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.

Whether through her passion, perseverance, or infectious optimism, Wellesley High School’s Alexia (Alex) Fischer ’24 brings light and joy into any room. An avid trombone player, Fischer has never failed to push herself to new heights. 

The first time Fischer played the trombone, she fell in love with its sound and has played ever since. But, playing the instrument and diving into the musical world has been as difficult as it is rewarding for Fischer. 

“I’ve learned to persevere when things get tough and stick with things that I’m passionate about, regardless of what others may think,” she said. 

“I’m a huge Doctor Who fan, and I also love the 11th Doctor’s Theme, “I’m The Doctor,” which I suggested that we play in Wind Ensemble and Mr. Scott has taken that up,” Fischer said.

Fischer moved to the U.S. from the U.K. before her sophomore year of high school. During and after the transition, she had to adjust to the differences in the high school’s band, such as performing at school assemblies. In the U.K., Fischer attended an all-girls British preparatory school which lacked robust extracurricular band activities.. On the flip side, she immersed herself in the high school’s Concert Band, Pep Band, town parades, and other local events when she came to Wellesley High.

“[The high school band] was such a huge change,” Fischer said. “When I first moved, I almost dropped out of band because I was shocked at how intense it was.” 

However, Steven Scott, the high school’s band teacher, persuaded her to stay. Scott has been a constant, supportive mentor and teacher since her move.

“Alexia Fischer is an outstanding musician and trombone player in the high school’s Wind Ensemble,” said Scott. “Her strong musicianship and teamwork helps make the trombone section perform with confidence as part of the unified whole of the Ensemble.”

Though Fischer began participating in Concert Band, the non-audition program, she was asked to join the Wind Ensemble junior year by Scott, without needing to audition. 

“It was a bit nerve wracking because I [had] that feeling that maybe I’m not meant to be here because I didn’t put in the work, but I did,” said Fischer. 

In fact, Fischer re-auditioned for the Wind Ensemble going into senior year, since that is a requirement of the Ensemble, and was successfully re-accepted. Now, the Wind Ensemble program gives Fischer the chance to perform and compete at various music festivals and competitions such as MICCA, the Massachusetts Instrumental Choral and Conductors Association. 

Even more impressive is Fischer’s accomplishment in building her presence and leadership in Wind Ensemble, now as a senior intensive. 

“My main goal this year is to promote the celebration of our achievements as a band, whether through meeting after major performances at Truly’s, or creating a MICCA spirit week,” she said.

Throughout her time playing the trombone, Fischer has learned to persevere even when it comes to more meticulous and challenging learning curves. Reading sheet music, for example, and getting rhythms correct have been skills that Fischer works on perfecting. 

“Even seven or eight years later, I’m still having to learn new skills,” she said.

Despite these struggles, Fischer has been able to bring her love for trombone into other facets of her musical life. Encouraged by a close friend, Fischer joined the choral class, Overtones, at the high school. Bitten by the music bug, she auditioned and was accepted into the InChordination Acapella group at the high school this year, and has since been experimenting with singing in the treble clef, rather than the bass clef that is used to play the trombone. Even in the short amount of time she’s been in the group, she’s made considerable progress. 

“I knew she was a wonderful trombone player being in Wind Ensemble and all of that, but she’s become much more confident in her vocal abilities, and also her ability to read treble clef which you don’t as a trombone player,” said Louisa Rossano ’24. 

The dedication Fischer has for music is equally as tangible in her role in InChordination. She brings focus, compassion, and enthusiasm to every performance and practice. 

“She’s very focused and genuinely loves what she’s doing,” said Rossano. “She’s always ready to help you with anything, and is always there to lend a listening ear if anyone has a problem and to give them advice.” 

In a stressful yet incredibly rewarding environment as acapella, Fischer spreads her optimism and work ethic. 

“Performing with your friend on stage is never a bad thing, but performing with Alexia is just so wonderful,” Rossano said.

Fischer’s presence in acapella and band has been just as exciting and fulfilling to her, as it is to those who work with her. Being in a community of like-minded individuals, all moved by their love for music only fuels Fischer’s consistent joy. 

“At the end of the day, that’s what means the most to me, that there are people who I’m able to share that passion with and we can grow together as musicians,” she said. 

Article written by WHS Bradford Editor-in-Chief Paige Ablon ’24 and Staff Writer Caroline Hammel ’24.

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.

Soprano notes, clear and crisp, soar across the stage. A solo figure stands in the center, arms raised as her powerful voice fills the grand Symphony Hall, heard by a rapt audience of thousands. Her mature voice and advanced vocal technique betrays her age: she is still in high school. 

Singing before an audience is not new to Louisa Rossano ’24. She’s been doing it for nearly her entire life. 

At the early age of seven, singing in her church choir and joining VOICES Boston, a children’s choir, Rossano quickly grew fascinated with singing. 

“I fell in love with how much joy [singing] brings to other people, and how beautiful it is,” Rossano said. “Music brings people together and forms an incredible community.” 

When Rossano was eight, she participated in her first opera as a baby fairy in A Midsummer Nights’ Dream. After that first taste of classical voice, Rossano has been a part of four other operas. She did George Bizet’s Carmen twice, then Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème, then Puccini’s Tosca—all of which were big productions performed in multiple acts. 

“It was really fun learning all the music and hearing all of the opera students working,” Rossano said. “It was very cool to be able to get into that, and [these experiences] really sparked this love for it.”

And so began a flourishing career in singing that extended all the way to high school, where Rossano is now a part of multiple music groups. As a sophomore, she successfully auditioned for Keynotes, a select choir of advanced singers, and Inchordination A Cappella, one of the four a cappella groups at the high school. This year, Rossano is one of the music leaders of Inchordination, as well as an Intensive student in Overtones and Rice Street. 

For all of the different groups she is a part of, Rossano notes one commonality between them: they give her the ability to connect with other people and her audiences.

“It’s really fun when you have a group where you can talk about music and you can talk about other things; you have this mutual understanding,” Rossano said. “Specifically, for Rice Street this year, we’ve been a really fun group. We’ve all gotten to know each other better and have become better friends through our music with how much work we put in.”

During Rice Street rehearsals every red block, fellow singer and music leader Ritvick Abrol ’24 stands close to Rossano in their “arc,” or row, and enjoys the presence she adds to the class. 

“She’s always one of my favorite people to look at,” Abrol said. “Whenever she messes up or I mess up, we always look at each other and smile or laugh a little.”

When asked to describe Rossano, Abrol does not hesitate.

“She is so joyful. That’s the first adjective that comes to mind,” he says. “You can really feel [her joy] in rehearsals. When she approaches music, it’s always with enthusiasm and it’s always with passion.”

Dr. Kevin McDonald, who has taught Rossano for years as her high school choir director, has also witnessed the uplifting effect she has on her classmates. “[She] sets an example for all of our freshman and sophomore students…and her peers also hold her in such mutual respect that she does raise the level of performance around her,” he said.

Rossano’s joy and passion for music extends to her activities outside of school as well. She is involved in the Handel and Haydn Society Youth Choruses in the Choir of Sopranos and Altos and the audition-only Chamber Choir, sings with various church and community choirs, and takes voice lessons. 

“I personally focus a lot of my time on classical voice, so that’s like opera, Baroque, early-era music, the type of music you would just think of as ‘opera,’” Rossano said. “It fits my voice best and I love singing it.”

Emma Hammond ’24, who sings in the Handel and Haydn Society Youth Chorus with Rossano, finds singing with Louisa inspiring. 

 “Not only does she have an incredible voice, but she also validates those around her and creates a really uplifting atmosphere in general,” Hammond said. “I really admire her confidence.”

Rossano credits part of her success in singing to her participation in non-musical interests (yes, they exist). She has taken German and French, and is currently studying Italian.  

“All the languages definitely help with singing pronunciation,” Rossano says. “A lot of classical music is in English, German, French, or Italian, so it makes the diction a bit easier.”

Rossano is also an avid sailor, which she claims has done a lot to improve her confidence and communication skills by teaching her how to navigate a course and work with her team to win races.

However, not everything in her singing career has been smooth-sailing for Rossano. So far, her biggest challenge has been the time commitment. 

On top of four to five hours of a cappella rehearsal and one to two hours of in-school singing with Overtones and Rice Street per week, Rossano sings another five hours a week with the Handel & Haydn Society and practices for an hour at home.

“There’s a lot I’ve had to sacrifice; I’ve had to prioritize some concerts over others,” Rossano said. 

During the winter concert week last December, Rossano had a concert nearly every day—for both in-school and outside-of-school groups—which was “pretty crazy.” But she shrugged it off.

“Yes, it’s quite a big time commitment,” Rossano said, referring to all her singing activities. “But it’s so worth it.”

Hammond reiterates her dedication to improvement. “[She is] a very supportive, driven, and caring person; Whether it’s about academics, friendships, or just bettering herself as a person, she puts her entire self into whatever she’s working on,” said Hammond. 

Indeed, Rossano’s persistent effort and involvement with music has paid off, leading her to make her mark in the high school’s decorated Choral Department. Her numerous accomplishments include being awarded the WHS Underclassman Choral Award, being selected as a member of the Senior District chorus for two consecutive years, and most recently, performing with the Boston Pops in a show called Video Games Live last June at Symphony Hall, in what Rossano called her “most memorable musical experience at the high school.”

“It was my first professional solo opportunity,” Rossano said.

One day, during practice, Choral Director Dr. McDonald approached her with the opportunity to perform a soprano solo in Korobeiniki (Tetris Opera) for the finale of Act 1 of the show.

McDonald asked Rossano if she can sing the solo in Russian, and unsurprisingly, she said yes. She learned the music, had a zoom call with the team from Video Games Live, and after just one rehearsal on the day of the concert, it was decided: Rossano’s voice would be perfect.

“Performing the challenging Russian solo in a sold-out Symphony Hall with my peers was a life changing experience,” said Rossano, who credits McDonald with pushing her to become a better musician. 

Rossano only had 1.5 weeks to learn the part. In preparation for her performance, she met with her voice coach and relentlessly studied and researched Russian. 

“It was one of most phenomenal undertakings I’ve ever seen a student do here,” said Dr. McDonald.

Music will continue to be a part of Rossano’s foreseeable future, as in her words, she can’t go a day without singing. Next year at Harvard University, Rossano hopes to join an a capella group, or one of the two student-run opera companies on campus. 

Whatever Rossano may pursue next in her singing career and education, there appears to be no doubt that she will give it her all, finishing each endeavor on a high note, to the familiar sound of resounding applause. 

Article written by WHS Bradford ‘s Lily Jin ’24, Arts Editor, and Hannah Lee ’25, Assistant Opinions Editor.

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.

Every December, Wellesley High School’s auditorium reverberates with resounding strings and blaring horns during the annual winter concert, heralding the start of winter break and culminating a week of festive anticipation. For Liam Prentice, a member of Wellesley High’s class of 2024, last year’s winter concert proved especially memorable. 

“Our concertmaster, Jeremy Kim, was out for the day at a dentist appointment, so I had to step in. We played a really good concert, and it forced me to step up and be a leader. It’s always a festive event, with the music of orchestra, band, and chorus intertwining. It was incredible to be part of something so much bigger than myself,” said Prentice.

Prentice, a violinist for thirteen years, is an integral member of the high school’s Honors Chamber Orchestra, leading in his role of first chair violinist.

Because he grew up in a musical household, Prentice’s musical career began at a young age; he started to play both the violin and piano at the age of five. His mother is a piano teacher, and his grandmother teaches piano in Hong Kong. 

“My mom is the one who first introduced me to the instrument. She’s the one who always set up the teachers and the lessons and everything for a long time. And, even now, when I’m more independent, doing things on my own, she still suggests all these opportunities that she hears about,” he said. 

Outside of the high school, Prentice plays in the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (BPYO), one of the premier youth orchestras in the greater Boston area, practicing there for four hours every Saturday. He plans to tour internationally with the BPYO in Germany and Austria this June. 

In addition to his orchestral work, he also plays chamber music—music composed for small groups or individuals rather than entire orchestras—at the New England Conservatory of Music. Prentice has accumulated his fair share of musical accolades, including second prize in the Charleston International 19th Century Music Competition and first place in the regional Sempre Musick Concerto Competition.

Prentice credits Klaudia Szlachta, his violin instructor, with guiding his growth as a musician.

“She has a lot of knowledge of what pieces would be good for me, and she always seems to just be perfect on every piece when she’s demonstrating for me. I really respect the commitment she puts in every student because I know other students having the same experience,” said Prentice. 

As first chair violinist at the high school’s Honors Chamber Orchestra (HCO), he serves as concertmaster for the orchestra, leading and coordinating the musical process. At the high school, there are two string orchestra classes for students to perform in: Sinfonia and the HCO. While both practice and perform classical orchestral music, Sinfonia is available to all interested students while the HCO requires an audition, essay, and interview.

Prentice’s teachers have lauded his work ethic and leadership. 

“First, [the concertmaster] should be the best performer in the orchestra. Second, he should be a real leader. And that’s what I see [from Liam]. When I say something, he immediately makes a note, explaining and transferring what I said to the members of the group. So he helps me to work. That’s who a concertmaster is. Regardless of if he’s sitting on my left, he’s my right hand,” said Dr. Sergey Khanukaev, conductor and orchestra teacher at the high school. 

Khanukaev also recalled his noteworthy first impression of Prentice. 

“He drew my attention the first time he came to the class. I noticed him immediately. He asked me, ‘What class is this?’ He didn’t know he could be in the higher-level orchestra. Therefore, he was in Sinfonia. He brought a lot of good things to Sinfonia because he is a high-level violinist, and everyone was trying to fit themselves to feed their level, bringing the level of Sinfonia up.”

Beyond the concert hall, Prentice enjoys running and biking in nature. This past summer, he embarked on a 400-mile bike trip in Nova Scotia with two friends. 

“More than just a dependable friend, Liam is a leader and a role model for fellow violins,” said Ben Zhao, a fellow senior at the high school who accompanied Prentice on his bike trip. “He is very affable, and on the trip, we were able to make friends with a couple of bikers from Wyoming because of him.”

Looking towards the future, Prentice hopes to continue playing the violin past high school. 

“Music will continue to play a major role in my college and adult life, as it has for the last 13 years. I probably won’t take it to the next level with a music degree, but I’ll definitely try to join another orchestra and probably play some solo pieces I enjoy or find on the radio,” said Prentice. 

“He is humble and is very dedicated, but he also knows how to smile. He has feelings, which is most important. People who play music should have feelings. Music is about feelings,” said Khanukaev.

Article written by WHS Bradford ‘s William Liu ’24 and Jason Stephens ’25.

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.

For many, picking up a new instrument, starting to learn a new language, or perfecting a restaurant-quality dish might fall on their aspirational bucket list, but Wellesley High School senior Andrew Song has achieved these goals, all while juggling the academic and social expectations of high school.

Song’s first substantial foray into music began in seventh grade with the alto saxophone.

“Initially, I hated it, because I always sounded terrible and was discouraged by my awful sound and lack of musicianship,” said Song.

Despite this initial challenge, Song’s band instructor, Dave Adams, encouraged him to switch to the tenor saxophone, a slightly larger instrument. The tenor saxophone catalyzed Song’s interest in jazz, and in eighth grade, he joined the Monday Jazz Band at the middle school. There, he was introduced to the baritone saxophone, an even larger instrument. Song loved the sound of the baritone sax, but he chose to stick with the tenor until he branched out even further in high school.

Song plays in the high school Wind Ensemble and the 2:00 Jazz Band as an intensive student. Outside of school, he plays the alto, tenor, and baritone saxophone along with the clarinet for the Beantown Swing Orchestra.

“There, we highlight the good old classic songs from the 1940s and play vintage horns in live gigs around Boston, which has been a ton of fun. In some songs, we literally whistle while we work,” Song said.

For someone who had focused solely on the saxophone for so long, the addition of the jazz clarinet was both an adjustment and an expectation for his position in the Beantown Swing Orchestra.

“All the saxophones play clarinet, which is typical of traditional swing jazz music,” Song said.

Swing jazz is a genre that came from Black American roots and roared to popularity in the United States during the late 1920s. Swing jazz features a larger band and more dance-friendly rhythms, which Song’s various instruments contribute to.

Song’s decision to add the clarinet to his repertoire required persistence and a lot of patience. Kenneth Reid, Song’s private teacher and mentor, now instructs Song in both the saxophone and the clarinet.

“[My teacher] was a little bit skeptical at first, but at the same time, he said we could give it a go. He calls the clarinet the ‘agony stick,’” said Song.

For many saxophone players and clarinetists, playing the other instrument is not an extreme adjustment. Both the clarinet and the saxophone have a single reed and a similar fingering system, but the method of breath support and mouth position is different.

“The notes aren’t exactly the same, but there are a lot of similarities,” Song said.

Song’s ability to learn new disciplines by drawing on their similarities extends beyond music. While learning Mandarin Chinese in school, Song is learning Arabic, Russian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish in the free time he finds between his many obligations.

“For learning languages, just like learning new instruments, you just have to listen to a lot of it,” said Song.

Some of Song’s language learning occurs at the fine-dining restaurant Mistral, where he works as a professional chef.

“[Song] has the skills. His page on Instagram is filled with his delicious creations. I can’t wait to try one of them,” said Ben Harris ’25, a friend of Song’s and fellow musician.

While Song spends his time in a multitude of ways, music consumes most of his waking hours.

“Whenever I’m not hitting the books, swimming, eating, or sleeping, I’m almost always doing something music-related, whether it’s finding new songs to solo over or scrolling through YouTube to look for transcriptions of jazz standards,” said Song.

Teachers like Steve Scott, the conductor of the high school’s band ensembles, have noticed this passion.  “[His] genuine inquisitiveness about jazz improvisation and jazz style has helped him grow as a player throughout his time in the WHS Band Program. [He] is always willing to dive in and take a solo in our rehearsals and performances,” Scott said.

While Song’s solos occur onstage with the spotlight on him, the environment offstage supports Song in his endeavors.

“My fellow players in the jazz band have always inspired me in terms of soloing, tone, and musicianship, and have always helped me out whenever I feel like I’m falling behind,” said Song.

Song started his music career later than many of his peers did, but through practice and finding motivation in his teachers, Song has been able to reach a high level. He was selected for the Eastern Senior Districts and played in the accompanying festival.

“The challenges I went through starting really late as a player have all paid off with the fun I’ve had playing in the jam sessions at Eastern Senior Districts,” Song said.

As for Song’s plans for after high school, he is committed to swim at Vassar College, and is planning to keep music as a major component of his life.

“Lots of my friends are very music-oriented, so when we all meet up after graduating for reunions, Friendsgivings, and whatnot, it would be great if we could all grab our horns and just relive the fun times,” said Song.

Article written by WHS Bradford News Editor Elizabeth Hoerter ’25 & Staff Writer Ayesha Kapoor ’26