Filling the cafeteria with students, parents, and music lovers from across the county, the Stone Bridge jazz department headed its annual coffeehouse-inspired concert on Feb. 15. Playing alongside future Bulldogs, the ensembles joined younger musicians from Trailside Middle School to deliver yet another fantastic performance.

Teachers David Keller (Stone Bridge), Lindsey Unikewicz (Stone Bridge), Garry Wright (Trailside), and Adam Reilly (Trailside) arranged seamless performances for the local musicians, hopping between the sounds of 60’s jazz hits to the “Sesame Street” theme song. All of the students showcased their hard work and truly proved to be worthy of such a large crowd.

“We rehearsed as a group a lot, so we got good at hearing each other’s parts and knowing how stuff fit together,” Trailside bassist Greer Johanson said.

The show was a clear success for both the musicians and the audience. The students’ talent was obvious, and their mastery of multiple instruments and complex pieces beautifully represented the Stone Bridge community’s artistic prowess and passion for performing. 

“Our goal was to just put on a good show,” junior Charlie Andress said. “We only had two weeks to prepare, so all our focus was making sure everyone was comfortable.”

Though the excellent performances were undoubtable, there is always room for practice and improvement. The directors of both groups and the students performing always want to work on refining their pieces to be the best they can be.