The Stevens Orchestra Spring 2019 Concert was on Saturday, April 13, in DeBaun Auditorium. For some it was their first spring concert, and for others it was their last. There are five of us seniors in the orchestra who will be graduating this May: Andrew Alvarez, Jacqueline Chi, Jerome Dai, Paul Reilly, and myself. We have all shined as stars of Stevens and have had memorable moments both on the DeBaun stage and in the classroom. After a semester of hard work, dedication, and music, it is important to reflect on the fond memories and friendships made on those pivotal Friday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in the Howe, 4th floor music room — where all the magic happens.
A trumpeter, Andrew Alvarez has been involved in the Stevens Orchestra for four and a half years. He is an Electrical Engineering major and plans to continue working at CACI, formerly known as LGS Innovations, and maybe moving to Montclair, NJ, sometime over the summer. One of his most memorable moments being a part of the orchestra was going out for drinks with the conductor at the Mikie Squared Bar after rehearsal one night last spring. “One of the chillest nights I’d had all semester,” he remembers.
Jacqueline Chi, a Biomedical Engineering major, plays cello in the orchestra. She has been involved for her last two semesters at Stevens. Her favorite memory of her time in the orchestra was playing in the last concert. After graduation, Jacqueline plans to stay the summer at Stevens to work on her master’s degree and work at a startup.
An Electrical Engineering major, Jerome Dai also plays flute and piccolo in the orchestra. He has been involved for all four years of his undergrad at Stevens. “When we got a difficult piece, we struggled during the first play-through, but after weeks of rehearsal, we started to nail it,” Jerome shares. “For example, [in] Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony, there were a lot of flute solos, especially in the second movement. After practicing [it] with other orchestra members, I felt more comfortable playing it.” Through experiences like these, Jerome not only achieved musical excellence through hard work and practice, but he also became closer friends with orchestra members. He says, “After graduation, I [will] miss experiences [like these] most because there won’t be many chances to go through that [again].” After graduation, Jerome plans to pursue a master’s degree at Stevens.
Paul Reilly, a Chemical Engineering major, plays oboe in the orchestra. He has been involved for all four years at Stevens. He enjoyed playing with a wide range of people during his years as a part of the group. He plans to get a full time job after graduation and is interested in medicine, specifically R&D.
I am a 4/4 Civil Engineering major and have played violin in the orchestra for all four years of my undergrad at Stevens. This past year, I served as Concertmaster. Some of my favorite memories include Summer and Holiday Strings and playing chamber music with my friends. Having played violin since the age of 6, I am honored to have had the privilege to play in the Stevens Orchestra with such a talented and passionate group of musicians. Fridays have always been fun days — from Sushi at Pierce through rehearsal. I will miss my orchestra friends a lot, but I know they will do great things in the future. Thank you to my amazing violin section and to Mary and Sal for being such great role models for me in music. This summer, I will be doing a Water Resources internship, and then will be completing my Masters in Civil Engineering at Stevens.
Stevens Orchestra, you all are stars! Congratulations to the Class of 2019!
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