This year Hampton Bays High School held its first ever outside winter concert. Although the wind tried to knock the music off the stands and the rain started to drizzle, the members of the band and chorus delivered a wonderful performance. The audience sitting in the parking lot and drop off loop were full of joy while they sang along to the tunes of “Let it Snow” and “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.”

The night began under the awning at the entrance of the school which was decorated with bright Christmas lights. Parents and students trickled into the drop off loop in hopes of getting a good view of the long awaited performance. The chorus members and Mrs. Padilla, the chorus teacher, appeared first, all wearing puffy jackets and bundled up in their winter hats. 

The concert opened with the National Anthem which was sung by the select choir. After everyone was finally seated, the chorus members blew the audience away with their rendition of the powerful songs “Rise Up” and the popular tune from the hit Broadway musical Newsies, “Seize the Day.” The ensemble then partnered with the band to deliver a cheerful performance of the “Polar Express Medley” and “Holiday Favorites,” which filled the audience with the holiday spirit. 

As the chorus members stepped aside, the stage was set for the band to begin playing. Mrs. Halsey raised her baton and the instrumentalists shuffled in their seats awaiting her cue. There was a small moment of silence and suddenly the sounds of clarinets, flutes, and drums filled the air. The audience sat in awe of the compelling performances of “Sogno Di Volare¨ and “Homeward Bound” which featured many soloists.

After the chorus and band finished their performances, the crowd cheered and applauded. The parents and teachers were happy to see that the ensembles got a chance to showcase their incredible talents. 

When asked what was the music teachers’ first reaction to the news that the ensembles would be able to perform after two years, Mrs. Padilla said, “I was excited that everyone would be able to have that experience, a lot of people that join the ensemble classes join it for the performance experience. I was relieved and happy they would be able to have this experience in front of an audience.” 

Overall the musicians and teachers felt it was so nice to be performing again and were thankful for the support the community showed them. Now we must await the spring concert which will be another night full of joyful musical performances under the tent.