On Wednesday, Dec. 13, and Thursday, Dec. 14, Archie Williams Music Performance Workshop (PW) hosted their annual Winter Concert. Each of the two nights featured five different bands, captivating the audience’s attention in the Archie Williams Little Theatre. PW student performers took on the challenge of covering multiple songs to perform to the booming crowd.
The first night of performances featured a surprise for the audience. Prior to the show, music teacher Mario Aparicio challenged the PW students to step out of their comfort zone and perform with mixed-up bands of his choosing. Aparicio hand-selected the musicians he thought would sound good together, changing up the PW student’s usual bands. Each of the five bands performing decided on three or four songs they thought best showcased their combined talents.
Vocalists, junior Stella Berlin and senior Eleanor Coffeey, led the first band, launching the night off with electric energy. Ecstatic performances followed this act to keep the theater engaged throughout the night. Band Three lit up the audience with their performance of “Just” by Radiohead, featuring a drum solo by senior Finn Cieply.
To close off night one with the audience at the edge of their seats, freshman Gipsy Gregor and sophomore Hanna Janson added their spunky energy and spirit to the tune “Beggin” by Maneskin. Both vocalists energized the crowd and worked seamlessly together to ensure a smooth performance. As the curtains closed for night one, the bands and audience members eagerly awaited night two.
After an amazing turnout from the first night, the PW musicians strived for the second night to be just as entertaining. Unlike night one where Aparicio chose the bands, the previously established groups that took to the stage in the October PW concert performed on night two. This night allowed them to expand their talents and perform with their close peers, with whom they’d been getting to know through their music.
The audience could immediately feel the student’s unison with Band Two’s performance of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John which swayed the crowd. Band Two incorporated a tambourine and bells performed by Jamie Lapic and Gabby Covello to add a unique sound to their covers.
Band Five, led by senior vocalist Casey Sorensen, performed a memorable cover of “Mississippi Queen” by Mountain. Casey added her personalized twist to the vocals, which left the audience speechless. Playing the cowbell, the drummer, junior Zeke Cunningham, ran onto the stage, exciting the audience for the final performance of the night.
All bands from both nights added their own flavor and brought their passion for music to the event. Their energy on the stage trickled into the audience, which made for a thrilling concert. The students of PW put on a crowd-stopping performance for their end of semester two-night winter concert.
