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In this "holiday" episode of the Tompkins Orchestra podcast Vicky and Rithik interview David Michael Hyde, the composer of "Christmastide," a piece being commissioned by the Tompkins orchestra and choir.

Hyde shares that his love for the holiday inspired the piece, and the central message is a timely reminder "not to forget what it's truly all about" amid the busy holiday season. The lyrics are largely based on a public domain poem by Lahi Brown Allen, supplemented by a refrain and a bridge Hyde contributed.

Hyde discusses his creative process, which is influenced by his background in film scoring. He encourages aspiring student composers to "just start writing what you hear in your head" and to lean on music as a "friend". His ultimate goal is to inspire young people through his music

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It's Pie Day! Hosts Vicki and Rithik are joined by orchestra presidents and violin-playing seniors, Aimee and Jooni (Jooni, a.k.a. J-Dog), to dissect the most chaotic social of the year!

The seniors reveal the full Pie Day itinerary, which includes serving many awesome pies—like the highly anticipated matcha pie for all the "performative males" who bring their wired headphones, tote bags, and feminist literature.

Get ready for intense competition! Winners of four separate games will earn the prestigious honor of pie-ing either Ms, Marts, Mr. Porter, Jooni, or Aimee in the face. Learn about the games, plus, hear the essential advice for the balloon popping competition: wear your big shoes and "eat a lot of pie so you can increase of gravity" (F=ma)!

Beyond pie and shaving cream, the presidents drop some serious, spontaneous, and slightly questionable revelations. Hear Jooni discuss her "aura farming" jacket, Aimee share her thanks for her best friend Jooni, and listen to an impromptu rap attempt. Finally, the senior presidents discuss their dormant rock band, "The Cogs", and debate life's biggest questions—like when it's okay to make poop jokes and whether your GPA actually matters.

Don't miss the fun, the food, and the exposed secrets in this last Pie Day episode for the seniors!

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Join hosts Vicky and Rithik on the Tompkins Orchestra podcast as they welcome Stanford, a freshman piano player at Tomkins. This episode explores the unique experience of what it’s like to be a piano player in orchestra.

Stanford, who transitioned from playing violin in middle school, discusses the rewarding aspects of his new role, noting that while the piano supports the orchestra, its scarcity (usually only one or two pianists per orchestra) brings attention. Learn how orchestra pianists often serve as "filler," supporting the ensemble by playing instruments like the celesta, bells, organ, and triangle.

Stanford also provides insight into the high school region piano audition process, highlighting the difference between the competitive atmosphere of region violin and the smaller, more harmonious community of pianists. He emphasizes that the orchestra piano experience is unique, requires a strong focus on rhythm, and offers astronomically more opportunities than middle school piano

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Get ready for an insightful and hilarious dive into the high-stakes world of competitive high school orchestra! Hosts Vicki and Rithik of the Tomkins Orchestra podcast welcome two special guests: Arjun, a successful senior violinist, and Dhruv, a freshman violist.

In this must-listen episode, we break down the recent region orchestra auditions and look ahead to the upcoming area auditions.

You'll also get some freshman perspective: Hear Dhruv’s "very novel perspective" on his first high school audition experience, including the shock of seeing all the region's top players gathered in the same room.

The group also discusses the excitement of the high school orchestra's structure and freedom, and previews their ambitious upcoming performance: scoring the 1920 silent film classic, Nosferatu, live.

Don't be a bum—tune in now for tips, laughs, and generational thoughts!

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What happens when the world of music and the world of yoga collide?

Join hosts Vicki and Rithik as they welcome 10th-grade violinist Aaptika and 11th-grade violist Ojaswee to discuss their upcoming yoga relaxation session, a key event designed to help students prepare for the "very, very stressful" high school region orchestra auditions.

Aaptika and Ojaswee, who have practiced yoga since they were four and seven years old respectively, delve into the benefits of yoga, explaining how it is good for the cardiovascular system by relaxing the heart rate, activating neurons to help process more information, and significantly boosting personal confidence. Hear why even those who are "awful at yoga" or suffer from social anxiety should attend, as the instructors assure listeners that "everybody starts off bad" and the important part is to simply try, or, in the great words of Nike, "just do it".

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In this archival episode of the Tuning into Tomkins Orchestra's podcast (from 2024), we welcome Tompkins' graduated senior Mr. Jake Jiang, a four-time region orchestra member and three-time all-state musician.

Jake joins the host and co-host Vicki to tackle one of music's toughest challenges: performance anxiety and choking moments during high-stakes auditions. Jake admits that nervousness is a natural feeling when you care about something, but he shares how focusing on the shared feeling of nervousness among competitors can alleviate stress.

Learn Jake's philosophy for turning nervous energy into "excellent" music. He advises musicians to concentrate on the musical aspect, focusing on sound quality ("tone") and expression, rather than getting caught up in technical details like shifting. The ultimate goal is making music and sharing the joy of it. When performing, Jake focuses on getting that "juicy vibrato," stressing the importance of looking at the "big picture".

We also explore handling inevitable setbacks. Jake explains that when a mistake occurs during a performance, a musician must compress the "five stages of grief" into a single second and "move on," a concept he relates to the "fleeting nature of life".

Tune in to hear Jake’s wisdom; a blend of musical and life philosophy that applies not just to orchestra auditions, but to job interviews and other fearful occasions.

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Join co-hosts Vicky and Rithik for this quick catch-up episode, Generational Thoughts, as they reflect on how they’re doing and share their “big plans.” It’s officially October, the schedule is getting intense, but there’s still the rewarding feeling of being “proud of what you’ve done afterwards.”
In this episode, they unpack the whirlwind orchestra calendar, featuring:
The quest for TMEA, Region, and All-State auditions
Preparing for the Masquerade Serenade concert at the end of the month
Vicky’s “a little stressful” senior-year college deadlines
They also recap the recent International Food Fest, debate the likelihood of a scary movie social, and even question the scientific validity of a 24-hour playing challenge (spoiler: breaks are essential).
Plus, stay tuned for the latest fine arts hall happenings, including news on the theater production Nevermore - a show about Edgar Allan Poe that just happens to need a viola player. And, of course, there are callbacks to past episode favorites like “matcha men” and “comparative men.”
Don’t miss Vicky and Rithik’s one-of-a-kind, delightfully off-track generational thoughts!

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