At the very end of the West High music hall, 53 students tuned their instruments. It was barely 9 a.m., the start of first period, but orchestra director Gabrielle Whitfield kept the energy high — paying special attention to the last few rows.
“It's kind of the easiest place to hide, but can be the secret weapon if you know how to use it, right?” she said. “Okay, share, especially if you're in the last row.”
Whitfield waved her baton and the room filled with the swell of music. The familiar sounds of cellos, basses and violins resonated through the space. But nestled somewhere between the different melodies, two violins and a viola stood out. All three are much higher quality than the typical school-issued instruments. A local 26-year-old surgical technician and member of the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, Christian Johnson, provided the classroom additions on long-term loan.
“It's like a total gift fell in my lap, in the lap of the program,” Whitfield said.
From out of tune to opportunity
It started with an email Johnson sent to Whitfield earlier this semester.
Johnson wrote that he wanted to loan higher-quality instruments to the orchestra to motivate talented students. His own future in music was transformed in high school when he first played a viola with a richer sound. The experience altered the way he viewed instruments and pushed him to earn a bachelor's degree in viola performance. He wanted to spark the same feeling in others.
The idea simmered in the back of Johnson's mind for years before he reached out to Whitfield. There were programs at the collegiate level that gave students the opportunity to try different instruments, and Johnson wondered if he might be able to do the same for younger students.
While working as a substitute orchestra teacher at Romig Middle School, he saw his chance to bring the idea to life. Johnson was impressed by the orchestra students' dedication and skill, but not by the instruments they were using.
“I had this experience once when a student asked me if I could help tune his violin, right? And I was like, ‘Yeah, of course, absolutely,’” he recalled.
But when he grabbed the violin, he realized that it was in such bad shape, it was nearly impossible to tune.
Seeing students struggle with the entry-level instruments made him want to do something.
“I thought, man, I wish there was a way that, you know – if only there was a way that students could have a decent instrument that wouldn't necessarily break the bank,” he said. “If only there was some kind of program.”
Johnson chose to loan instruments to West because it’s the high school that Romig students eventually end up at. He bought the instruments out of pocket from Facebook Marketplace and then paid for them to be refurbished. He looked for ones that fit his budget but also had a great sound.
He started with the two violins and viola as a pilot project. In the coming years, he hopes to turn his efforts into a nonprofit foundation with the capacity to loan many more instruments. But for now, his goal is to buy one new instrument for the program each year.
“I'm pretty much just working and setting aside some money wherever I can,” he said.
A musical game of telephone
Johnson trusted Whitfield to choose which students should have the first three instruments. His only criteria: the students needed to be driven, responsible and consistent with their practice. Raziel Onofre-Alvarado, a junior at West, made the cut. He received a violin from the early 1900s this semester. At first, he found it a little intimidating, but after many late nights of practice, he said he’s warming up to it.
In the music hall, Onofre-Alvarado opened his case to reveal the aged wood of the violin. He plucked at one of the strings, mimicking the harsh twang of his old violin. Then he played the instrument again, demonstrating the rich sound of the new violin.
“It sounds a lot stronger, a lot more clear,” he said.
Onofre-Alvarado started playing the violin in sixth grade. He became serious about the instrument a few years ago and hasn’t looked back. His goal is to play professionally after high school. He said his new violin has also helped him connect with his Mexican heritage.
“Music has always been kind of part of my culture, my family,” he said. “There's a lot of little folk dances my family likes to play at parties and stuff like that, so I've always wanted to play for them and have them have a good time. And this instrument, as it's like richer and stronger, I feel more powerful and more confident to play with my family.”
And the impact of the instrument is not only noticeable in Onofre-Alvarado’s life but also in the entire orchestra, according to Whitfield.
“It's like a game of telephone,” she said. “When you've got somebody who's able to just be more expressive on their instrument and have a bigger presence, it makes everyone's presence bigger, because we're all connected.”
