On a sunny Saturday afternoon, Lexington High School senior Delia Tsouvalas sang rock music on her front porch with the School of Rock’s House Band. A few minutes away, LHS senior Vyom Srivastava played the piano with the Jazz Combo in front of the Munroe Center for the Arts. All across town, other musicians showcased their music to welcoming audiences around Lexington, who were eager to enjoy the free outdoor concerts while appreciating the last few days of summer.
“A lot of neighbors came, a lot of friends and family. They would come even from out of town,” Tsouvalas said. “We rented out a popcorn machine, we ordered pizza later in the day, and had lemonade [for the audience to enjoy]… and people brought little lawn chairs so you could sit in front of the garage loft.”
On Sept. 27, Tsouvalas, Srivastava, and other LHS students performed in Lexington’s third annual Porchfest. The event, which featured dozens of musical artists performing across various porches and public spaces in Lexington, provided a memorable experience for the students.
For Tsouvalas, Porchfest was not a new experience. Tsouvalas’ band, the House Band, is an audition-only band for students under 18 that regularly accepts gigs and performs live.
“Last year we had the House Band play, and we did it again this year. We played about an hour[-long] set,” Tsouvalas said.
For the LHS Jazz Combo, a jazz ensemble comprising seven LHS students, Porchfest served as a lower-stakes concert that allowed them to prepare for future performances.
“[It was] our first concert of the year, so we test[ed] out a lot of material. We g[o]t to see what works and what doesn’t, in front of a local, very receptive, very friendly audience,” Srivastava said. The Jazz Combo has also previously performed at Porchfest.
Because the event simulated an actual concert where many variables could go wrong, performers gained valuable experience learning how to adapt during unexpected scenarios.
“Porchfest [offered], from a very technical perspective, a great opportunity to practice playing outdoors. It offers you the ability to improvise and adapt, if, say, the wind blows your music away,” Srivastava remarked.
Families like Tsouvalas’ volunteered their porches to host musicians across town. Other members of the community also contributed to making the day enjoyable for all.
“Both my parents spent a long time making sure everything was clean, and then friends and neighbors brought tents so people could be out of the sun,” Tsouvalas said. The community also helped get word out about the House Band’s performance via flyers and posters.
To Srivastava, Porchfest offered a unique marketing opportunity for his musical career.
“A lot of people have also seen me perform at Porchfest, and have contacted me or talked to me, and it’s helped me spread my music,” Srivastava noted.
While Porchfest was a town-wide event, many performers came from other towns, and even as far as the state of Delaware. Both Tsouvalas and Srivastava were excited to see familiar faces among the performers and audience members. Former LHS and Jazz Combo alum Kira Daglio Fine performed a number with her band, and Stephen Feifke, a Grammy-winning jazz pianist who attended LHS a decade ago, was also in attendance.
“It was really amazing to see so many generations of Lexingtonians and Lexington High School alumni involved in this festival. I think that really speaks to the kind of community that Porchfest tends to bring together,” Srivastava said.
Despite Tsouvalas and Srivastava being more experienced performers, they both emphasized that Porchfest was accessible for newer musicians.
“There are always opportunities to make music in Lexington. You don’t have to be a part of the orchestra or be in a band… Porchfest is a nice place to start, because it’s a very friendly audience who’s going to just be happy to be there,” Tsouvalas said.
Srivastsava agreed that the supportive community present during Porchfest made the event memorable.
“I believe that [for] such a community both within music and within the space of the town, the sense of community that you gain is really, really special.”
