Anh Vo (11) poised his fingers over the piano keys, eyes trained on the drum major. The roar of the audience in the stands faded to the background, and he waited with bated breath for the signal to begin. The drum major began the cue. Nerves rattled him, but with a deep inhale, Vo steeled himself, steadied his hands, and began to play.

It was Westview GOLD’s first marching performance of the year, Sept. 30; however, it was far from his first public music performance. Vo had his first piano lesson at 5 years old. Now, more than a decade later, he continues to play as a seasoned soloist. In May of 2022, Vo performed as a piano accompanist for Westview GOLD’s spring show and got a taste of working with musical ensembles. This school year, he decided to build on that experience and formally join Westview GOLD’s marching band, playing piano in the percussion section.

“I usually only play solo music,” Vo said. “So I wanted to join band to see what it would be like to [not be a soloist], because solo music is completely different from orchestral music.”

In addition to the experience of performing with a group, Vo was interested in improving his musical composition skills. He enjoyed writing his own music for solo piano, but wanted to venture into orchestral composition as well. Because Vo’s main instrument was the piano, he had limited experience with composing for other instruments. 

“I wanted to get an idea of how all the instruments sounded,” Vo said. “As a pianist, I really only know how the piano works. I feel like I can’t do composition justice if I haven’t played with other instruments.”

Vo said he believes playing in band will continue to develop his compositional skills. 

“Joining band has [already] made [composing] a lot easier because I know how each instrument is supposed to function in the overall picture,” Vo said. 

Even beyond composition, Vo’s time in GOLD has already taught him new skills. While performing in the band, Vo must follow a set tempo. However, as a soloist, he is used to being able to change the pacing at a moment’s notice. Over the course of several months, Vo has learned to work more as a member of the team instead of an individual contributor.

“For me, [having a set tempo] is a positive because it’s actually improving my solo playing too,” Vo said. “It’s helping me [practice] staying on the beat. I have to listen to what the other instruments are playing to keep with the tempo.”

Even after he extensively practices for a solo piano recital, Vo said he still experiences stage fright. He enjoys how playing in the band has alleviated some of that stress compared to what he has experienced as a soloist.

“Having a lot of people around me eases that feeling of [performance] anxiety, because I don’t feel pressured to play perfectly,” Vo said. “Without that pressure, I can actually play because I’m passionate about the music, not just because I want to win.”

Vo has befriended the other students in the program and values the connections he has made. As new bonds are created between Vo and the members of the band, they can share their musical knowledge to improve the overall quality of the performances while also enjoying themselves.

“It’s pretty nice to be in a closer community and to just have fun together,” Vo said. “We get the chance to create connections. I also feel like band offers me a lot to learn about, and vice versa, I can [use my experience] to teach things to the newer players. So I think it’s a win-win.”