SJHHS Wind Ensemble and Chamber Orchestra played together as the full orchestra at the Renee and Segerstrom, a very prestigious concert hall.

The festival was held by the Second Annual Philharmonic Society. The groups from SJHHS submitted a video of them playing, and there were eight high schools selected to be apart of the festival.

Ashlynn Hankla (12), flute player, has been a part of Wind Ensemble for four years, and she was thrilled to end her senior year with this experience.

“It was hard to hold back the tears,” Hankla says.

At the event, there was an adjudicator who wrote notes about their performances, but the groups were not officially judged. The venue had a 3000 seat opera-house style hall.

Each group from SJHHS played two pieces at the Segerstrom festival. The groups had been preparing to play for this festival for two months.

Trombone player Sid Piravi (9) says, “it was awesome being able to experience this as a freshman.”

Another festival took place at SJHHS, and the Wind Ensemble received a rating of unanimous excellence and the full orchestra received a rating of unanimous superior. High school orchestras and bands from all over Orange County played in our theater.

“It was really a once in a lifetime experience,” says Haley Fryer (11), who has played flute for three years at SJHHS.

The group does not know if they will attend the festival again in the future, but it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for the current members.