Playathon successful despite low turnout
Though graduation parties hindered audience turnout, the event managed to raise around 1400 dollars for the Music Auxiliary.
May 27, 2017
The now semi-annual Music Playathon–an event where students, staff and local musicians perform for a casual audience–was held in the West High cafeteria this past Saturday.
The event featured food from local businesses and student and parent sponsors; all genres of music and a dim lights to set the mood.
Annie Chen ’18 is one of the event’s co-coordinators; she played a large part in asking for food donations, selling tickets and working out a deal with the school to use the cafeteria.
“The point of the Music Playathon is to raise funds for the Music Auxiliary, that helps support music education in our bands, orchestras and choirs,” Chen said.
The event was originally scheduled for May 19, but was changed to the following day after Flash Fest, later canceled, was also planned for the Friday.
Despite changing the date to accommodate possible Flash Fest attendees, fewer people than Chen expected showed up.
“Junhee [Lee ’18] and I didn’t anticipate that so many people would be busy with grad parties, so it seems like there are [fewer] people,” she said.
Even though the crowds were smaller, it didn’t stop the musicians from being motivated to play.
“It helps fund everything we do for the music program,” said James Mons ’20. “So it’s something I want to support, and this is a good way to do it.”
Mons was one of many students that performed more than once on the Saturday evening, allegedly because organizers were afraid there wouldn’t be enough music to last the night.
Turnout aside, most of the performers at the Music Playathon really were just there to have a good time. Ned Furlong ’17 credits the audience for making it a successful evening that raised over 1000 dollars for the Music Auxiliary.
“At this point I’m having so much fun that I think the real contributors are the people who showed up and bought tickets,” he said. “And I’m saying that genuinely… everyone playing here is excited to do this, so anyone excited to listen to it is why this is happening.”
