Orchestra students host Kaleidoscope Festival

by Mahith Samarathunga news staff

Orchestra students will host their Kaleidoscope Festival April 29 to showcase the talents of students in the arts. Many students were passionate to perform and share their talents during this meaningful event.

“It started last year,” sophomore Adam Ye said. “Mrs. Murry started the classical concert for orchestra students and she wanted all the orchestra people to participate.”

Many students are excited to perform during the event. Despite this, many students don't know the history behind the Kaleidoscope Festival. Twinda Murry, the orchestra director, wanted to start this at Ladue to expand students’ experiences and their level of creativity. This event started approximately five years ago.

“It kind of started out where orchestra groups could really perform with whatever they wanted to,” senior Cami Wise said. “It didn't have to be an orchestra instrument, and it could be any music they wanted.”

This year, the orchestra students spent eight months planning the layout of the festival. With the support of Murry, students hope that this event will be a success.

“Mrs. Murry is great at organizing events and having this hype around [the] Kaleidoscope [Festival],” sophomore Yueheng Wang said. “She motivates students to play their instruments.”

There are many instruments and other kinds of arts that students want to showcase for the Kaleidoscope Festival.

“We do have some individual people; so like Gramm Raedeke, he's going to perform by himself," Wise said. "We also have some school groups like Viva Voce, orchestra groups and Lehde's Night, which is a band."

The Kaleidoscope Festival will be inclusive and encourages students to be a part of the Ladue schools community. It allows students to showcase their creativity and various talents that aren't usually showcased.

“The main thing is we just want to be able to show what Ladue is doing and how we have invested in more than just education,” senior Nicole Dong said. “It's more than that, and it's embracing the arts as well.”

The Kaleidoscope Festival features students’ diverse talents in which Ladue can offer to all current students through various events for them.

“It's a great transition for involving not only students at the high school, but the community at the middle school and elementary schools," Murry said.

There are various types of arts that Ladue can offer to many students. Some of these include band, orchestra, painting and many other types of handmade art. Through these activities, students not only get to learn new skills but be a part of the community.

"Students that are going through Ladue High School will be able to see what kind of wonderful product there could be or how they can be involved,” Murry said.

Previously, students have participated in this well-rounded event by playing instruments such as the flute, different stringed instruments, trombone and piano. Now the event has expanded to all forms of arts. Students have created so many memories through being part of this event.

“My favorite part of being part of the Kaleidoscope Festival is that I just love playing the viola, and [I think] it's great to be able to socialize while making music,” sophomore Garon Agrawal said.

by Katie Myckatyn features staff

Asingle spotlight lands on junior Cindy Yan as she takes the stage at the Fabulous Fox Theater. The opening notes of piano chime out at the 13th Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition Finals and the crowd falls into raptured silence.

“Surprisingly, I wasn’t nervous,” Yan said. “Stage fright’s never really been a thing for me, and we’d done so much preparation that I just felt ready. I really wanted to play well and stay in the moment so I was focused on the music rather than the audience.”

Looking back, Yan never had a clear idea or plan of where her talent with piano would take her. Instead of focusing on a specific end goal, she enjoyed every moment of time she spent perfecting her craft.

“If a younger me saw where I am now and what I’ve been able to do, I feel she would be shocked,” Yan said. “I’ve played some crazy shows; I’ve played at Carnegie Hall and I’m about to perform at Fox Theater. I know all of the work I’ve