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Olivia Shapiro

Matching the lyrics of the song, juniors Elsie Schroeder and Veronica Horosz and freshman Stella Fago gesture to the audience.

On March 13, the Intermediate Performance Workshop (IPW), Advanced Performance Workshop (APW) and Jazz Band classes took the stage to perform their annual Night of Blues concert at the Corte Madera Community Center.

Students, parents and staff gathered from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. to enjoy a 38-song set and celebrate the performers’ musical talents and hard work over the year, contributing to the lively evening of jazz and blues.

Chip Boaz, director of the music program, said Night of Blues stands out among the music department’s other concerts, attributing its high energy and vibrant atmosphere to crowd engagement.

“Night of Blues is really special because it’s more like a show that you might go see in a nightclub or a performance venue, where people aren’t just sitting down,” Boaz said. “The audience is really involved and having fun, and it takes a totally different set of musical and entertainment skills to be able to pull that off.”

Senior Stela Barbosa, an APW vocalist, said an active audience amplifies her on-stage energy.

“I think performing feels great with people dancing because it feels like your song had a purpose, and the purpose was fulfilled,” Barbosa said. “It just brings me joy and more excitement to sing on stage.”

IPW, APW and Jazz Band began rehearsing for Night of Blues when they returned from winter break at the start of January. Boaz said that the months leading up to the concert highlighted students’ perseverance and growth.

“Something that is both beautiful and somewhat frustrating about teaching music is the process,” Boaz said. “I see students go from not understanding music to putting on a great show, and I could point out every group that struggled at some point and then just knocked it out of the ballpark tonight.”

Boaz also said that students’ growing musical independence contributed to a concert guided largely by the performers.

“One of the most wonderful things about this night is I am more of a stage hand than a director,” Boaz said. “Students work so hard on this music that they really can run the show for themselves, and that’s part of the goal of the program: for students to be self-sufficient in music.”

Barbosa noticed a similar increase in her bandmates’ confidence, enabling them to deliver more captivating performances.

“I feel like everybody was very shy at the beginning, and we were kind of stiff and awkward on the stage,” Barbosa said. “But as we progressed, people got more comfortable with each other and more comfortable expressing themselves in the group, which made the visual experience and vibe even better for the audience.”

Senior APW guitarist Claire Fago credited her band’s success at Night of Blues to the close bonds formed between the performers.

“I think everybody just really learned how to work together and have fun while playing,” Fago said. “It wasn’t just the music, but it was also the friendships on stage that really made the show.”

Fago, who has been a part of Redwood’s music program for three years, said the experience has helped her form meaningful connections in her personal life, beyond improving her musicality and performance skills. 

“I think it’s just the community that the music program creates,” Fago said. “I’ve met a lot of my closest friends through the Redwood music program, and so it’s cool to be able to continue developing all of those friendships with them, and to work with people who have similar interests as you.”

Barbosa shared a similar positive perspective on the music program, linking APW’s appeal to the stylistic flexibility that the class offers.

“It’s just such a fun class that you can do so much experimentation in,” Barbosa said. “I feel like you can always change what you play or what you do, and there’s such a variety of genres that APW plays, so you can just kind of play around and find what you’re comfortable with.”