Barrows Featured Artists of June: Conor Tsang & Deepak Viswalingam

By Diana Bezdedeanu
 
“I might be biased. But I think that Wind Ensemble is one of the most valuable electives offered [at Westwood High School]. Not only can you build your resumé, but you have the opportunity to be part of a music-making machine. So although there is value in options for electives, and it’s beautiful that we have so many options, I just think if people knew how good Wind Ensemble really is, maybe more would choose it.”
 

This powerful sentiment was expressed by Deepak Viswalingam, Westwood High School junior, who, along with fellow WHS Class of 2025 member Conor Tsang, was accepted into the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) All-State Music Festival in March. Deepak received the highest score of any clarinet player that auditioned, while Conor received the second highest score amongst all tenor saxophones.
 

Conor began playing the alto saxophone in fifth grade, drawn to the allure of its melodic resonance, later switching to the tenor saxophone in middle school.
 

“I had seen older band kids playing the saxophone, and I thought it was cool,” Conor reflected. “It quickly became a part of who I am, especially as I started to delve into competitions and commit more time to playing.”
 

Similarly, Deepak’s affinity for the clarinet blossomed in elementary school, though in fourth grade.
 

“The clarinet has a really mellow sound, especially in the lower register, and it’s very unique and beautiful,” Deepak mused. “After hearing it, I knew instantly that this was the instrument I wanted to play.”
 

There are five MMEA districts in Massachusetts: Central, Eastern, Northeastern, Southeastern, and Western. Westwood is in the Eastern district, along with 20 – 30 other schools. Before the All-State Music Festival, there is a festival for each district, which includes all instruments from strings to winds to percussion to voice. Each student is given a piece of music to prepare, and a set of scales to memorize. In addition, during the audition, each student is presented with a couple of lines of computer-generated music that they have about 60 seconds to “sight-read” and then play as accurately as possible. Judges then tally up individual scores, and the highest members from each group of instruments get invited to audition for All-State, where this process repeats all over again. At Eastern districts, Conor and Deepak each received the highest score for their respective instruments.
 

They say practice makes perfect, and that couldn’t be more true when it comes to playing an instrument.
 

“Focusing on the fundamentals applies to every single musician, no matter what instrument you play.” Deepak emphasized. “Whether that’s scales or long tones, practicing the fundamentals at every level is so important. Also important – private teachers. The Prodigy program at Westwood, which we are both part of, has many good private teachers, but you can also find teachers around the greater Boston area. They’re the ones that hold you accountable and share about different opportunities, including the festivals.”
 

Looking ahead, Conor envisions music as a lifelong passion, a source of solace and joy amidst the tumult of life.
 

“It may transition into a hobby post-high school,” Conor admitted. “But I can’t imagine a life without music, so I might think about joining an ensemble in college to keep the melody alive.”
 

For Deepak, classical music has become a cornerstone of his identity, fueling his aspirations beyond high school.
 

“Over the past few years, I’ve developed a very strong passion for classical music, especially orchestral music. It’s probably the only thing I listen to these days. And I also play in an orchestra. So although I probably won’t go to music school, I plan to play in a community orchestra for my entire life.”
 

As they prepare to assume leadership roles in Wind Ensemble for the 2024 – 2025 school year, we have no doubt that Conor and Deepak are committed to encouraging underclassmen to further their music passion.
 

Congratulations Conor & Deepak for being our June Featured Artists! If you’d like to nominate an artist of any sort to be featured – music, acting, painting, drawing, sculpture, etc. – please email dbezdedeanu@bestversionmedia.com