By Charlotte Glass, Staff Writer
// The melodious sounds of the celebrated composers Peter Warlock, Mozart, and Johann Sebastian Bach echoed throughout the Acalanes High School auditorium, spotlighting the exceptional talent of the school’s students. It was what some consider to be the most popular performance by the instrumental department, the Winter Instrumental Concert. Families and students gathered Wednesday, Dec. 12 to hear the breathtaking offering from the Acalanes Symphonic Band, Chamber Orchestra, and Women’s Ensemble.
“I really liked getting to watch the other classes play. It was very interesting to see. It also gives us a chance to show off what we’ve learned and to see our improvement,” sophomore violinist Sidney Zimmerman said.
Performances, spread periodically throughout the year, allow the musicians to demonstrate their steady progression. The Winter Instrumental acts as the closest thing to the halfway point through the year-long process of development.
Along with flexing their musical abilities, instrumentalists appreciate the opportunity to bring listeners joy.
“We get to play and share music with the community. I think it’s fun to hear music being played and played well,” sophomore violinist Anubhav Dawadi said.
The symphonic band’s captivating Christmas medley infused a sense of holiday cheer and excitement into the audience. Both Dawadi and sophomore saxophonist Liam Varela said with smiling faces that the symphonic band’s Christmas medley was not only a crowd favorite but theirs as well. Varela also noted that getting to play Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride” was the most exciting part of the night.
“The Winter Instrumental Concert is the highlight of all of the fall and winter performances. It’s Christmas time, we’re playing Christmas music, and everyone loves Christmas,” Varela said.