Artistic expression and musical creativity converged in a vibrant celebration at Maggie L. Walker Governor's School during the annual Youth Art and Music Month event (YAMM). Echoing the harmonies of music and the brushstrokes of imagination, the event served as the culmination of months of dedication from Maggie Walker students to put on the best show possible. From captivating performances to awe-inspiring displays, YAMM showcased the boundless talent and ingenuity of the Maggie Walker Visual and Performing Arts Department. At Maggie Walker, approximately 441 students, over half of the student body, are enrolled in fine arts classes. While our student body is small compared to other high schools in Virginia, Maggie Walker consistently competes and wins at a high level, with 52 students winning Scholastic Art and Writing Awards this year and nine students going to South Central Regional Orchestra, of which two went on to participate in Virginia All-State Orchestra. 

When asked about the preparation for YAMM, Indira Mudinur (‘27), a chorus student at Maggie Walker, said, “We did a bunch of sight-reading. Since just a couple of months ago, we’ve been progressively doing more sight-reading, and we’ve been making it more challenging. Even after YAMM, we’ve moved around in our sections to get a different blend and balance.” Mr. Hall, the Visual and Performing Arts Department Chair, said, “There’s a lot of planning. We are planning for at least a month or so in advance, but all the work has been happening all along.” Students typically work on their art pieces over the course of the entire school year in addition to their artist statements, which explain the art and its purpose. Meanwhile, Matthew Bond (‘25), a student in Advanced Band, explained, “Both the intermediate and advanced bands combine for YAMM, so the most difficult part is coordination between the two classes.” To make sure that everyone is on the same page, the two bands had weekly after school rehearsals together to make sure that both groups got used to playing with each other.

When asked about the significance of YAMM, Mudinur replied that it was “nice to have both visual and performing arts all be together in one place.” Similarly, Bond expressed the satisfaction of being able to give students an outlet to express their work: “YAMM is a good way to showcase all the things we can do, kind of like the language fair or multicultural assembly.” Hall said that the most important aspect of the event is that it “showcases how incredibly lucky we are to be in a school that has such a depth of talent of individual and performing arts. We are a school for government and international studies, but we offer so many different types of opportunities for students to pursue their passions.” 

YAMM highlighted Maggie Walker’s diverse student body, blended visual and performing arts, and served as a way for students to show off their talents. It took a lot of preparation from the students and faculty, including working on sight reading and experimentation, writing artist statements, and planning weekly after school rehearsals. YAMM is a great reminder to students, teachers, and anyone looking to come to Maggie Walker that we have something for everybody.