On Thursday, the fifth of October, ASB held the annual Open Mic event, with many parents, staff members, and high schoolers attending to support the participants. The event, organized in the musical performance venue L’Avenç Centre Cultural, provides both students and teachers with the opportunity to showcase their musical talents every year; the multitude of different performances perfectly represent the hard work high school students and staff dedicate to their acts. The concert was definitely a success, and had a long-lasting impression on both the audience and the performers.
Ms. Bronwyn, a high school music teacher and the supervisor of the Open Mic, talked more about Open Mic’s origins in an interview. “The original goal was to have student-led performances,” she said, where the ASB students would have the opportunity to make their own decisions regarding the pieces they would perform, providing them with both an increase in freedom and more responsibility. The participants could then showcase their artistic talents and capabilities in any way they wanted, from playing musical instruments to singing and dancing. The Open Mic has also “always been a CAS project,” which was started in the year 2012 with the eleventh graders being in charge of organizing the event and community service hours being awarded to all those involved in the performances and in organizing the concert. The project has also always been supposed to be held off-campus, with only one virtual exception in 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions. Nevertheless, the off-campus tradition was renewed the following year, with 2023 marking the second time Open Mic has been hosted since the pandemic.
This October, the event consisted of a grand total of 16 performances, with ASB students and teachers singing, playing musical instruments, and representing their talents on stage. The concert kicked off with the song “You’re All I Need to Get By”, performed by Julia Freer, Sophie Gothelf and Nico Orejas, a memorable first impression of this year’s Open Mic. The event also included two high school bands, multiple solo acts, and a number of vocal performances, with talent and hours of practice showing throughout the concert. Guests also enjoyed the stand-up comedy delivered by Quinten Meyer, and were impressed by Martina Ribas’s first-ever Open Mic dance act.
After the event, many spectators and participants shared supportive reviews of the Open Mic, commenting on both the excellent organization and the wonderful performances they witnessed. One student stated that they were “very impressed with everyone’s talent,” and look forward to attending next year’s concert. Ultimately, the Open Mic triggered a positive reaction from the audience, and will surely continue to do so in the years to come.