When attending a virtual music show, the last thing most people would expect to see is a man wearing sunglasses get out of a trunk and start playing the trombone.

The A Cappella Choir, Camerata Choir, Concert Band, Concert Choir, Concert Orchestra, Music Collective and Orchestra put on a virtual music festival on May 20 and 21. The students’ hard work, dedication and passion were apparent in the music they performed. The concert was held live via Zoom and as a socially-distanced in-person event.

The concert began with the Advanced Chamber Orchestra’s performance of the song “Suite,” which is played throughout the Broadway musical “Hamilton.” This was a great opening sequence to the concert because it showcased the talent of each musician on the stage. We specifically enjoyed the violinists’ part because their melody resembled the lyrics of the song, which gave us a nostalgic flashback to when we saw “Hamilton” live with our families.

The Chamber Orchestra finished their concert with a collection of songs from the “Star Wars” movies. The most recognizable song from this collection was the famous theme song that is played at the start of every film. The highlight of this particular performance was the trumpet played by sophomore Simone Cook. With a combination of smooth playing and rhythmic skills, Cook harmonized with the other musicians, giving the performance a lively sound.

The Camerata Choir opened up with the song “Daniel, Daniel, Servant of the Lord.” The song was harmonized very well, and it did a great job of showing the choir’s unity. The focal points of this piece were the two solos by sophomores Jamie Leslie and Miles Luther. The solos were not particularly long; however, each soloist was extremely talented and used their skills to seamlessly blend their solos with the rest of the song.

The Camerata Choir also played the song “The Heavens are Telling” from the Creation, which was an excellent performance, as they were able to showcase the vocal range of the choir. Moreover, we also enjoyed the instrumental aspect, which included two violins, a viola, a cello and an organ. The inclusion of these instruments offered a different take on a typical choir performance and gave the piece a lively boost.

The band came next. They performed the song “Merry Go Round” and everyone spun around while playing for a funny addition to the song. The band member’s amazing melodies blended together perfectly to make an incredible performance.

The last and most memorable performance came from Music Collective. They shared a hilarious video to go along with the song “This Car Drives Me Up The Wall.” Each member of the band performed from inside their car, with one member climbing out of his trunk to play the trombone. The band members’ fun personalities made their already wonderful musical performance even better.

One of the best parts of the concert was towards the end when the Camerata Choir celebrated all of the seniors who are graduating from the high school. They invited all of the seniors up to the front of the stage, followed by a speech from the president of the choir, Olivia Hartshorn. Hartshorn’s speech was both funny and serious, as there were a plethora of jokes but also moments of reflection. Through Hartshorn’s speech, it is clear that the Camerata Choir is a tightly-knit community that has made many memories over the years.

Overall, the Spring Music Festival provided a fun, dynamic evening that showcased the talent of the high school’s musicians. The song selection was both entertaining and familiar, as some of the pieces, like the “Star Wars” theme song, evoked a nostalgic feeling. It was evident that the members of these groups worked incredibly hard to prepare for this night, and we look forward to seeing another concert again in the future.