The Hingham High School music department opened its year last Tuesday, but not in the traditional manner. Instead of a stressful performance in their concert black attire, the students from chorus, orchestra, and band enjoyed an evening of meaningful bonding and delicious food that raised their spirits for the remainder of the year.
The students began their evening on the field, where they socialized and enjoyed a variety of games including kickball, KanJam, cornhole, and spikeball. Upbeat music and ear-to-ear grins filled the entire field. The evening was made even better thanks to Euromart, who donated hundreds of sandwiches toward the event.
The fun didn’t stop there. As the sun went down, the students ventured into the auditorium for a handful of high-energy karaoke sing-alongs. Hits included The Pina Colada Song, Dancing Queen, and The Final Countdown.
As the night came to a close, many were sad to go, sad because the fun had ended. This celebration was a unique experience for many since rarely do the different music ensembles ever spend time together. Orchestra sophomore Lucas Mangili enjoyed his time at the event. “The kickoff is a great way to get everyone from band, orchestra, and chorus together. The HHS music community is like its own family, but we only really see the other groups on our once-a-year trips. This event not only allows us to meet the freshmen that recently joined the family, but also allows us to see friends in the other groups that we don’t see often because there is so little interaction between the different ensembles.”
Many students and faculty are hoping to make the kickoff a yearly event, since it was such a unique and enjoyable experience that truly made each and every person feel welcome. Band junior JD Lucas voiced his opinion about cementing the event as a yearly stape. “I would love for this to become a yearly event. I think it’s such a smart way to get freshmen accustomed to the high school atmosphere. As well as get kids from different music classes to get to know each other better.”
Band director Brian Cincotta felt the same way as many of his students after the event. He emailed, “Strengthening our arts community at HHS is tremendously important, and social events like these are excellent ways to achieve that goal.”
Although it was in its pilot year, the Hingham High School Music Department Kickoff was an extensive success for both students and staff. From kickball to sandwiches to karaoke, the evening was enjoyable from start to finish. So enjoyable, in fact, that it will likely become an annual event for the foreseeable future
