After a year filled with special events and national recognition for West High’s orchestra program, its three ensembles finished off the year at their spring concert May 27. Concert Strings, the freshman orchestra, started off the night, followed by performances from Philharmonic and Symphony Strings, while certain members of each orchestra received awards for their time in the program.

Concert Strings began the concert with a performance of “Viola Country” by Richard Meyer, followed by “Wistful Spirit” by Austin Isaac. Orchestra Director Jon Welch then presented members of the Concert orchestra with awards for their performance throughout the year: Penelope Marks ’29 and Blake Gabrielson ’29 were named Most Improved and Maggie Ebinger ’29 was named Distinguished Player. They finished their segment of the concert with “Dublin” by Bob Philips before ceding the stage to Philharmonic Strings.

The Philharmonic orchestra opened their set with two movements, “Air” and “Jig,” from the piece “Irish Fantasy” by Miriam Overholt. They then performed “Oblivion” by Astor Piazzolla and arranged by Robert Longfield, featuring a solo from freshman Thomas Gao. Welch once again presented members of the orchestra with awards, naming Henry Lyons ’28 as Most Improved and Gao as Distinguished Player. They rounded out their set with “Atlantis of the Sands” by Chris Pilsner before making way for the final orchestra of the night.

Members of Symphony Strings took the stage last, starting with pieces to highlight graduating seniors. Kobi Nott ’26 and Henry Harris ’26 opened as viola soloists in “Brandenburg Concerto” by Johann Bach, accompanied by Sylvia Broffitt ’26, Matthew Lu ’27, Maximilian Schebel ’26, Alexander Moss ’28, Dylan Asikin-Garmager ’27, Solomon Shaffer ’26 and Choir Director Luigi Enriquez. The full Symphony Strings then accompanied senior and cello soloist Ellie Roetlin in excerpts from Camille Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1.

Before closing out the night, the program recognized seniors with yellow roses and a presentation detailing their plans for the future. The senior class also presented Welch with parting gifts — a birdhouse for a tree outside the orchestra room and a West High Orchestras quarter-zip embroidered by Broffitt.  

Finally, Symphony Strings ended the concert with Antonin Dvorak’s “New World Symphony,” playing abridged versions of the first, second and fourth movements with members of West’s Wind Ensemble. The second movement featured a solo from cellist Winston Fan ’26. 

Audience members and musicians then exited the auditorium to take part in celebratory refreshments, before reentering to honor Symphony Strings’ awards that were given to seniors. Evelyn Kraber ’26 was recognized with West High’s Leadership Award for their “positive and significant impact” on their fellow musicians. Shanza Sami ’26 received the Director’s Award, a national acknowledgement of excellence, and Roetlin received the National School Orchestra Award, the highest orchestra honor for a graduating senior.

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