Greenwood Orchestra and Chamber Strings put on yet another impressive concert performance this past Thursday, Dec. 13. Upon entering the theater, the festive trees and snowflake lights immediately put me in a soothing winter atmosphere that would soon be accentuated by a seemingly flawless performance by Issaquah High School’s orchestra students. The crowd was far from empty, with a large number of students’ families and friends taking some time to come to see them perform.

Each song they had prepared was well-practiced and executed without mistakes, as the students all remained very poised and professional. Spectator Richard Jia noted that “it was very soothing. I feel soothed. The lighting and decorations were very nice.” The third to last song was especially impressive in my opinion, as the entire group of performers were able to remain completely in sync with each other throughout the entire song. The show ended with two holiday-inspired hybrids, mixing several Hanukkah songs and “Deck the Halls” with more traditional orchestra pieces. The last song kept me slightly on my toes as I was unsure of where it was going at some moments; however one could hardly say there was much to complain about.

On the concert as a whole, junior and Greenwood member Jacob Lessig commented, “I thought it was really fun. It was really exciting at the end to join together with the Chamber ensemble for the holiday songs.”  The lineup of songs was able to blend holiday music into the set without feeling cliche or unprofessional. Orchestra teacher Leah Weitzsacker said, “I think both orchestras played really well, and the combined pieces went smoothly. The kids did a great job. They had fun playing their music and brought their best last night.”

The concert finished with a reception in the Issaquah commons area, that included cake and sparkling apple cider, thanks to the kind request of Jacob Lessig to provide refreshments for the audience. Never considering myself at all a fan of orchestra music, this concert not only made me realize how much I could enjoy it, but also provided a remarkably pleasant ending to a Thursday evening. Issaquah’s orchestra will be holding it’s next concert for Evergreen on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 4:00 pm in the Longman Performing Arts Center at Issaquah High School.