Carlmont Music Department Delights Audience with Sold-Out Chamber Music Night

The melodious sounds of pianos, bass guitars, and other instruments filled the Performing Arts Center (PAC) at Carlmont High School on Chamber Music Night, drawing an enthusiastic sold-out crowd on March 8, 2024.

Carlmont’s Chamber Music Night is a showcase of talent where students from a variety of musical groups, including the Symphonic Band, Symphony Orchestra, String Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, and Concert Band come together to deliver a night of diverse and harmonious performances.

Twenty-nine musical pieces, with nine original compositions by Carlmont students, were featured during the event, to the delight of the students’ families and peers. Xavier Lem, the Chamber Music Club president and Carlmont senior, noted the uniqueness of the experience, as it allows students from different music classes to collaborate and perform together outside the typical orchestra or band setting.

Assistant music directors Brian Switzer and Jordan Webster worked behind the scenes, providing feedback and helping the students refine their pieces. The effort put into practicing and perfecting the performances paid off with a three-hour concert filled with small ensembles and solo showcases captivating the audience, who showed their appreciation with robust applause after each song.

Participants, like sophomore Emi Ota from the String Orchestra, expressed joy and focus in the intimate setting of small-group performances, a new experience compared to playing in larger orchestras.

With a record number of performers this year, Lem highlighted the increasing participation from underclassmen as a result of a surge in extracurricular involvement in the music department.

Students prepared for this performance diligently, selecting their pieces and practicing in their own time, including during lunch breaks and flex periods. This dedication was evident as students like Symphony Orchestra member Nina Damania expressed excitement and pride in their hard work.

The night's success was not unnoticed, with attendees like Mariko Ota praising the students' performance and the variety of music played. The music directors shared in the pride, with Switzer expressing satisfaction at the outcome of the event.

Highlight performances, such as 'Beethoven Riffs' by Nathan Tokunaga, Kyle Maher, and Daniel Behrendt, brought electrifying energy to the PAC, featuring solos based on Beethoven's 'Symphony No. 7, Movement II'. The trio's performance had the crowd energized and engaged.

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