The lights dimmed on a Sunday afternoon in Bettye Poetz Ferguson Hall and a projector illuminated a nordic mountain scene behind a curved row of chairs and music stands. Members of San Domenico’s Virtuoso Program (VP) walked to their chairs, instruments in hand, each rocking their own style of smart black attire. The audience was soon treated to a unique music experience of “Polar Opposites,” this year’s winter concert, featuring ardent tangos from Argentina and exultant folk dances from Scandinavia. During Libertango, dancers spun and stepped to the beat, showcasing a fun collaboration with the dance program. After their solos, each performer received a gorgeous bouquet, and each VP student deserves their flowers this year, after working and reworking arrangements through long days of rehearsing.
To get the inside scoop on how this program has bonded this year, I asked our boarding VIPs of VP for insight into their creative process, and any music recommendations for some classical inspiration.
“I know what the other students love and hate, so I think about that when I’m arranging a piece. It’s a lot of power,” she says with a touch of humor and villainy. “Being in VP has taught me patience.” - Olivia H. ’28
Olivia’s music recommendation: “Dmitri Shostakovich is who people in my age group are listening to in classical music.”
“I like to customize a piece so it sounds more like me than the original piece, even if that’s not always what’s expected.” She replies from her skateboard heading up from rehearsal. - Brittney H. ’25
Brittney’s music recommendation: Serenade by Pyotr Tchaikovsky
The weekend kicked off on Friday night with big energy, as we took three fan vans to the NCS basketball championship game at College of Marin, getting rowdy with Paws the Panther as our boys team took second place in the tournament. It’s been an action-packed season to watch, and we hope the team feels as proud of their efforts as we felt watching them get their medals on the court.
In other news, it was a community-service filled Saturday as we took volunteer groups to Marin Food Bank and to a Native Plant Restoration Project in Point Reyes, sorting food donations and planting blackberries to enrich an ecosystem where baby salmon can thrive for generations to come. Saturday was also the Marin Teen Girls Conference, and I caught up with one attendee, Katharina G. ‘27, to ask about the experience, and her favorite moments. “There were really empowering speakers; women who work in male-dominated fields spoke about their challenges and experiences and took our questions. There were so many workshops, but my favorite one was the dance workshop at the end. The instructor had so much energy and it felt like a safe space to dance like no one was watching.”
On Monday night we gathered for a community dinner celebrating Black history with a mouth-watering menu and a welcoming speech from Head of Residential Life Melissa Taylor, who highlighted the achievements of Vicente Guerrero and Archie Williams in their commitments to education, freedom, and justice. “Let us honor them not just with words, but with action: by supporting education, fighting for equity, and ensuring that future generations know the names and legacies of those who paved the way for a better, more just future.”
This week, we hope you feel alive with the sound of music, giving back to the community, and empowering each other; until next time - veritas!
– Rachel Greenmyer, Resident Faculty