Audrey Carr, Executive Editor
@audreyccourant
On June 15th from 7-8:30pm, the school band Unusually Quiet has a one night only concert to raise money for the Ukraine crisis. This concert is the last one of the school year and will feature all of the members of the band before next year’s search for new members.
Junior Maylis Pabon, handles the business portion of the band and is the artist manager and sound technician. She is able to widen the band’s horizons and book gigs outside of the school. Most recently, the band performed at the annual Mayfair at St. Marks Episcopal Church. “It was another opportunity to show our band outside of NCHS because we have played in restaurants before, but at the Mayfair we were able to showcase our talent to anyone who walked by.”
As artist manager, Maylis has personal interactions with the band’s clients, and organizes by asking a series of questions to make sure the concert is feasible in the clients’ preferred setting. “I would not say I have a leadership position but more an organizing position. We all work together, communicate and make sure everyone is ok with whatever the situation is,” she said.
Unusually Quiet has not only performed at school but has gigs around town including the May Fair, Gates, and Pesca Peruvian Bistro. Contributed by Maylis Pabon
Senior Braydon Bavoso, who will be attending Belmont University to do Audio Engineering Technology, has had significant musical experience prior to joining Unusually Quiet. He currently plays the keyboard in the band, in addition to playing for School of Rock for ten years and percussion for the school band for six years. “During a gig for the School of Rock House band, Curtis Tenney and I came up with the idea to create a jazz band made up of the people who are both in the House band and go to New Canaan High School,” he said.
The first gig Unusually Quiet performed at was a Christmas party for a New Canaan resident.“We only had about two weeks from forming the band to playing this gig so we created a setlist from what we knew which was mostly funk music,” Braydon said. “Since that gig, our band has played mostly funk, and jazz music.”
Unusually Quiet has significantly improved Braydon’s musicianship. “Unlike other groups like School of Rock, this gives us the opportunity to create our own setlist where we are playing all of the songs. Playing with the same group of musicians every week makes you better understand their individual style and you are able to adapt your own style to better add to the music as a whole,” he said.
Senior Curtis Tenney, the bassist and one of the vocalists of the band, knew the members of the group prior to making the band through School of Rock. “As we have been getting new gigs with the band I have grown a bond with everyone,” He said. “Playing an entire show that you have designed and learned all the music for is really rewarding.”
The members of the band have grown both individually and also as a whole. “There is something unique about having your own band where everyone plays an equal role. The experience brings a new energy to us and the audience,” Curtis said.
Unusually Quiet’s upcoming charity concert for Ukraine has widened Curtis’s eyes to the opportunities ahead. “I am going to Berklee College of Music and I am unsure of what I want to do, but I think they have a program that is dedicated to designing shows.”
Senior Caleb Scola plays the guitar in the band. Prior to playing in Unusually Quiet, he played guitar for about 5 years and has played in several bands. “I also play saxophone and a bit of drums and piano.”
Caleb stresses the importance of not only practicing individually but together. “Even more important than preparing individual parts, is getting the group chemistry together and making sure everyone clicks both musically and personally. Then, we design a specific set list,” he said.
Caleb is very musically inclined and can play multiple instruments. He plans to keep improving in the future. “I am not going to study music in college, but I intend to keep playing and improving at both guitar and saxophone, especially in jazz.”
Senior Alex Hsu is the lead singer in the band and practices vocally while the band does instrumentally. “I learn my vocals on my own by first singing along to the songs and then seeing if I’m able to get it with an instrumental track. Then, at the group rehearsals, it’s more so about putting everything together and running it through,” he said.
Alex looks up to many professional singers, including Donald Fagen, Frank Sinatra, and Freddie Mercury but also has respect for those who have guided him musically throughout high school. This includes his vocal teachers Eren Bellusci, Raymond Wise, and choir teacher Sarah Gleason, along with the musical directors, Rachel Cohen and Henry Tate.
Alex has gained collaboration skills from the band. “I hope this experience will serve me well in the future, as most environments include a collection of individuals with their own strengths working towards the same goal,” he said. “I’ve also had the privilege to get to know all the members of the band, and I hope that the connections we’ve formed will remain into the future.”
The drummer, sophomore Anderson Cook, is the newest addition to the band. “The band picked me up when I came in and took note of my role as a musician,” he said. “It allows me to have a greater connection with the school and be more intertwined with what’s going on.”
Anderson has been listening to musicians such as Taylor Hawkins, Dave Grohl, John Bonham, Stewart Copeland since he was little. For inspiration, he watches videos of them before a concert.
Next year the entire band will be graduating. “I have talked to my manager Maylis and she is going to work with me and people we are connected with to find a new band and hopefully start booking events over the summer,” Anderson said. The new band members may not be students of New Canaan but he hopes to continue to stay connected with the school community and be in and around New Canaan.
“Having this opportunity to be a part of a group that is so connected to the rest of the school is something that I am grateful for,” he said.
