On Sunday, January 29, Deerfield musicians traveled to Choate Rosemary Hall to perform in a joint concert with Choate musicians. Deerfield’s orchestra, jazz band, advanced vocal ensemble, and pianists rehearsed during the day with their Choate peers and then performed together in a concert that night. In addition to rehearsals and the final performance, the day also included master classes for musicians and time to socialize.
The idea of a collaborative music experience between the two schools sprang from the tradition of the annual Deerfield–Choate athletic competition, which just celebrated its 100th anniversary. Director of Music Thomas Bergeron and Choral Director Michael Pfitzer sought to bring to the world of art the spirit of enthusiasm that the two schools carry to the athletic field. Instead of competing, however, students would demonstrate their dedication and skills in a discipline built on sharing and communication; students from the two schools come to know each other as equals instead of rivals, since, in music, a group can only succeed when all participants do their part. Discussing the idea for this new “Choate Music Day,” Mr. Bergeron explained that musical performance is about a group of people striving towards the same goal, which creates a certain type of trust among them. “In addition to technical performance,” Mr Bergeron said, “there is creativity in the moment. There is decision making… The only difference between musical performance and athletic competition might be the motivation on a musical stage is emotional and creative. It is about expressing an emotion and about reaching an audience. The motivation creates a different kind of energy.”
Iris Wong ’23 who was the concertmaster for the joint orchestra performance said, “it was [a] really fun experience working with double the musicians with the simple intention of breathing musically as an unit.”
Among the works played at this joint concert were Edvard Grieg’s Holberg Suite for string players, featuring Deerfield soloists. A combined winds ensemble played Gustav Holst’s First Suite in E-flat. Jazz bands performed Count Basie’s Vine Street Rumble. Deerfield and Choate pianists will play a variety of four and six hand compositions. The combined choruses also embodied the theme of harmonious collaboration by singing works including Eric Whitacre’s Lux Aurumque, which conveys the idea of heavenly light and celebration, and Arianne Abela’s Now We Can Begin, about the women’s suffrage movement.
Dr. Pfitzer looks forward to the connections that Deerfield students will make with their Choate peers. He said, “We get there and understand that the Choate students next to us feel the same way – they are prepared but they are also nervous just like us. … And at the break we are going to look at each other and say ‘Wow, that was hard’ or ‘Hey, that sounded really cool.’ We will make a connection over music.”
Both Mr. Bergeron and Dr. Pfitzer are familiar with the spirit of rivalry. Mr. Bergeron graduated from Yale while Dr. Pfitzer received doctorate at Harvard. Annually, the two colleges compete on the football field on a Saturday similar to Choate Day. The Friday night before, a choral concert is held to create a moment of togetherness before the rivalry the next day.
This year the concert is hosted by Choate to align with the athletic schedule of Choate Day which also happened at Choate. For Deerfield to do so next year will require our school to identify a space large enough to accommodate the combined size of the performing groups.
Mr. Bergeron and Dr. Pfitzer are grateful to Choate for hosting this first occasion. They hope that this adaptation of Choate Day will become an annual tradition that the two schools look forward to and where they can “win” together.