After hours of preparation and rehearsals, Carlmont’s instrumental music students finished off the semester with their Winter Concert.
Carlmont Instrumental Music students from all five instrumental music ensembles performed on Dec. 7-9 in the Carlmont Performing Arts Center in front of hundreds of parents and students.
“It’s a fun way to close out the semester, and you get to see all of your students be successful at a performance. You really end on a high note,” said Jordan Webster, the assistant director of Carlmont Instrumental Music.
The instrumental music concerts in winter and spring are an annual tradition of the Carlmont Instrumental Music department, where the students showcase their skills through performing pieces, many of which they have been practicing since the beginning of the semester.
“Having frequent performances is a large part of performing arts; the Winter and Spring Concerts are annual traditions dating back to the start of Carlmont music in the ’50s or ’60s,” Webster said.
The concert served as an opportunity for students to showcase their skills and what they have learned throughout the semester.
“For performing arts, your concert or your performance is really your final exam, It’s your capstone project,” Webster said.
For performing arts, your concert or your performance is really your final exam, It’s your capstone project. — Jordan Webster
The concert also allowed students to demonstrate the growth they’ve made as musicians.
“I’ve grown my exploration of music in general, I’ve changed a lot of my music, tastes, and preferences. I think I’ve grown to be more disciplined,” said Darrell Ye, a senior in Instrumental Music.
The concert posed a challenge for many students, who had to balance preparing for the concert and external challenges.
“A lot of students in Symphony Orchestra care a lot about both their music and also their academics, so it’s tough to spend time practicing to perform well musically, and then also have to dedicate a lot of your time to academics,” said Claudia Williams, a sophomore in Carlmont Instrumental Music.
Many students also felt nervous about performing in front of an audience and their fellow students.
“I’m nervous because I’m performing for the other people in my section, and I look up to the other people in my section,” Williams said.
In the future, instrumental music students will continue to showcase their talents through many performances, such as the Spring Concert.
Additionally, with finals approaching and the semester drawing to a close, Carlmont Instrumental Music classes provide comfort to stressed students.
“Students get to come to class and make music for an hour and not worry about finals or their other classes. I think it is an incredible gift to the musicians who are playing,” Webster said.
