CSIHS Annual Arts Reception 4/23

For CSIHS, their halls this week housed more than just student work—they held ambition and identity. 

At the annual arts reception, the building transformed into something closer to a gallery than a school. Hallways and the auditorium became curated spaces, carrying a steady current of families, teachers, and students moving from song to song, from piece to piece, pausing not just to look, but to interpret. It wasn’t simply an exhibition—it was a statement about what young artists see when they look at the world, and what they want others to notice.

To commence this special night, CSIHS’s Drum Circle (Advanced Ensemble) performed three songs for attendees. They performed an emotional and cinematic rendition of “Clocks” by Coldplay; going into a fun and upbeat mood playing “Shut Up And Dance With Me” by WALK THE MOON; and finally closing the performance with a relaxed and chill jazz rendition of “Skate” by Bruno Mars with Silk Sonic. Rose Couchon, the director and teacher of Drum Circle, went on to give a surprise speech for Drum Circle senior Rebecca Ella Poplawski, the main keyboardist. Using the speech Poplawski wrote, Couchon brought tears to everyone’s eyes with not only the moving speech, but also with how personal and special this moment was to all. The speech read as follows: 

“In the context of an Advanced Ensemble, connectivity moves past being a general concept and becomes a tangible, auditory reality. It is a space where the ‘network’ isn't made of wires or data, but of human intuition, interdependence, and the deliberate integration of individual creativity into a collective sound.

        At the heart of Drum Circle (CSI High School’s Advanced Ensemble) is the balance between individual agency and group synergy. Unlike a novice group that might rely on a single leader to dictate the pulse, an advanced ensemble requires each member to arrange their own parts autonomously. One percussionist might weave a complex, syncopated rhythm on the drums, while another finds a melodic pocket on the glockenspiel or xylophone. This isn't a chaotic clash of instruments; it is a beneficial exchange. This level of positive interplay requires a deep chemistry—an unspoken agreement that the song is a living fabric that everyone is responsible for weaving.

        Beyond the technicality of the music, Drum Circle represents the emotional core of connectivity: a profound sense of belonging. When a small band creates a complex arrangement in real-time, they are experiencing a form of kinship through sound. There is a specific closeness that occurs when a group ‘locks in,’ reaching a point where individual identities seem to blur and the ensemble begins to move as a single organism. For example, a sudden shift in dynamics—like a collective drop to a whisper or a shared crescendo—demonstrates a level of communication that transcends words. This is connectivity in its most literal and figurative form; the vibrations of the instruments are physically felt, while the emotional bond of shared creation proves how deeply we are all connected.

        Ultimately, Drum Circle serves as a microcosm of how connectivity functions in the wider world. It demonstrates that true integration does not require the loss of the self. Instead, it suggests that we are at our most connected when we bring our unique, creative ‘parts’ to the table and consciously arrange them to fit the greater whole. In the rhythmic closeness of the ensemble, we find a blueprint for collaboration: a system where every voice is distinct, yet every beat belongs to the same pulse.”

Then, Clare Forte, art teacher, went on stage with student Lorenzo Isakovski to announce and introduce families to the exhibitions outside. There were beverages and refreshments outside awaiting families. Friends were able to connect over the shared interests of music and art and brought together a beautiful night. Events like this highlight something that doesn’t always show up in standard metrics: the ability to think critically, to take risks, and to communicate ideas visually. In a school environment often defined by deadlines and assessments, the arts reception carved out space for something more open-ended—and arguably more honest.

By the end of the evening, the crowd thinned, but the work remained, quietly occupying the walls. Long after conversations ended, the pieces continued to do what they were made to do: ask questions, hold attention, and leave impressions that don’t disappear as quickly as grades do.

If the reception proved anything, it’s that the artists at CSI High School aren’t waiting to be heard. They’re already speaking—you just have to be willing to look closely enough to listen. - Rebecca Ella Poplawski Some additional photos:

To see more, visit CSIHS photo album on there website!