By: Ani Janakiraman ’26
Every year, the entire Bellarmine community comes together for one major event. On Sunday, October 26th, Bellarmine clubs, co-curricular activities, music groups, and athletic teams welcomed aspiring eight grade families to the school. The Open House event provides students interested in Bellarmine the opportunity to internalize the meaning of the “brotherhood” and appreciate the wide array of clubs, student initiatives, and programs our school offers.
First, students and their families toured the campus with Bellarmine’s Arrupe Ambassadors and shadow guides, getting a glimpse into a student’s typical day in the life. Following the tours, they could explored the various stations hosted by Bellarmine students near Wade and the grass lawn in front of Liccardo.
© Bellarmine College Preparatory Instagram Account, Open House Video
In addition to learning new perspectives, this open house is significant because some individuals’ Bellarmine adventure begins at this very event. When someone better feels at home in a school like Bellarmine from the Open House, the jump from middle school to high school is less strenuous. As Arnfrid Pinto writes for the National Institute of Health (NIH), “recent research has increasingly pointed to a sense of belonging as an important factor. Maslow identifies belonging as an essential component of his hierarchy of needs, where individuals seek to be part of a group…Research indicates that when students feel a sense of belonging, their engagement increase and they experience greater personal well-being.”
In fact, most seniors and alumni believe that Bellarmine has “something for everyone. In addition to growing in one’s intellectual capabilities, people grow in moral character after attending Bellarmine.”
Toward the middle half of the Open House, the Bellarmine Chamber Orchestra (BCO), Symphonic Band, and Percussion groups began to perform. The Bellarmine Chamber Orchestra performed right outside the Sobrato building, playing their new musical repertoire. They performed a series of new pieces that challenged their musical expression and technical skills while impressing the crowd of parents and students. Pieces included Mahler’s Adagietto, Ernest Bloch’s Concerto Grosso, and Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. Jeffrey Bao ’26 and Bryan Im ’26 are both seniors in the orchestra and have played for all four years. Bryan is one of the most talented violists in the country, playing with the San Francisco Youth Symphony as the principal chair. The two mentioned that the orchestra has “lost some talented members from the previous year, especially in the cello section.” However, more freshman each year are joining once more, and that was especially true after seeing the splendid Open House performance. “We’re able to perform more difficult pieces than we’ve done in previous years, especially the Mahler piece. It requires all sections to coordinate together in rhythm along with strict intonation.” Other members of the orchestra, like Howard Qian ’26 and Atul Garlapati ’27, believe that they’ve been able to improve each year in their playing. Practice allows them to grow as performers, be it through the recording assignments they’ve had in class or the work they’ve put in yearly. Certainly, several families gathered around the orchestra, listening to their new pieces and appreciating the new sounds. Qian remembers the time when he was a freshman; he told us that “attending the Open House inspired him to join the BCO because he enjoyed playing in his middle school orchestra. He wanted to explore both cello and piano.”
© Minhngoc Nguyen, recordings of Bellarmine Orchestra performances
Following the performances, members of the orchestra stayed back at the music table inside Sobrato to answer any questions from the families. In addition to the orchestra, the symphonic band performed outside Sobrato right after the previous performances were wrapped up. The band is also a staple as part of Bellarmine’s talented music programs. You might find them at the football games at San Jose City College, but they also shine in concert settings and events like these.
© Minhngoc Nguyen, recordings of Bellarmine Orchestra performances
While Bellarmine has some of the most renowned athletics, speech, theater, or robotics programs in the country, the music program in orchestra, band, and percussion stand right with them.
Let’s hope that next year’s Open House continues to inspire more incoming freshmen and unite the Bellarmine brotherhood even more.
Ani is the Arts Editor for the Bell Online. In his free time, he enjoys playing sports with his friends. He consistently publishes articles about campus events, clubs, and a variety of topics.