Elizabeth Palumbo ‘19:
A crucial member of the EA musical community, Josh Wang ‘18 is a cellist and preformer who has made a strong impact on the musicians around him. Josh began playing the cello in the fourth grade at his prior school, Ithan Elementary School, and he has greatly enjoyed playing the instrument ever since. He says, “My favorite part [of playing the cello] is being able to recreate all the music that you hear and the music that you love.”
Wang participates in both the Orchestra and Chamber Ensemble at Episcopal.
He feels that Episcopal offers many opportunities for musicians to perform and learn from each other. He says, “There are the winter and spring concerts, there’s chapel, [and] there are different groups that you can play with. Sometimes I get to play with the choir or the band.” Wang especially likes playing with musicians outside of the orchestra. One of his most memorable performances integrated the orchestra, band, and choir. He says, “That was cool because we usually never play together. We played a recital at Dunwoody Retirement Home, and afterwards one of the [residents] came up to us and said he was an alumnus of EA, and that was interesting.”
Wang also auditioned for and received a spot in the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) District 12 Orchestra in 2015. The Orchestra allowed him to play with a diverse group of musicians. “That’s a cool experience because you get to work with a new conductor and a lot of new people. The music is different from what you play at school because we don’t have a full orchestra with all the winds and percussion. So, there’s a lot more repertoire that you can play when you have such a large orchestra.”
In addition to cello, Josh also practices calligraphy. He considers calligraphy to
be a good way to make taking notes more entertaining. He explains, “A lot of what we do in school is just writing down and copying and sometimes it becomes a routine copying down the same letters day in and day out. So, when you can do something interesting with it makes life a lot more interesting at school.” His diverse interests demonstrate a commitment to the arts, especially expressed within the EA community.
James Finegan, Middle and Upper School Orchestra teacher, greatly appreciates Wang’s devotion to music. He says, “Josh is a very enthusiastic musician. I feel like music is really in his blood. I think you can tell that with certain kids. Some people just play music as something they like to do, but Josh lives and breathes music. It comes naturally.”
Finegan believes that Wang’s ability to listen to criticism and curiosity about music make him a good musician and example to other students. Finegan says, “He always has good questions to ask. He’s a good leader through leading by example. He is very responsive to any type of criticism or input that I have as a teacher. He soaks everything up.” He also feels that Wang brings good energy to the Chamber Ensemble and Orchestra. He says, “He keeps us all loose, and he has this great sense of humor but he knows when to be serious.” He continues, “He’s just so quirky and interesting, but so incredibly intelligent and musical, and I really like that combination. Those are the kinds of artists that I find really interesting, even as adults.”
Wang’s fellow Chamber Ensemble members admire his musical skill and the cheerful atmosphere he brings to rehearsal. Owen Maier ‘20, a fellow cellist, says, “He’s so good at cello, and he’s so passionate and enthusiastic about it. Every single time I go [to rehearsal] I never see him down or unhappy to be in there and to play.” He continues, “It just kind of brings everybody else up with him too, because when you’re playing with him you kind of feel good about it, even if you don’t really want to be playing the cello, or viola, or flute at that very moment. He kind of gets you going.” Emma Humann ‘19, a flutist, also feels that Wang helps make Chamber Ensemble practices lighthearted and enjoyable. She says, “He definitely boosts the energy, and he’s just a fun person to be around and play with because he’s really talented.” Sejin Park ‘20, a violist, views Josh’s musical abilities and character as an integral part of the group. He says, “It’s hard to see Chamber Ensemble without Josh.” Wang’s teachers and peers believe that he tangibly contributes to musical life at EA, supporting a culture of enthusiasm. He plans to continue this dedication through the remainder of his time at the school.