Over 40 music students performed in the Intermediate Performance Workshop (IPW) winter concert in the Little Theater on Tuesday.
The musicians showcased their mastery of a range of songs using a combination of instruments including guitar, bass, drums, piano and vocals.
Although only one song was required, many students chose to perform in several different groups. A total of 17 songs from many genres were performed, including “Fields of Gold,” “Take it Easy,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “Mercy.”
“I bet you thought ‘Oh, the kids are picking the songs―we’ll be hearing Britney Spears,’” director John Mattern chuckled as he thanked the crowd at the end of the night. “Look at all this great music.”
The concert was primarily for IPW students, however, the Beginning Guitar/Bass class opened with a performance of “As Tears Go By.”
“These are absolute beginners,” Mattern said, referring to the Beginning class. “They’ve even learned to play more than this but it’s great we got them a spot in the lineup.”
The music department offers classes for every skill level.
“Most people [in IPW] played before Redwood, but it’s OK if you haven’t. Most people in the beginning guitar class are just starting. That’s what it’s for,” said Carly Ball, a junior in IPW.
Preparation for the concert started in late October.
“We’ve been working on our songs in class every day for a month. My group even met outside of class once to practice more,” said sophomore Jamie Mackinlay. “We’re graded, but [Mattern] really just wants to see that we worked on our songs and that we didn’t just wing it.”
