Gavi Azoff
Managing Editor of Arts
Every spring, Newton South students and staff gather to watch students perform in Tertulia, which is more widely known as the school’s talent show. Tertulia, however, is much more than a talent show. The annual event was established in 2000 in honor of Maxine Chansky, a former Newton South student who tragically passed away in 1997. As a dancer, Chansky was passionate about the arts, so it seemed fitting to her parents to designate a day dedicated to celebrating the arts in her memory.
This year, the annual show was held on Thursday, April 12. Although none of the current students knew Chansky, the annual tradition continues to keep her memory alive through a variety of performances. That being said, some find that Tertulia has evolved more into a day of celebrating each other’s talents than a day dedicated solely towards remembering a former South student. Sophomore Libby Jin, who danced at Tertulia for the first time, explains that she does not feel the obligation to perform in honor of Chansky, as she never knew her. Jin still appreciates the day and how the spirit of Tertulia brings people together.
“It’s kind of nice for one school day just to kind of have everybody be a part of this big activity that we’re doing all day,” said Jin.
Along with being an amazing way to celebrate the memory of Maxine Chansky, Tertulia is an incredible community for artists to explore their talents in. The performers are supportive of each other, and the crew members also have a strong friendship; together they create this special community. This year, junior Darby Wilson had the opportunity to be an MC during one of the blocks. While MCing is different from performances that Wilson is used to taking part in, she still enjoyed engaging the audience with her jokes. Wilson also sang for the third consecutive year. Over these past few years, She has found that regardless of what someone chooses to do in Tertulia, the community is unconditionally supportive.
“It is a fantastic community to explore your talents and work on fostering your skills in music, dance, comedy, magic, like whatever it is you plan on doing. Newton South is a great place to learn how to do those things, because you’re doing it in front of an audience who will just support you, and cheer for you, and love you, no matter what you do,” said Wilson.
Unfortunately, not everyone who performed had as positive of an experience. Junior Raquel Fisk played Chopin Sonata in b flat minor first movement on the piano, which was followed by a rap performance. The two genres of music are so different that in Fisk’s opinion, they simply do not sound right together.
“To have a rap song programmed right after a classical piece is not the wisest thing to do. With classical music… you need to let it breathe. Maybe a dance act would have been nice to transition the atmosphere as opposed to the rap. Rapping right after Chopin is a little disrespectful,” said Fisk.
Fisk knows that today, classical music is not as appreciated as it once was, and people generally prefer music rap music over it. Though the order of this year’s show is upsetting, Fisk hopes to play again in next year’s Tertulia and hopefully help people appreciate music as much as she does by enhancing her act.
“[Next year] I’d like to put on a bit more of a show with the music. Play with the lights a little more and request program orders,” said Fisk.
For Jin, Wilson, and Fisk, performing in front of a large crowd is not a new experience. They have all been doing so from a young age, so by now, it feels natural. Their respective talents allow them to show off what they love and feel good about themselves.
As of now, Jin, Wilson, and Fisk all plan to perform again in Tertulia next year. Hopefully, next year’s show will continue to carry on the tradition of celebrating the arts at South, in memory of Maxine Chansky.
