By: Isabelle Yang, Sports Editor

For the Mills Music Arts Group, the past few months have been a whirlwind of practicing and refining musical performances for their biggest fundraiser of the year. On Friday, October 25th, the music department will host their annual Groove-A-Thon concert for the Mills community in center court. 

The music department has been practicing nonstop to rehearse and perfect these pieces. Kameron Fung (12), who’s in his fourth year of MMAG, is playing percussion, the drumset, trombone, and piano. He is playing in a total of seven groups, which each practice twice a week, meaning he rarely has spare time these days. “Practices are always so fun to work through the style and vibe of a song, but I feel like my free time is slowly withering away,” says Fung. 

For MMAG students, this event is the equivalent of a final, so it is essential that they prepare in several other ways to enhance their performance, not just the technical aspect of their instruments. “We really hone in on our skills to [make] music sound musical, not just playing the instrument,” Fung explains. He studies the music he is playing the drumset for, carefully listening to mood changes and breaks throughout the songs. 

Mr. Gregoric, music department head, acknowledges that performing at such an important and large-scale event is nerve racking. “Sometimes in rehearsing, you’re not only dealing with arrangements and instrumentation, but you’re also dealing with anxiety and stage presence and all the things you have to work on both from a technical side of the music, to the performance [and] the performance art presentation,” he explains. 

Tiffany Siu (10), who plays violin for orchestra, drums for jazz, and occasionally piano for other groups, is participating in her second Groove-A-Thon. She will be performing in five groups and practices with them consistently. However, she is preparing with additional practices on her own to improve individually. Siu also expresses her excitement towards performing for her friends and family, showcasing her hard work. 

Although practicing so frequently can be challenging, both students appreciate being surrounded by talented musicians who have the ability to adapt quickly. They believe their respective groups have been consistently progressing every session. 

This year, student leadership has been more present behind the scenes. The event is being organized mostly by choir presidents, Brianna Kei (12) and Ryan Spicker (12), and music department president, Bianca Santos (12). Their jobs are difficult and they are constantly working to keep up, but they believe everything will go smoothly once the day comes. “We’ve been a part of the music department for a long time…It’s special, because everybody gets a chance to perform and show all their talents,” says Spicker. 

Due to an influx of new students joining the program, the music department has improved and increased the amount of acts in the show. There will be more variations of music played, a combination of new and old talents. 

Overall, the music group is hoping their determination and extra hours in the band room pay off and appear in their performances. “I feel like the groups are gonna be stronger and we’re gonna play better without stumbling…” says Siu. 

Through the event, Fung hopes to inspire younger musicians and raise enough money to support the next generation of students in MMAG. “I think it’ll be a hard but rewarding night of music,” Fung concludes.