The Issaquah High School Greenwood and Chamber orchestras played on December 12, 2025, just in the middle of the atmospheric river crossing through Washington. The weather caused setbacks for the musicians, as the floodwaters closed down all roads between IHS and the home of orchestra teacher and director Leah Weitzsacker. The musicians were unsure what to do until an unexpected guest stepped in to save the show: Doug Longman himself, the namesake of the very theater the orchestras would play in.
After a short introduction from Longman, the concert commenced. The Greenwood orchestra played first, starting off with the lively tune of Zoom! By Richard Meyer. The fast-paced, playful music served as an enthusiastic introduction to the concert. The song pulled in the attention of the audience, preparing them for the next gorgeous piece. Sightings by Jeremy Woolstenhulme was an ethereal overture that drew the audience into a fantastical world with its strong, slow harmonies. The Greenwood musicians finished their performance with an epic orchestral cover of the holiday classic, Carol of the Bells. The fast-paced song required strong communication between every section of the orchestra. The musicians pulled it off flawlessly, creating the perfect closing piece for the winter concert.
Once the Greenwood musicians had finished their performance, the Chamber students took to the stage. The much smaller orchestra opened their performance with the classical-style piece Sinfonia in D by Felix Mendelssohn. The playful, quick-paced song led into Greensleeves, a traditional old English song. With its beautiful string harmonies and short stings of high-pitched percussion, the song transported the audience to a peaceful world of nature and beauty. The song transitioned into the recognizable motifs of the Christmas song ‘What Child is This’, as Greensleeves was in fact the root of the carol. After the hauntingly beautiful song ended, the musicians transitioned to La Cascara by Jeremy Woolstenhulme, a fast-paced and intense song, utilizing many different forms of percussion to emphasize the rich cultural influence of Latin music. The instruments played perfectly together as a team, fully immersing the audience in the strong melodies. They ended the song with a vocal shout across the theater, punctuating what was seemingly the final song of the night. On the program, it had been stated that each orchestra would play three songs total. But the chamber musicians weren’t done yet. They launched into a fourth piece, Deck the Hall of the Mountain King. The song blended the influences of many recognizable holiday songs utilizing percussion techniques to create the perfect finishing tune to a night of incredible musical talent.
Despite some setbacks, the Greenwood and Chamber orchestras pulled off a beautiful showcase of their incredible musical talents. The show was a perfect kickoff to Winterfest Week and winter break.
