Closed 2021 Talent Show Performance

Simon was first. He knew that first meant you had to lead with confidence and he could do that. He knew exactly how to do that. In fact, his only apprehension was that he remembered his teachers back at his muggle school always saying it was the last performance that was the most memorable because it was fresh in the audience's mind. That meant the first had to be extra amazing, extra memorable, extra spectacular. He could do this.

Simon leaned down and picked his guitar up and stepped up onto the stage. This wasn't his first time performing in front of people, not by far. He had experience in both theater back at his muggle school and the church choir. He wasn't a stranger to the stage. This was, however, his first time in front of his Hogwarts peers and he presenting them with a smile before giving a wave and scanning the audience to see who he recognized.

"Thank you, Noah for the introduction, You're awesome for putting this together, man," he said and pointed to the Gryffindor. Simon meant it. Win or not, he was going to have a fun time because he loved singing and he could now share that part of him with his classmates.

"I'd also like to thank everyone who came out tonight, and the Theater Club for sponsoring. I'd like to share with you a song."

And with that, Simon placed his guitar strap around his neck and got to position before motioning to the backstage crew that he was ready to begin. He began his chords and started his song.



He made to smile when he needed to smile, be emotional when the song needed emotion, and make eye contact with his audience. It was a solid performance and if someone had been able to video tape it (which of course couldn't happen at Hogwarts), he would have looked back on it with pride in himself.

It was a rush and he didn't even really know how many cheered for him after but he still remained confident and smiled. "Thank you. I'm Simon Kincaid, you've been great, Hogwarts. Next up, please welcome fellow musician, Avery Chen."

With that, he made his exit.

He tuned the violin backstage, blowing his tuning whistle, bowing the chords, and adjusting the various knobs on his violin. It was not much different than preparing for a recital, but the small boy somehow felt a little more nervous than usual. This was his first performance in front of a magical audience and classmates at a new school, many of which he would come to know and likely recognize him by his performance. He had gone to the rehearsal room a many times since school started, and though he had not encountered any violinists, he had met @Allegra Steinway, a Ravenclaw pianist in his year. The girl had not failed to amaze him with her passion and skill for music. Perhaps many other musicians in the crowd were better than him, a mere muggle-born. Perhaps some had magical instruments that played as young virtuosos' hearts desired, and his six years of intensive practice with blood, sweat, and tears had no way of comparing.

When he was introduced by Simon, he strode onto the stage. "Thank you for the amazing performance, Simon, and good afternoon, everyone," he greeted the audience with a bow. "I'm Avery Chen, and I'll be performing 'Fisherman's Harvest Song' arranged by Li Zili on violin, a piece that I'd like to keep close to my heart to remind me of who I am and what I aspire to be." He had chosen this piece because he wanted to represent his cultural heritage, and personally loved the contrast of its melancholy beginning intertwined with the cheerfulness of its melody, depicting a fisherman coming home from a long, difficult journey at sea, happily reuniting with his family and enjoying the fruits of his bounty with his community. It seemed to harbor the optimism and determination of a person, despite one's lack of means, and that was the type of attitude that Avery aspired to have in his pursuits at a new school and this magical new world as an inexperienced muggle-born child.



He signaled for the backstage crew to play the piano accompaniment recording he submitted. As the piano made its introduction, he joined in with a melancholy tune that would eventually crescendo into a vibrant trill. One could imagine the fisherman arriving at the harbor after a long, arduous journey, looking to the shore of his homeland. Soon, the higher notes would meld into lower, alto notes, depicting the aging memories within the fisherman's mind as he gazes upon his homeland where he grew up, and where his children and family now reside, before returning to its vibrant trills and slowing, silent contemplation.

Midway, the bright and cheerful part of the performance would begin. The piano keys sprang into action with its reintroduction; his violin joined in the fray, bowing the chords vigorously in an ebullient prance. He could see the fisherman running ashore to greet his family with open arms and a joyous embrace. The notes would crescendo before reaching the climax of the piece, his left hand moving rapidly down the fingerboard as the notes soared high. Upon reaching the final section of the piece, the melody slowed. He could imagine the fisherman arriving in the courtyard of the village with his family, greeting his elders tearfully in turn and asking how they were since he last saw them. The notes trilled, and then his bow slowed, ending the tune with a soft, slow, and airy note.

He lowered his violin from his chin, and bowed with a smile. He did it. He couldn't say it was the perfect, most flawless performance of his life, but he was proud of his accomplishment. At the very least, it was a story in music that he could share with his classmates, a piece of himself that he could reveal to this new world.

Perhaps, one day, he would play to an even larger crowd, touch many more hearts with his notes, and show the wider world the artistry and skill he was capable of.

"Thank you, everyone. Next, I hope to welcome Paige Grant to the stage. Please enjoy," he announced, and walked offstage.

Thanking @Simon Kincaid, and welcoming @Paige Grant to the stage. @Noah Jupe

"wait, wait, wait! Where's my jacke- Oh!" Paige's frantic voice shifted to that of guilty relief. "Nevermind, it's on my shoulders. Woops." She pulled her arms through the sleeves of her holographic jacket. She loved this jacket, and it went really well with anything, but mainly black. Because of this, she had decided to wear an outfit consisting of all black, besides the jacket, and it gave some cool vibes that she liked. The thought of her obsessing over her looks was laughable. No, this was just worrying about her dance. Wait. No. NOT worrying. Paige NEVER worried, EVERYTHING WAS EASIER THAT WAY. She flat out refused to have sweaty palms, shaky breaths. NO. THIS WAS NOT NERVOUSNESS. It's excitement. Yes, that was the only possible thing it could be. She was about to dance. So this was clearly exciting. She was NOT even a LITTLE bit worried about the fact that people would be judging her.

Judging eyes, and she knew fairly well that not everyone had an artist's eye. Not everyone would recognize her talent. Her AMAZING talent that was VERY GOOD. Ha, Paige had zero reason to worry. She was confident. Very confident about this. Nothing, not even Avery's emotional music, would change that. She watched and listened to the violin music, and she nodded to herself. Yes, he's very good. She shifted uncomfortably. Any other day I would wish him the best, and all that... but.. Her mind drifted to the judges and the crowd. She had personally helped with the posters, so she trusted people would come. At least a good number. Just not today. Sorry, Avery.

Paige knew kindness was important, it was a key thing. However, today was not that day. It was a competitive day. Paige assured herself the ghost of Helga Hufflepuff would understand. She knew Avery's act was coming to an end, or she assumed. Violin music was something she never grasped. It changed from happy, sad, happy, depressed. It was hard to tell if it would ever end. But it did, and Paige knew very well that Avery had done wonders. The cheers from the crowd were enough to prove that, not to mention she had just witnessed it.

Guilt washed over her as Avery was ever so kind to her. Nope, nope. Do NOT feel guilty for wishing bad luck upon him. Yet she felt very bad as she glanced at Avery walking away as she headed onto the stage, waving. She squinted in the lights. AHH! I ALWAYS LOOK IN THE SPOTLIGHTS! WHY. One would think she got used to this stuff. She didn't. "Hello." She waved to the students with a smile. There was a nice amount. The posters had worked. She was satisfied.

"First, I would like to thank Avery, he was lovely. My name is Paige Grant, and I'll be dancing to a muggle song called Lovely by Billie Eilish." She glanced towards the behind-the-stage crew, indicating two things. At that, the lights dimmed giving an eery glow. The music started to play.

Reducio

The idea was to give an eery feeling of some sort. Things like that usually worked for muggles. When she saw recordings of her dances, she couldn't help but feel pleased about how smooth she did this stuff.

When she finished, she inhaled some air, and smiled at the audience. Now to introduce her wonderful friend. Who she still wanted to beat, but with love, of course. "Thank you, guys! With that! I welcome Winter Wolfhartz!" She smirked, cupped a hand to her mouth, and whispered loudly. "She's amazing"

@Avery Chen @Winter Wolfhartz

Hex Code #008080 - English #006400 - French #3c78d8 - Latin #8B4513 - Spanish

Interact With @Avery Chen @Paige Grant @Simon Kincaid

Mention(s) Opeila Winters Samantha Salwis Winter Wolfhartz

Saturday September 11th 2021 Theater Club Event

Rolls - Accuracy

Reducio

Simon's Performance [d20 : 18] + 5 = 23

Avery's Performance [d20 : 10] + 6 = 16

Paige's Performance [d20 : 11] + 6 = 17

Scales ♠ 1 - 5 = Amateur / Bad♠ ♣ 6 - 10 = Moderate ♣ ♥ 11 - 19 = Proficient ♥ ♦ 20+ = Expert / Flawless ♦