By Timothy Leoncio
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The musical medleys presented by the Mililani complex schools in the annual Choral Festival held on March 12 in the MHS gymnasium was not only a chance for the music department to showcase the different choruses but also an opportunity for Senior Daniel Bayot to show his abilities being the first student to have the honor of acting as conductor for the chorus.
“The last time I participated in this festival was as an elementary schooler at Kipapa Elementary,” said Bayot, “So it’s fun coming back, however many years later after elementary school as a high schooler that I used to look up to.”
Bayot not only directed the first year chorus, Choice of Voice, but also helped choose the piece “The Road Home”, the soloist and led the rehearsals. “He’s very knowledgeable of the music,” said Fine Arts teacher and head conductor Keane Ishii, “It was all prepared by him. (It was) done very well.”
Of his years teaching, it was the first time Ishii had offered a student to take the responsibility of conducting. Yet Bayot’s musical experience made him the prime choice for the job. “This kid’s like a prodigy,” stated first-year soloist Sophomore Genevieve Castaneda, “He’s pretty much in every musical production that this school has ever produced. He’s very admirable and humble as well.”
The opportunity was not without its challenges as Bayot had to face the task of instructing his own peers. “I was a little intimidated at first because I wasn’t sure how the students would respond to a student teaching them. (But) this is the best group I could’ve worked with because they’re so attentive and respectful and they respond to everything I say and ask of them,” said Bayot.
The success of Bayot’s work was well noted by his teachers and peers. “I’m very proud. I know that in the coming years his name will start popping up in the greater world of music, so it’s humbling in that way too,” confirmed Ishii, “It’s like you know how much he’s going to accomplish, so it’s wonderful just to be a part of it.”
The festival acted as a stepping stone in the path of his future musical career. Bayot said, “It’s been a privilege to work with such a wonderful group of singers and I’m really going to miss them when I graduate. It’s a fantastic opportunity for me to practice for college when I’ll be conducting. I have a head start.”
Bayot will continue to pursue music, while representing the good character and talent that the Mililani Festival hopes to inspire in the up and coming generation of musicians.
