Heritage’s Contemporary Music Club (CMC), a performance-based club for young musicians, hosted their annual Open Mic Night Dec 2. The show’s setlist consisted of 11 entirely student-produced songs, giving the club members a chance to display their passions for an audience of family and friends.
“Open Mic Nights are a way for students to have more of a casual, laid-back, opportunity to showcase their musical talents. It’s a great way for teachers, peers and students to listen to their friends play their favorite songs,” senior Diane Li, CMC club president, explained.
Li has been participating in Open Mic Nights since her sophomore year and has been managing them since her junior year. As CMC president, Li has had to manage many performances, such as the club’s Trunk or Treat performance Oct 31 and the upcoming Holiday Bazaar Dec 6. Though she enjoys every aspect of managing these performances, she finds special joy in organizing the rehearsal processes.
“I love being in charge of the rehearsal process because it shows me the creativity and passion of our students, and how they come together with music,” Li said. “I’ve been very inspired by the work other student artists have created, and I feel like many other club members feel the same when they’re collaborating with others.”
Due to the recent absence of Mr. Stratos Argyriou, CMC’s club sponsor, Open Mic Night was in jeopardy of being canceled or postponed. However, Li and her fellow officers were determined to carry on with the show.
“Because Mr. A has been in the hospital the week before our show date, it was difficult finding a way to pull the show off without him. Thankfully, we have an amazing community of supportive teachers and collaborative students who are willing to help us learn and take responsibility. In a way, this allowed us to foster more of a community for CMC. After every Open Mic Night, my heart is always full and I’m so proud of us for being able to accomplish a show like this. It makes me excited for shows in the future and grateful we were able to have such an amazing opportunity to show students’ talents,” Li said.
