In a collectively-held anticipatory breath, the audience faced the stage as glowing swaths of colorful light illuminated dozens of string instrumentalists, their bows lifted in equal excitement. A conductor raised two thin batons, and a euphony of strings filled the air. An aerial performer, twisting through two delicate ribbons, mirrored the music's swells.
That conductor was Blythewood High School orchestra director Julie Anne Russell. She had prepared for this moment, the April 28 performance “Out of the Ashes,” for over a year. Her orchestra included more than 100 Blythewood students.
The concert exemplified the success of a long-underscored goal of arts educators in the Columbia area—to have a performing arts space that could do justice to students with unlimited artistic potential. The Richland Two Performing Arts Center was unveiled in 2021 as a proscenium-style venue with a seat capacity of 1,175. Its opening marked a milestone in the Columbia performing arts scene, especially for Richland Two students.
Russell, who is also the South Carolina American String Association president, region chair of the South Carolina Orchestra Division and a director of the University of South Carolina Campus Orchestra, spoke of the fulfillment the center has brought for her, her colleagues and her students.
“It has allowed my orchestra program to do things that it would never have been able to do here in our own school auditorium,” Russell said.
The center presents opportunities for new pieces that were previously infeasible.
“What this performing arts center has allowed for us to do is to get more creative and innovative and think outside the box,” Russell said.
Since its unveiling, the center has hosted a myriad of concerts and theatrical performances, primarily focusing on middle and high school students. Its spaciousness allows for a larger cast of creatives to perform on stage and includes dedicated private spaces, such as advanced dressing rooms. To Russell and her orchestra, the sophistication means a lot.
“When you put on a tuxedo, or you put on a black performing gown, you play a little differently than when you’re just in sweatpants,” Russell said. “And the same is true for the space that you walk into.”
To Russell, a sophisticated environment elevates performance quality.
“Students rise to the occasion of professionalism and excellence when that’s what you’re surrounded by,” she said.
This level of professionalism is upheld by a small, yet dedicated ‘skeleton crew’ of staff, especially Paula Pickreign, director of the PAC. With a decade of experience in technical support on and off Broadway, she brings a passion to her work at the new center. Her main focus is to make this resource, and the education it provides, readily available to all 28,316 of the county’s students, which can be challenging.
“The thing is, this building is for everyone,” Pickreign explained. “It doesn’t matter if you teach at a Title I school or if you teach at one of our schools that have much larger budgets. Everything is still the same.”
With her expertise, she helps students learn about the work behind the scenes. According to Pickreign, creating equity in a district this large can feel impossible. But for her and other educators, the space allows the arts and students to flourish.
“They’re still going to put their hands on the same soundboard,” Pickreign said. “They’re going to put their hands on the same lightboard. They’re going to learn how to use our fly system—they’re going to learn every single thing.”
Russell explained that the inspiration for “Out of the Ashes” came from a vision of triumph.
“We started planning a concert where the music that the students will be playing kind of has an Arabian, Middle Eastern flair to it,” Russell said. “And we paired that with the idea of a phoenix, which is a mythical creature that after it's destroyed, or seems destroyed, rises up out of the ashes.”
During several pieces, three aerialists performed above and behind the orchestra, which was positioned center stage. Behind them was a light screen of shifting vivid colors. Multiple conductors alternated directing, creating a cohesive and electric performance.
The audience erupted in thunderous applause at the final note of each piece. The long-awaited show represented the culmination of months of dedicated practice and demonstrated what young performers can achieve in a space designed for them.
For Lisa Rayner, Richland Two’s fine arts coordinator with 32 years of K-12 education experience, “Out of the Ashes” represented the pinnacle of creativity fostered by investment in the arts. Its combination of the two art forms was both unexpected and seamless.
“I think that the creativity of it all kind of opens up possibilities for students to get to think creatively and to interact with people they might not normally interact with,” Rayner said.
For her, the most exciting part was the positivity it created.
“It’s really just the reaction, the experiences of the students and their parents, and just the pure joy, happiness and pride that they have in this beautiful new space — and the fact that they are special enough to be able to perform in this beautiful space,” Rayner said. “I see that they feel elevated.”
The investment in the concert and its venue represents more than money. It’s a symbol of the necessity of fine arts in education. In a time where the arts can be underappreciated, Rayner stresses music's importance as a core subject.
“What I would say is that it humanizes,” Rayner explained. "It’s a human aspect to our learning, and our growth and our well-rounded education. These students are learning skills like how to cooperate, work with others, be part of a team and have someone depend on you.”
Performances held at the PAC highlight the hard work and coordination of budding professionals in the arts. For experienced educators and directors, carrying that passion and investment into adulthood is crucial.
“Music is for everyone,” Russell said. “The arts are for everyone. I have never met an adult who’s ever said, ‘I’m so glad I stopped playing the cello; I’m so glad I stopped playing the flute.’”
Russell believes the arts create space for beauty that carries throughout life, like the image of a phoenix.
“I think beauty is one of those things that help us the most when we need it most,” Russell said. “When you’re down or sad or you’re going through struggles, the laundry basket is not going to relieve that stress or anxiety—it’s going to be listening to an artist, or going to a play, or gathering your friends together and singing songs around a campfire.”
Richland Two encompasses more than 28,000 students, each of whom now has the potential to participate in the fine arts at a higher level. “Out of the Ashes” demonstrated the impact resources like the PAC have had on students' talent development. Russell stresses that this expansion in access is momentous in the field of education, reminding all audience members, budding artists and policymakers to keep paying attention.
“So, make sure you’re not counting us out,” Russell said. “When there is policy being shifted and money’s being talked about, we have to be careful that we don’t get rid of the things that matter.”
