Fall-elujah, North Atlanta! With the chill of crispy harvest air accompanied by the strum of choral, orchestral, and dance-related tunes, here’s your official reminder that ‘tis officially the season of Warrior song! While fall invites a number of season-centric events to look forward to, NAHS places a unique stamp of pride on the all-fall-exclusive showcases held by the performing arts department every year. These showcases, spearheaded by the orchestra & chorus, are designed to deliberately frame the unique sets of talent, experiences, and strengths accrued by performers by the end of their first term. However, this fall, a small divergence appeared in what is normally a pretty par-for-course NAHS tradition: during the Orchestra’s performance, the Philharmonic division welcomed their newest cohort, the North Atlanta Virtuosi.
NAHS’ orchestra has long been acknowledged for their exemplary record: award-studded, honors-ridden, and Carnegie Hall-bound for Spring ‘25- there’s nothing surprising about the arrival of yet another shiny new thing to add to this group’s repertoire. But the Virtuosi far exceeds the simple trophy-on-a-shelf trope: comprised of the Philharmonic orchestra’s (which, to-date, is the most advanced orchestral ensemble in NAHS history) best-of-the-best musicians, the Virtuosi is NAHSO’s proverbial 1%- you don’t get much better than them. Junior Romanya Watson, one of Virtuosi’s keystone members, described the initiative as relatively new, but burgeoning with a completely nouveau take on in-school student performances. “The virtuosi is kind of a hybrid program,” Watson said. “We’re like a student-led secret society guised as a professional subunit.”
‘Professional’ would be an empathetic understatement in most people’s books, nearly 100% autonomous from the events of the regular Philharmonic Orchestra, Virtuosi operates without the help of a director (sans the occasional aid from Director Stephen Lawrence) and members organize, curate, and deliver pieces of their choice- something nearly unheard of in the secondary arts scene- where most events are led solely by a conductor. Sophomore Graydon Linard, a specialist cellist with an impressive career spanning over 11 years, described his experience with the Virtuosi as completely one-of-a-kind. “As a cellist with years of solo performance under my belt, I think Virtuosi will be an incredible opportunity for me to grow and foster my skills,” Linard said, “even with our individual backgrounds, everyone can take away something from being a Virtuoso.”
With the passing of their first formal debut in October’s fall concert (where they presented a Dvořák-themed selection, including ‘Serenade in E Flat Minor’ & ‘New World Symphony’), the Virtuosi have proven that their elasticity, organic chemistry, and never-heard-before sound are enough to cement their place in the NAHS performance arts’ elite scene. And with their name officially aired out and open to the public, the season of song has declared this month as the making of some virtuous North Atlanta history!
