley residents.Today, the Band is some forty-nine strong, and members come from a number of other communities besides Wellesley. Six original members still belong. Musical abilities vary, with some members having played for decades, and others (like this writer) having taken decades off to start careers and raise families. A number of high school student musicians have enriched the Band’s sound over the years, and at least one parent-child team has played in the group.

There are no auditions, but Band members commit to paying a modest annual fee (through the Recreation Department) for expenses such as sheet music and a small stipend to Henry, and also commit to attendance at  weekly rehearsals during the nine-month season. The Band performs three times a year, once at the holidays and twice at the beginning of the summer.

During a two-year Covid hiatus, many Band members maintained their chops by playing privately or outdoors in small groups. The Band’s first post-Covid concert last December was a rousing success and demonstrated that the Band had not lost a step, or more accurately, a note.

The two June concerts will consist of a smorgasbord (Henry Platt’s term) of music– from movie themes to orchestral arrangements to traditional marches. As noted, the two dates are Sunday, June 4 at 3 PM in the High School auditorium and Wednesday, June  21 at 7 PM outdoors at Town Hall.

The Band is grateful for the support of the Wellesley Public Schools, the Recreation Department, and the Wellesley Cultural Council.

For further information regarding the Band, please visit  info@wellesleytownband.org.


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Boston Calling 2023: Music marathon makes for Memorial Day Weekend to remember

May 30, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

We ventured beyond Wellesley over the holiday weekend to attend the 10th anniversary edition of the Boston Calling music festival, which delivered three days of fantastic music variety at the Harvard University sports fields. The Wellesley Square commuter rail station was busy with teens Instagramming wildly before the train came to take them to Boston Landing (check out our embedded Instagram posts below for a sampling of the music). Once we got to the venue, the crowds were huge, but the vibe was relaxed, and the weather was perfect for showcasing local, national, and international music talent. We took in 23 performances in all, with some others wafting through the air as we made our way from stage to stage.

Boston Calling 2023

Let’s start with Couch, a local band eight members strong that got the Orange stage crowd moving and singing along on Sunday to their blend of pop, funk, R&B, jazz, and rock. Couch originally got our notice because its members include bassist Will Griffin and trumpeter Jeffrey Pinsker-Smith, both 2017 Wellesley High grads. Saxophone player Eric Tarlin’s dad also grew up in Wellesley. We checked in with their excited families—and met exuberant lead singer Tema Siegel’s dad, Steve from Newton—as they jostled for good views before the set started. They were all merch-ed up, and ready to sing and groove along for a setlist that mashed in everything from the Kings of Leon to Conjunction Junction. Couch had just jetted in from Las Vegas as part of a west coast tour, but looked and played fresh.

This wasn’t just a friends and family crowd, as Couch offered something different for those not interested in the overlapping Queens of the Stone Age set at the festival. Siegel’s dad pointed to a guy who said he’d discovered the band on a streaming service and then flew up from Florida to see them. The woman standing next to me said she and her partner were perusing the Boston Calling lineup that day, checked out Couch on Youtube, and were sold.

While this was a big crowd—tens of thousands attended the festival—Couch is looking forward to its biggest local audience yet with an all-ages show at Boston’s Royale on Friday, Nov. 10.

couch boston calling
Wellesley natives Jeffrey Pinsker-Smith (trumpet) and Will Griffin (bass) of Couch

 

Will Griffin couch

couch band boston calling

couch band boston calling
Will Griffin’s parents capturing the moment

Day 1: Friday, May 26

 

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A post shared by Swellesley Report (Wellesley) (@theswellesleyreport)

An early-arriving crowd got Boston Calling 2023 at the Harvard University sports complex off to a spirited start, with solid crowds for the early acts. So did musical festival opener Alisa Amador, a local performer who covered Radiohead’s “High and Dry.” That boded well for the rest of the 3-day event featuring headliners Paramore, Foo Fighters and The Lumineers.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Beyond Wellesley, Music

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POPS Senior Profile: Izzy Pavano—bringing energy & enthusiasm to choral program

May 26, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

Special to The Swellesley Report courtesy of the Wellesley High School Bradford and Parents of Performing Students (POPS). This is one in a series of POPS Senior Profiles we’ll be publishing.


izzy pavano
Izzy Pavano has been involved with the high school Choral department for four years. (Photo by Sandy Sandwich Productions0

 

Izzy Pavano ’23 has been involved in music for practically her entire life. At the age of four, she started playing piano, and as she had gotten older, she has involved herself more and more with different types of music. She began singing in sixth grade in the chorus at Wellesley Middle School. Now at the high school, she has studied vocal music for all four years.

“During my freshman and sophomore years, I was in Concert Choir at the high school. After that I auditioned for a select ensemble and was in the Keynote Singers my junior year. I currently sing in Rice Street, the high school’s jazz choir.” said Pavano.

Outside of school, Pavano has also participated in extracurricular a cappella during her junior and senior years. She is the business leader of Inchordination A Cappella, meaning she helps manage the group and books gigs. She has found this experience particularly rewarding because of the collaboration with the other high school a cappella leaders, both from her own group and the three others.

“Being a leader of an a cappella group is no easy feat, but the support I feel from my fellow leaders makes the leadership role nothing but an honor. Even though the four groups can occasionally get competitive with one another during our soccer tournament called acasoccer, at the end of the day we are each other’s biggest cheerleaders and we couldn’t be more proud of the work each group does,” she said.

Pavano’s involvement with the Choral department at the high school goes beyond what audience members see at a concert, however. What has made Pavano’s experience so special has been the people and community she was welcomed into as an underclassman, and that she now fosters as a leader and a choral intensive student. Pavano hosted the Inchordination group at her house for a dinner, providing a fun experience for singers from all grades.

Many of Pavano’s leadership skills in the Choral department came from last year’s seniors, the class of 2022, who were integral to keeping the choral program alive during the pandemic. One of Pavano’s most memorable experiences at the high school was singing a medley from the musical Rent at the spring concert last year because it was the last concert for the class of 2022.

“We had an exceptional group of seniors that year who had truly given their all to our program. The concert was a wonderful way to end the year with them, and while we were all so sad to lose them, we were so happy to have had such a phenomenal year with them.” said Pavano.

Inchordination A Cappella also has a signature move, as Pavano calls it, of dropping their heads at the end of their last song as the crowd bursts into applause. This year, at the Acatober concert, Pavano got to share that moment with someone very special to her: her younger sister, Sophia Pavano ’26. It was especially sweet because of all the hard work she had put into the concert as a choral intensive student and a leader of Inchordination.

“Hearing the crowd’s reaction to our set while being cheered on by the other a cappella groups was such a rewarding feeling and something I felt extremely proud of as a leader of our group,” she said.

Outside of an impressive repertoire of choral achievements, teachers and peers describe Pavano as a kind and welcoming leader who makes all feel welcome in the choral community.

“Izzy is a dedicated member of our performing arts community that puts significant thought and action to developing our overall Performing Arts Department.  Her focus, energy, and humor positively impacts others,” said Dr. Kevin McDonald, the choral director at the high school.

Izzy also feels incredibly lucky that the performing arts is such a vibrant community at the high school, and that she gets to learn from many other talented students as well as an incredible teacher in Dr. McDonald.

“Dr. McDonald makes it so obvious how much he cares about Wellesley’s singers and our success. He is a strong reminder to me to pursue what both makes me happy and also brings joy to others,” said Pavano. “Above all, the most admirable quality about our choir department is the people in it. Every single singer in the department is so passionate about what we do and that positive energy is contagious.”

Although Pavano does not intend on pursuing a music degree in college, music will definitely remain a part of her life. Pavano plans to attend Middlebury College starting in February 2024 after taking a gap semester. She hopes to join an a cappella group in college and teach piano to local students, as she has done in Wellesley. Her kindness and upbeat energy will certainly remain prominent in the program after she graduates in the spring.

Article written by WHS Bradford’s Caroline Thornton ’23.


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Filed Under: Music, POPS Senior Profile, Wellesley High School

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Here’s the schedule for Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend, May 20 & 21

May 18, 2023 by Deborah Brown 2 Comments

Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend, organized and funded by the Wellesley Celebrations Committee, is ready to bring the excitement during the town’s largest community gathering of the year. This two-day event takes place on May 20 and 21, and includes events and activities for all ages.

Don’t skip breakfast on Sat., May 20

Remember to start everything out with the most important meal of the weekend—the Pancake Breakfast, on Sat., May 20, 8am-1pm, at Wellesley High School, 50 Rice St.

Gluten free, waffles and pancakes are available as an option and there will be bountiful chocolate chips for toppings at this all-you-can-eat family fun event with the prices that haven’t gone up in years. $10 if you’re 14 or older, and five dollars if you’re 13 and under.

Have a cool car? Help out

There is a serious need the 54th Wellesley Veterans’ Parade has for convertibles to carry the Honorees in this year’s Parade, to be held on Sunday, May 22, 2022, starting at 1pm, starting at the junction of Routes 9 & 16, at the Friendly Aid parking lot.
Anyone who might have an available convertible can contact Roy Switzler, Parade Chairman at 781-235-1299 (o), or 617-840-5718 (c) or at wellesleycelebrations@gmail.com or rswitzler@aol.com
Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend
Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend parade, 2022.

This year, the Annual Wellesley Veterans Parade theme is “Birth of Our Nation: Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.”

Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend—what’s new in 2023

Encampment location change: The encampment is usually on the grounds in front of Wellesley Town Hall. That’s not happening due to construction of the historic building. Instead the 18th century military encampment will take place at Morton Park Field. There will be tours all day on Saturday and a cannon firing hourly 11am-4pm near the Wellsley PD, 485 Washington St.

Catch Connect: This year, free transportation on Saturday, May 20 will be provided by the MWRTA Catch Connect from 10:00 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. to the many Wellesley Wonderful Weekend venues (e.g. Touch a Truck event, Wellesley Police and Fire Department open houses, Art in the Park and other events). Riders over 12 years of age can ride unaccompanied.

If you would like to use this service on Saturday, please email info@sustainableWellesley.com. In your email, make sure to share that you/family/friends would like to try Catch Connect so we can accommodate your travel plans.

Climate Action Passport:

  • Grab a passport at the Library, Free Eye Exam/Eyeglass donation event at Wellesley High School, Touch a Truck, or the Wellesley Police Department or Municipal Light Plant open houses.
  • Get your passport stamped at Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend climate action events.
  • Show your passport at the Climate Action table at the WWW picnic (Hunnewell Field) on Sunday, May 21 from 4:30 p.m. to dusk. All stamped passports will be entered into a drawing to win a $200 bike shop gift certificate.

Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend schedule, Sat., May 20

Saturday, May 20: 18th century military encampment at Morton Park Field—The Royal Irish Artillery Division and 26th Yankee Division. Tours all day on Saturday. Canon firing Saturday, 11am-4pm, on the hour, nearby Wellesley Police Station, 485 Washington St.

8am-1pm: Pancake Festival at Wellesley High School, 50 Rice St., Wellesley Kiwanis Club. Wellesley Key Club (slight cost)

8am-1pm: Free Eye Exams at the Wellesley High School,  50 Rice Street, Wellesley Lions Club

9am-10am: Morses Pond Trail Guided Walk, Wellesley Trails Committee, Meet at town beach access road gate, end of Turner Rd.

9am-10:30am: Walking Tour of Wellesley Hills Square with Wellesley Historical Society. Meet at the Tollhouse, 229 Washington St.

10am-noon: Bike Safety Rodeo, for children under twelve. With Wellesley Police and Wellesley Kiwanis, Tailby Parking Lot, Linden and Crest Roads.

9am-noon: Touch a Truck Open House at Wellesley Department of Public Works, 20 Municipal Way (off Rt 9)

11am-3pm–Open House at Wellesley Municipal Light Plant, 4 Municipal Way (off Rt. 9)

11am-3pm: Open House at Wellesley Police Station, 485 Washington Street

11am-to 3pm–Open House at Wellesley Main Fire Station #2

Noon-3pm: Open House at Tolles Parsons Center, 500 Washington Street

11am-3pm–Open House at Wellesley Historical Society, Stanwood House, 323 Washington Street

(Rescheduled until fall due to expected rain) Noon-2:30pm: Art in the Park, Wellesley Community Art Project & Wellesley Women Artisans – Simons Park (corner of Washington and Brook Streets, left of Main Library)

1pm-3pm: Pups in the Park, Rotary Club of Wellesley, Friends of Wellesley Veterans, Inc., and Wellesley Celebrations Committee, Hunnewell Field

1pm-3pm: Build Your Own Nancy’s Troll and Fairy House event (for elementary school kids), in memory of Nancy Bagdasarian. At Pickle Point on Morses Pond. Wellesley Conservation Land Trust, Crosstown Trail. Parking area opposite 49 Russell Rd.

(Canceled due to expected rain: limited showing of the artwork will happen during Sunday’s picnic instead) 10am-4pm: The Wellesley Society of Artists is pleased to present “Celebrating 90 Years of Art and the Next Generation of Artists”, featuring the artwork of 30 WSA member artists on display at Simons Park (corner of Washington & Brook Street, left of Main Library).

4pm–dusk: Paint the Town–Plein Air Painting event, Wellesley Society of Artists and Page Waterman Gallery, Town Hall grounds, corner of Washington and Grove Streets, Wellesley Square.

4pm: Veterans Ecumenical Memorial Mass at Saint Paul Church, 502 Washington Street, Wellesley Veterans Council

Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend schedule, Sun., May 21

8am-10am: Guided Bird Walk at Morses Pond, Wellesley Conservation Land Trust. Park on wooded side of Turner Rd. Meet at Turner Road Gate.

8am: Wonder Run 5K Race* (small fee charged) 9am: Kids Fun Run*  (small fee charged), Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club, Wellesley High School, 50 Rice Street. Register here.
A Lexington Minuteman re-enactor will fire a musket shot to start the race of the 9th annual Wonder Run 5K & Kids Fun Run

9:30am-2pm: Antique Car Show, Wheels of Wellesley X, on Central Street, from Juniper Restaurant to Fire Station 1. Organized by the Modifiers Car Club and the Wellesley Celebrations Committee

1pm-3pm: 55th Annual Wellesley Veterans Parade. 2023 Theme: Birth of Our Nation: Celebrating the 25oth Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party—1773-2023. Route along Washington St. (Route 16) through to Central St. in Wellesley Square. Reviewing Stand in front of Wellesley Village Church. Wellesley Celebrations Committee

4:30pm-dusk: Picnic in the Park at Hunnewell Field. Food, drinks, kids’ rides, crafts, games, ponies, & other fun. (small charge for food, drinks, and some activities.

6pm: Concert for Wellesley at Hunnewell Field. Featuring music by The Reminisants, and a musical theatrical performance by Wellesley Theatre Project Wellesley Theatre Project

Dusk: Fireworks – The Biggest and the Best! At Hunnewell Field. Sponsors: Roche Bros./Sudbury Farms and Needham Bank


Please support the Celebrations Committee with a donation. Those fireworks (and so much more) are free to all revelers, but not to the organizers!

Donations can be sent by check made payable to Friends of Wellesley Veterans, Inc. and sent to Friends of Wellesley Veterans, Inc. P.O. Box 812202, Wellesley, MA 02482-0015  or by visiting wellesleywonderfulweekend.com/donate

Filed Under: Entertainment, Food, History, Music, Volunteering, Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend

POPS Senior Profile: Ivy Lei—Using music as a language for connection

May 17, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

Special to The Swellesley Report courtesy of the Wellesley High School Bradford and Parents of Performing Students (POPS). This is one in a series of POPS Senior Profiles we’ll be publishing.


Ivy Lei
Ivy Lei originally pursued violin as a way to play a different instrument than her older brother, who played piano. Photo courtesy of Ivy Lei.

 

Not many third grade violinists warm up to play the national anthem while watching the Boston Celtics warm up for a game, but Ivy Lei ’23 has. Ever since Lei chose violin from a list of potential instruments, she has been a part of many musical opportunities, including all eight of the New England Conservatory’s orchestras.

In the ten years Lei has played violin, she has been involved with music inside and outside of the high school. At the high school, along with being an orchestra intensive, Lei is the first stand in the second violins. She has also taken theory classes, played in chamber ensembles, and currently plays in the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra at the New England Conservatory (NEC).

Under the tutelage of her private instructor Mark Lakirovich, and the conductor of the high school’s orchestras, Dr. Sergey Khanukaev, Lei has fostered connection and growth within orchestral groups.

“One of the main things that I love about the WHS orchestra is that I’ve been playing with the same people since freshman year, so I’ve been able to build a strong relationship with the orchestra members, and I think that’s a big thing. We can see our bond translate into the music we produce,” said Lei.

Lei’s orchestral friends suggest part of the reason for such a successful bond is Lei herself.

“She is always willing to put others first, allowing them to share their own experiences with her and anyone who might be listening, thus helping to create the warm atmosphere she brings into every room,” said Liam Prentice ’24.

Music has also granted Lei experiences with self-sufficiency and being around similarly impassioned peers, such as at Lakirovich’s summer music camp in Cremona, Italy.

“My first year attending [Cremona] was eighth grade, and I spent three weeks in Italy without my parents. I was living with new people I’d met who also shared my passion for music, so [it] was really fun [to be] independent,” said Lei.

Lei has also dabbled in novel musical opportunities nearer to home. In Lei’s freshman year, she took a chance by being in the pit orchestra for the high school production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

“Pit orchestra was very challenging because of the short amount of time we had to prepare, and I had never played for two and a half hours straight, live. It was interesting to be behind the scenes, yet part of the performance at the same time,” said Lei.

Now busy with high school work and other extracurricular activities, consistently practicing is a challenge. Lei considers school to be more important, and so prioritizes this work, but she still tries to practice every other day for about an hour, and has weekly lessons. Although quitting has always been an option, Lei has never given in.

“The reason I continue playing is because of the journey of playing violin,” said Lei.

Ivy Lei playing violin
Lei’s family has supported her throughout her violin experience. Photo courtesy of Ivy Lei.

 

In the beginning of Lei’s violin experience, competition was a major factor, particularly when auditioning for prestigious orchestras or other programs.

“Generally, in those environments, the auditions are the competitive parts, but once you’re in, you’re in your seats, in the moment during rehearsal, none of that really matters, and it’s more of a friendly rivalry,” Lei said.

As Lei has gotten older and expanded her interests to include robotics and architecture, she has been able to focus more on playing violin for enjoyment rather than competition.

“I’m grateful for having other interests, because I can [play] violin because I enjoy playing it, and not to be better than other people,” Lei said.

As the co-founder of the architecture club and the mechanical lead for the high school robotics team, Lei must handle many concurrent commitments. A busy robotics season and multiple ongoing  projects in the architecture club (see also “New mini-library a natural fit at Wellesley community garden”) make balance difficult.

Ivy Lei working
Lei enjoys hiking, traveling, photography, and going for walks with her family. Photo courtesy of Ivy Lei.

 

Although these different endeavors may seem unrelated, Lei finds that her many engagements have shared elements.

“Going into architecture, there are lots of collaborative aspects, and similarly, in orchestra, you also have to collaborate with other members of the orchestra to make sure you all sound good together,” said Lei.

Lei plans on incorporating her varied interests into her plans for college at Cornell next fall where she will major in architecture.

“I want to keep violin in my life throughout college, which I plan to do at Cornell through their orchestras… I want to participate in that to keep me involved in violin, but I also love playing in orchestras. The people are the main reason why orchestra exists,” said Lei.

As for Lei’s thoughts on incorporating music into her adult life, she sees it as something she will lean on to relieve stress while working on her career.

“I would like to keep [violin] as a hobby, something that I pick up when I need a break from work,” Lei said.

Article written by WHS Bradford’s Alexis Lee ’25 (assistant features editor) and Elizabeth Hoerter ’25 (staff writer)


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Filed Under: Music, POPS Senior Profile, Wellesley High School

POPS Senior Profile: Sebastian Papa—Many Instruments, One Committed Musician

May 11, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

Special to The Swellesley Report courtesy of the Wellesley High School Bradford and Parents of Performing Students (POPS). This is one in a series of POPS senior profiles we’ll be publishing.


sebastian papa
Sebastian Papa (left).

 

From playing the clarinet with the school’s wind ensemble to starting a jazz trio outside of school and learning the accordion in his free time, Wellesley High School senior Sebastian Papa is a diverse musician with both the work ethic and positive energy to fuel his ambition. 

He was first introduced to the world of music in third grade when he picked up both the piano and clarinet. When faced with deciding what instrument to play, with piano not being an elementary school ensemble instrument, he made the obvious choice. “I chose the clarinet because it was the only one that I could make a sound out of,” Papa said, “but I stuck with it.”

He soon took agency over his musical career, devoting himself to longer practices and bigger projects as he made the conscious decision to improve. 

“I think the biggest lesson I have learned is that hard work pays off… it is gratifying when I put the work in,” he said. “It is slow and it can be arduous but after a while, you look back, and you see vast improvement—and others see it too—and it is very rewarding.”

By pushing himself to constantly improve, Papa advanced from Concert Band to the more selective Wind Ensemble and Two O’Clock Jazz Band, where he plays the clarinet and piano respectively. He is also the pianist of a jazz trio he started with Ben Harris ’25 and Zachary Dupont ’23. In all these ensembles, Papa’s hard work and love for music shine. 

“He’s got a ton of musical ideas [and] he helps refine the job that others are doing, all while performing at an excellent level himself,” Harris said.  “And I would definitely say that that is an important quality of a leader, to bring the energy to other people, and have that energy yourself.”

Papa’s band instructor of four years, Steve Scott, appreciates his talent just as much as his bandmates. “He brings a wealth of conceptual knowledge, coupled with a deeply musical and expressive sense of style,” Mr. Scott said. “In Jazz Band, he often is a featured soloist who has a strong command of the jazz language through improvisation. In the Wind Ensemble [he] is a wonderful section leader who sets a strong example of excellence.”

Papa is Mr. Scott’s go-to pianist and has taken on such projects as playing in the orchestra pit for the high school’s production of Mamma Mia last year. Mr. Scott similarly turns to Papa’s trio whenever he needs a small band, whether it be at the National Honor Society induction ceremony or during back-to-school night.

Through his dedication to music, Papa has racked up an impressive list of achievements. He qualified for junior and senior districts throughout all four years of high school. Additionally, he won the MAJE Outstanding Musicianship Award and was selected as a Student of the Quarter for the Performing Arts department. His trio also won a silver medal at the MAJE Jazz Combo Competition, allowing them to perform at the Hatch Memorial Shell in Boston.

According to his bandmates, Papa’s drive to succeed carries over to many other areas of his life. “He does so many things; he’s excellent at the piano and clarinet, but he also runs and does a lot of hard classes at school,” Dupont said. “All those together is a lot of work, [and] it’s really impressive how he can get all that work done and excel in every area.”

Papa’s unwavering work ethic, however, has not hindered his unique sense of humor. From crafting funny nicknames to concocting elaborate short stories, both Dupont and Harris recognize that his ability to make others laugh has always been a core part of his personality.

“When we’re rehearsing outside of school [or] when we’re in a concert of some kind, he always livens up the mood and makes it interesting and funny,” said Harris. “He’s been an inspiration in music and also in what attitude you should have… to always approach things in good spirits and to know [that] regardless of stress, you can always be happy and have a positive impact on people.”

sebastian papa
Sebastian Papa, Ben Harris, and Zachary Dupont have been performing together in their jazz trio for two years. Photo courtesy of Sebastian Papa.

 

Despite his busy schedule, Papa still enjoys using his musical talents for personal passion projects, such as learning the accordion, ukulele, and recorder in his free time, creating piano arrangements for video edits, and using Garageband to craft complex musical creations by layering his performances of various instruments.

Papa will attend Yale University, and plans on taking his love for music — along with his determination and ambition in the discipline — to New Haven.

“I will have to build a lot from the ground up again. I [will] have to start from the bottom of the ranks, but it is a very rewarding and gratifying process,” said Papa. “In ninth grade, I started in Concert Band, I must’ve been third chair. Now I am the first chair in Wind Ensemble. It is a very nice progression, and I would be happy to do it again.”

Article written by WHS Bradford’s Adam Juma ’23


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Filed Under: Music, POPS Senior Profile, Wellesley High School

Wellesley HS spring jazz concert to feature Grammy-winning ensemble “New York Voices”

May 9, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

Don’t miss New York Voices, performing alone and in performance with the WHS Rice Street Singers and the 2:00 Jazz Band on Thursday, May 11, 7pm, at the WHS Katherine L. Babson, Jr. Auditorium.

New York Voices, a Grammy Award winning ensemble, has performed throughout the world alone and with jazz artist greats such as the Count Basie Orchestra, Bobby McFerrin, Nancy Wilson, and Jon Hendricks.

New York Voices vocal jazz ensemble
New York Voices vocal jazz ensemble

The group is passionate about sharing the vocal jazz art with the next generations of musicians and annually hosts the New York Voices Jazz Camp, and outreach concerts.

Tickets are $10 general admission.

More music in the air

Spring Orchestra Concert
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
7pm-8pm
WHS Katherine L Babson Jr Auditorium

From the Fiske School Music Around the World concert to the third grade Recorder Extravaganza, the grades 7 & 8 Band Concert, and more, Wellesley’s student musicians are putting in their final end-of-year performances. Schedule of what’s going on in the WPS arts here.

Filed Under: Music

Wellesley Choral Society ending season with ‘Masters of the Mass’

May 9, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

The Wellesley Choral Society, under the direction of Edward Whalen, will present its final concert of the season on Sunday, May 14, at 3:00 p.m., at the Wellesley Hills Congregational Church, 207 Washington St.

The theme of the concert is “Masters of the Mass” and the music performed will be the Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Mass in G Major and the Niccolo
Jommelli (1714-1771) Missa pro defunctis (Requiem). The Choral Society will be accompanied by Hisako Hiratsuka on piano, a string quintet, and soloists Mary Sullivan, Soprano; Jennifer Webb, Mezzo; Michael Calmes; and Michael Meraw, Baritone. The Jommelli Requiem is a rarely performed work.

The Wellesley Hills Congregational Church is accessible and there is ample free parking. Audience masking will be required. Tickets may be purchased online or at the door: general admission $20, seniors and students $15, ages 12 and under are free. The WCS has donated a limited number of free tickets to the Wellesley Council on Aging at the Tolles-Parson Center, 500 Washington St. Please call 781-235-3961 to see if tickets are still available.

This concert is supported, in part, by a grant from the Wellesley Cultural Council.

Wellesley Choral Society
Photo courtesy of Wellesley Choral Society

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