To adjust to health and safety restrictions while maintaining a sense of normality, students and staff are redefining and reimagining many of the events that students have come to know and love. The yearly orchestra concert, hosted by orchestra teacher Justin Williams, is an example of an event that will look slightly different this year. The concert will be held on Google Meets for all students and teachers to attend virtually. 

This concert will be significantly different from previous concerts for students, and Williams looks forward to a new experience.

“Instead of playing music as an ensemble, we will focus on performing solo works at this year’s concert,” Williams said. “Each student has spent the last week preparing a solo to play live for a virtual experience.” 

Despite the major format change, Williams will prepare his students to perform as well as they have in the past and will not let this online concert affect their performance. Senior violinist Kasudie Burton looks at this virtual experience as an opportunity for growth. 

“[With a virtual concert] The concert won’t take all night; we can display our individual growth, and no COVID laws are broken,” Burton said.

With advantages come disadvantages as orchestra students are faced with challenges preparing for this virtual event.

“Because we’re on our own with no physical direction, and the internet can be sketchy, we have to be a bit more vigilant,” Burton said.

Senior violinist Connor Brooks finds this year to be difficult for him and his classmates.

“This year has been really hard virtually because the whole point of orchestra is to play as a group. We have had to structure things very differently,” Brooks said.

Senior violinist and cellist Anna Del Favero explains the disadvantages of a virtual solo concert.

“The biggest challenge is obviously not being able to play together. It’s hard to put a piece together when you can’t hear the other instruments’ parts,” Del Favero said.

Junior violinist and cellist Caroline Klotz is also facing many challenges but is looking forward to learning how to navigate online concerts.

“We plan on holding more concerts throughout the year, and there will hopefully be more details to come!” Klotz said.

A date for the concert was originally scheduled for Oct. 29 before a storm caused power outages. Williams released a Youtube playlist to showcase music Orchestra students have created during the first nine weeks.

Gallery • 5 Photos

Orchestra students play socially distanced during a hybrid school day.

Photo Courtesy of Caroline Klotz, Kasudie Burton, Anna Del Favero and Mr. Williams.