Practicing their pieces before the concert, the sound of the 39 students, from the Concert and Philharmonic Orchestra, and Symphonic Orchestra, playing to their own tune sounded like anything but coordinated. When both Orchestras walked onto the stage, bows in the air, prepared to play, the only sound projected was pure music. 

Starting off the night strong, the Concert and Philharmonic Orchestra played an upbeat piece called “Yo Ho Ho!” by Carrie Lane Gruselle. This kick off gave the audience only a glimpse of the intensity these students, and instruments, were going to bring as the night went on.

Once the Concert and Philharmonic Orchestra concluded all of their pieces, it was time for the Symphonic Orchestra’s time to shine. Their first piece they were performing was “Polish Folk Suite,” which was written by Rollins himself. This was a piece that the entire orchestra took pride in, and put so much dedication into getting it nearly perfect for the performance. So much so that the orchestra performed this piece without the conducting of Rollins, and instead relied on their own tempo.

In the final piece, “Turtlewood Stomp” by Matthew Gelfer, junior Ella Felza was able to have a solo with just her and her violin. “I was anxious because it was improv, so I was just sort of playing what came in my head at that moment. I felt like I choked up in the middle and I realized it, but it was okay,” Felz said.

Not only did Felz do an amazing job, but the orchestra as a whole, between the two sections, produced a breathtaking performance for many to enjoy. “It was good, better than the rehearsal we just had. There’s still room for improvement though for these pieces, but I think it was overall good,” junior Alexis Males said.

The music produced by the orchestra was amazing, but the atmosphere created by the students who compiled the orchestra was even better. Most of these students have been part of the orchestra since their middle school years, and are now still working together throughout high school.

“I just look forward to the continued growth of the program. I’ve really been impressed with the family that gets created in orchestra,” Rollins said. “A lot of them come back and just want to be a part of it. It just seems like everyone buys in, wants to be here, and wants to have a really good concert all the time.”

This may have been the first concert for the orchestra’s school year, but it certainly will not be the last. The next concert will be held Feb. 13, and it will also include the eighth graders from Marlowe and Heineman Middle School. “We are doing a full concert with them. Last year we did that, and we only played one piece with them combined, and now this time we are doing three,” Rollin said.