The months of February and March often feel grueling, with the redundant second semester schedule having sunk in and the feeling of summer being just out of reach. However, with York’s Fine Arts Week (FAW) starting up, performers and the general student body wait patiently for a break from their weekly routine.
The talent showcase takes place at the start of March each year. Originating in the 1970s, the week features performances from students across the entire Fine Arts Department. Teachers take a break from scheduled lessons and take their classes to watch performances from Concert Dance, listen to different bands and hear from individuals who have made a living out of their passion for art.
“It’s a nice welcome break from the school year, to take a moment and look away from the regular routine,” FAW Coordinator Chris Gemkow said. “We strongly emphasize academics, which is important, but I’m grateful that we have the opportunity to not forget that art is very important.”
One of the highlights of the week has been York Live, which will take place throughout the day on Tuesday and Thursday. In contrast to other groups featured in FAW, York Live features miscellaneous talent from groups that were not formed directly through a York program. This allows for students with more niche or unique talents to participate.
“My goal is to always make it a representation of people who are doing interesting things at York,” Gemkow said. “I can’t always get those people. I can’t force them, but I can encourage them. That’s always the goal, to push it out further to include as many of the populations at York.”
Although the festivities only last a week, students spend months preparing their acts. Although York has a large variety of talent present in the student body, it can be difficult for students to form a musical group that allows for the exact sound and feel they are going for.
“First you have to form a band and that’s the hardest part,” junior Tessa Shultz said. “Although we’re in this school where there’s so many musicians, it’s hard to figure out what you want.”
This will be Shultz’s third year participating in York Live, and the singer-songwriter has performed both original songs and covers. In addition to forming a band, each year Shultz and many other performers work to set rehearsal times and prepare for auditions.
“There is a general list of things we look for,” Gemkow said. “We are looking for an audition that’s been prepared and rehearsed, performers that are confident, stage presence and a charisma that comes across.”
Gemkow works alongside members of the Fine Arts Week committee to make the final decision of which pieces should be included in the event. While the work being put in for the audition falls entirely on the groups themselves, the selection process is an important behind-the-scenes step that committee members are responsible for.
“I’m really passionate about it,” FAW committee member and senior Devin Smego said. “I just think it is so cool how we’re able to show so many diverse different genres of music because we have such a large student body. I think it’s great what we do with that, so I just want to be a part of it as much as I can.”
Smego joined the FAW committee because he wanted to play a larger role in an initiative he was excited about. As a part of this committee Smego spends the start of the school year booking outside talent to come in and present, acts as a stage manager during the York Live performances and dedicates himself to bring Gemkow’s vision of bring diverse talent showcase
To York. While Smego does a lot of work behind the scenes, he also shares his musical talents as a performer and has spent the last few weeks going through the post-audition process.
“We were already at a pretty good place at the audition, but there’s obviously always stuff that needs to be improved,” Smego said. “Once you know that you’re gonna be in Fine Arts Week, this is the period to lock in, get small details figured out and just make it as good as possible.”
Now that the big week has finally arrived and acts have been practiced to perfection, performers now undergo the mental game of it all. Many performers, especially those who are participating in York Live for the very first time, feel a sense of unease at the prospect of performing in front of their peers.
“My freshman year, I was terrified,” Shultz said. “I was doing this big act and singing in front of the school. I was like, ‘what are they going to think about me?’”
Sharing something you’re passionate about is a very vulnerable experience, which can be intimidating. However, this vulnerability is embraced in the nature of Fine Arts Week.
“It’s important to be creative,” Gemkow said. “Take a break from consumption and remember that making and putting things out in the world is super important. Whether it is music, painting, dancing or speaking, keep that creative outlet alive.”
Although expressing oneself in front of such a large audience has the potential to be nerve racking, Gemkow works hard to make sure that performers understand the value of what they are doing and the audience appreciates the beauty of what they are experiencing. This way, by the time the performance day arrives, students feel confident in sharing their art form.
“Once you get on the stage, that fear kind of all just goes away,” Shultz said. “Everybody’s really supportive of you, no matter what, and it’s just a really good environment.”
