Issaquah’s Greenwood and Chamber Strings Winter Concert was a tremendous performance that exuded festive holiday cheer.

Greenwood Orchestra’s third song “Milonga del Angel” by Astor Piazolla was particularly beautiful. My foot could not help but tap during the song while the sweet tune lulled me into a state of enchantment. The jazzy and rhythmic melody surely captivated the audience. It was a welcomed contrast from their two previous overtures.

The Chamber Strings adaption of “Serenade for Strings” by Edward Elgar in both Allegro and Largetto was also refreshing. The brisk tempo of Allegro followed by the slower pace of Largetto allowed the audience to hear two very different versions of the song.

“Winter Solstice” by Todd Parish included a projected reindeer on the back of the stage- a nice touch of winter spirit. The transition from Piano to Forte in the opening of the song was executed masterfully. The jingles played by the percussion were playful while the orchestra’s tone was more serious.

The final song of the concert “Appalachian Snowfall” by O’Neill/Kinkel had the violins who were situated on the left hand side of the stage playing a separate part to the cellos and basses who were seated on the right hand side of the stage.  The song began slow and quiet and in the blink of an eye transitioned to fast and loud. It was in this song that a bongo player from the percussion had a solo albeit a brief one.

Senior Jacob Lessing, a viola player from Greenwood, said, “I was extremely pleased with the group’s performance tonight. I thought we were all synchronized and I thought it came out better than any of our rehearsals. It was truly a testament to the hard work that we’ve been putting in this year.”  Lessing summed up the performance as it was incredible.

Junior Declan Treacy in the Chamber Strings group echoed a similar sentiment to Lessing. He said that “the energy tonight was amazing. I felt like we were feeding off each other’s enthusiasm. It was one of my favorite performances. The director Ms. Weitzsacker is amazing I love working with her.”

The musicians were treated to warm embraces and cookies in the commons after the performance. There was laughter, tears, and expressions of personal triumph. While the sports may receive a majority of the attention in high school it is important to recognize that the performing arts department is working just as hard to put together astounding performances.