By Jonathan Sager, Staff Writer
The River Hill Tri-M honors society is just starting up for this school year. The interest meeting for the honor society was held on Tuesday, October 13 and one week later, on Tuesday October 20, applications for first year members were due.
Tri-M honors society is a club for musically inclined sophomore, junior and senior students in band, orchestra, choir, guitar and piano who are highly skilled in music as well as dedicated to serving their communities through music.
For admission into the honor society, prospective members must first complete a few basic but challenging requirements. Students need to currently be taking a music class at River Hill and must maintain high grades across both their music classes as well as their regular classes through maintaining an A average in their music classes and a B average in their regular classes for the current school year on top of B average for the music classes they have taken previously. According to senior and violinist Evan Chang, “applicants also need two teacher recommendations and accepted students must perform a piece at the induction ceremony.” There are also some basic essay questions asked which senior Euphonist Isaac Liu says “ask about students past experience in music as well as how they hope to improve the music program through service in the future.”
The application process for Tri-M is meant to show a students dedication to music related service by thoroughly testing both character and musical skill. Liu explains how the most challenging and memorable part of his application, when he applied, was the performance piece since “it was really stressful to perform solo in front of an entire audience of fellow skilled musicians.”
Once a student is inducted into the honor society, their journey with Tri-M truly begins. Chang explains how “ the main goal of this honor society is to serve our community so there’s a lot of music related volunteer opportunities. So, Tri-M members will help with various concerts like band, orchestra, and choir concerts, and they’ll also help with other schools’ musical events.” In fact, members of Tri-M are required to complete at least six hours of music related community service per semester
Chang himself recounts how in previous years, to get his six hours of music related service, he has participated in many different experiences that he would not have been able to if not for Tri-M. Chang explains how he has “helped with stage crew for some of our music and theater performances and helped set up the stage decorations before performances while managing the transitions between different performances.”
Another requirement for members in Tri-M is to participate in at least one community performance per semester, not including any concerts for a class. This requirement allows for Tri-M members to participate in one of the most unique service opportunities offered through Tri-M, Songs for Seniors. Chang explains how Songs for Seniors is a chance for Tri-M members to“go to senior living facilities, and play pieces of music for the seniors living there.” Chang appreciates how songs for seniors gives high school musicians a golden opportunity “to give joy to a community and spread our love of music with others in our community.”
Overall, the Tri-M honors society at River Hill allows for students at River Hill to express their love and dedication to their music through service and through sharing their music with others through various performances.