Calling all string players – come and improve your musical talent while creating fun music!
Junior Yolanda is the founder of one of CDH’s newest clubs, Chamber Strings. The chamber strings club is an opportunity for any violin, viola, cello, bass, or piano players to collaborate and play music that interests them. This new club is a great way to meet new people with similar interests, and improve their musical talent.
“Clubs are the best place to make friends who have lots in common with you and also you will have more opportunities to develop your interest,” Yolanda stated.
Yolanda was inspired to start this club by her love and talent for cello, which she has been playing for the past 12 years. She was a part of a chamber strings club at her previous school, and loved it.
Yolanda said, “I used to perform with my school’s chamber string club, and I felt it was a really fun club for string players and a good opportunity for them to perform on the stage.”
Not only is Yolanda a cello player in the club, but she is also the manager of the club.
She said, “I play the cello part and seek the members’ opinions on the music they want to perform, find scores and schedule for the rehearsals.”
Upon working towards creating this club, Yolanda knew she had to take a few things into consideration. For starters, she had to make sure her club was recognized by teachers. Also, she had to consider how many students would actually be interested in the club. That is where Yolanda’s biggest challenge would come into play: recruiting people and raising awareness.
“It’s also important to set a time for the club. It’s also a challenge for recruiting people for the club. You need to make posters, you need to find out who is interested in your club, and you need to reach out to those potentially interested,” said Yolanda.
In order to raise awareness for the club, Yolanda made posters to put all around the school, and she reached out to the music teacher to advertise it. She asked around who played an instrument and informed people of her club.
Aside from giving performance opportunities to club members, Yolanda has other goals for the clubs. She dreams of recording the music the club makes, and opening a business to sell the recordings. Her business would be called, “Yolanda’s Music Discs Shop”, and she would then like to donate the money to an organization that helps people in need.
The Strings Club rehearses after school in the band room year round, and the CDH community can’t wait to hear the beautiful music they will make!
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Knots for Nights, a new club created to help the less fortunate, is a unique addition to the Cretin-Derham Hall community. Started by junior Paige Wieland and sophomore Lily Grassmen, the club centers around making blankets that go to catholic charities. The club received funding with the help of the student council, and works with multiple fabric stores for materials. When they meet once every two months, they strive to create a fun, welcoming environment that works towards helping others. Paige and Lily created this environment with Paige saying “I think volunteering is so fun, especially with your friends.” They’ve only had one meeting so far, but have created 40 blankets in that one hour. Currently, they only meet at flexes for special occasions, but Paige and Lily are working towards expanding it beyond flex so that the whole community can get involved. It will be exciting to see where Knots for Nights goes!
