The music department at Blue Valley is full of highly talented students. A new wave of talent has been founded by the formation of the BV String Quartet. Senior Alan J. Richey founded the quartet in the winter of 2023, alongside seniors Ella Lim, Omar Hamarshi, and junior Taryn Dale. With a recommendation from his mentor, Richey was determined to turn his passion for music into an avocation.
“My private teacher had an opportunity that he wasn’t able to do, so he referred me to the client. I hit them up through text, and I asked the quartet if we wanted to go and provide the service,” Richey said. “We [went] up to The Plaza and did a Christmas party. After that we found that doing gigs was a good idea and super fun.”
As the quartet wants to expand their performance skills, they plan to get more involved by doing more concerts.
“We have done multiple paid gigs outside of school for private parties, retirement homes, you name it. We do it all,” Richey said. “It’s a pretty awesome experience, especially for a high school student organization.”
Over the past months, the quartet has enjoyed a busy schedule, while also making time to practice as a group.
“We tend to practice together based on when we have a gig and what music we have to prepare, so it could easily go from not very often to a lot,” Dale said. “All of us are involved in many extracurriculars so sometimes it is difficult to get everyone together but we are usually pretty good at making something work.”
After dedicating time to practice together, the group coordinates their music, ensuring they are fully prepared to deliver captivating performances at their upcoming events.
“Before we ever perform, we have to prepare certain selections of music based on what the vibe is going to be at the event,” Richey said. “When we get there, we are all professional, we synchronize our outfits and we perform a cute little set.”
With the holiday season approaching, the ensemble is excited to expand their performance skill and captivate new audiences.
“We’re hoping that we can get some regular gigs at retirement homes,” he said. “I’ve definitely given out information to random acquaintances about doing private parties so hopefully starting soon we can perform weekly gigs.”
This talented quartet is eager to expand their reach by securing more concerts in their favorite venues where they can share their passion for music.
“I became a part of this group because my friends wanted to start a more serious group of musicians,” Dale said. “My favorite part of this group is just being able to do something I love with some of my closest friends.”
