For better or for worse, high school is change—a period characterized by profound transformation. Students discover sports, clubs, academic interests, explore new ideas, and just plain grow. In his first year on campus, Will ’14 has already begun this process. He is running cross-country for the first time in his life and reveling in one of the most successful seasons the boys’ team has had in recent years. He is also enjoying biology for the first time in his life, in large part because “Mr. Bishop, like so many of the teachers here, makes the labs so much fun.”
However, change, which has the opportunity to be thrilling, can also dredge up feelings of nervousness and make someone feel unsteady. Over the past several years, Will’s voice has moved steadily along the scale, and when he auditioned for the small chorus this year, Will was definitively a tenor. Though the transition has been somewhat difficult, Will says he never considered not making music a part of his Middlesex experience because he has been singing since he was three years old and “singing is one of main ways [he] can just let go of things.”
Even as a novice tenor, Will has shown tremendous promise as a vocalist. In his first year singing with the Bateman Bullfrogs at Middlesex, Will was selected to sing the solo in the song, “I’m Yours,” which debuted around Parents’ Weekend. The event was the “highlight of [his] first semester because it was [his] singing debut at Middlesex.” Elated and excited when reflecting on the experience, Will makes a point to mention that if it were not for a friend who urged him to try out for the solo, he never would have auditioned because he thought the part was “out of range” for him.
Music is clearly an important form of expression for Will, but it is also special because of the people he connects with through this art form. In every story Will relates, both peers and mentors are the central characters. Whether it is fellow freshman Stevie, who auditioned with Will, or upperclassman Danyoung ‘12, who urged Will to tryout for the solo, or Dr. Wetzel, the co-director of the music program who is helping Will better understand music theory, the Middlesex community plays a prominent role in helping Will and other vocalists continue to grow, learn, and thrive.
Looking ahead, Will is excited about the second semester, specifically the spring musical. He did not audition for the fall play because he wanted to get settled at Middlesex before leaping into a heavy load of extracurricular activities. But after a successful first semester, Will is eager to explore more of what the School has to offer and to meet more people along the way.
