A dramatic melody fills the auditorium, seamlessly accompanying the characters on stage. Behind every note is hours of individual practice and group rehearsals. While the actors spend time memorizing lines and lyrics, 19 Liberty orchestra and band students work tirelessly to bring the musical alive, combining their wide range of experience and skills for this year’s production of Jane Eyre.
Collaboration within the small group of musicians has created a close-knit environment under the stage.
“The sense of community is really great,” senior Megan Atwood said. “There’s not a lot of us down there, so we get to know each other really well.”
With each production, the pit orchestra brings in new faces, many of them experiencing the challenge and community for the first time.
“Pit orchestra has been a very strenuous, but fun experience,” sophomore Delphi Geronimo said. “Whenever the strings encounter a problem, we all help each other out which makes playing way more comfortable.”
In contrast to last year’s jazz-spectacular Anything Goes, Jane Eyre brings a serious and emotional experience to the audience. The genre shift has placed the string section under the spotlight, bringing challenges to light.
“I like that it’s a challenge,” senior Hannah Redd said. “It really stretches my abilities, and I’ve learned a lot from the different music.”
“There’s a lot of the songs that have difficult key signatures,” Geronimo said. “Jane Eyre is string-heavy within several scenes but it’s pretty even across the entire orchestra. Practicing these songs at rehearsal has helped me with music seen outside of Liberty chamber orchestra.”
This year, none of the Liberty music teachers are conducting the pit. Instead, Cougar Mountain Middle School band director, Rebecca Swanson has taken the role as pit director. Under her instruction, the pit orchestra has been heading in a positive direction.
“Ms. Swanson is a band teacher, so she conducts very differently in general,” senior Ash Schneider said. “The way she conducts is more mindful of instrumentation.”
For many in the orchestra, the experience goes beyond performing the music.
“I enjoy interacting with the orchestra kids,” Schneider said. “I don’t get to very often, and I like it very much.”
Musicians looking to improve their skills or simply play in an ensemble for fun, participating in the pit orchestra is one of many options.
“I would recommend others to join,” Geronimo said. “It’s a great learning experience especially if you’re looking for harder music to play, and you also get to spend time with peers.”
