Every year the Orchestra Pit performs with the cast of the musical. This year the show was Legally Blonde, and it was performed on February 19, 20, and 21.

The Pit provides students with experiences outside of the regular music classroom.

“[We get] to play with band members which we usually don’t get to do, and play with singers,” sophomore violinist Renita Wilson said.

However, these experiences also present new challenges that one would not face in any other musical environment. These challenges include trying to play new styles of music and learning what the symbols on the page mean.

“It’s exciting to play music other than classical music,” sophomore violinist Amira Bajracharya said. “There’s a variety of different types of music and different types of cues.”

The new director, Julie Danielson, took the position of director after Southwest lost its choir teacher last year. She has worked in professional shows including performing on Broadway. This helps the orchestra because she knows how to get the instruments and singers to blend well.

“I love collaboration and I love that musical theatre is such a collaborative art form,” Danielson said. “I love timing things with the actors and getting to create little melody lines in the orchestra that complement the melody lines onstage.”

Despite all the work put in by the students, they are not always recognized for what they do.

“You’re hidden in pit and you’re not in the spotlight,” Bajracharya said. “But you’re still just as important as any of the cast because without the music everything would fall apart.”

The cast, however, does appreciate the work that everyone puts into making the show happen.

“It’s the one reason I like musicals better than other stage productions,” junior ensemble singer Devin Bratkiv said. “The music builds the entire story so without that you can’t really have the same affect on the audience.”

Danielson explained that, in her opinion, the best reason to get involved in Pit Orchestra is because it provides experience for jobs in the future.

“Pit Orchestra is a way to use your instrument and be creative and still make money,” Danielson said. “I just think it is a really unique opportunity.”