The bands on stage impressed the audience with their instrumental diversity, song selection, and performance

Looking back on the past six months, certain events stand out in particular.

“Bringing joy to the stage—that’s the goal of this event,” announced organizer Frank Wemme before the start of “Bands On Stage.” The performers more than lived up to this self-imposed standard that evening. The Steinmühle hosted what was arguably one of the highest-quality music events in recent memory. The photos speak for themselves.

It was a mix of participants of various ages, including performers who presented different musical genres, as well as bands whose performances had more differences than similarities. And yet, acoustically, the evening felt like a cohesive whole. Everything fell into place; nothing was left to chance. Perhaps this is exactly what joy looks like when rehearsal isn’t perceived as a burden or a source of stress. When students have been musically active for quite some time—in some cases, in the same band lineup—it suggests that personal passion is at play here. Performing were Anna Steinfeldt & Svea Turba, Larry & the Loud Tree Frogs, the 5th and 6th-grade club band, the Jazz Ensemble, and the StoneMill House Band. Students from grades 5 through 13 brought a diverse program of pop, rock, and jazz to the stage.

They could have made it easier on themselves, since the participants didn’t exactly choose easy songs. For example, they performed “Shine Bright Like a Diamond,” followed by “Smoke on the Water” for a change of pace, as well as Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect,” which gave the audience goosebumps, much like “Stay,” also by Rihanna. It was the instrumental and vocal skills, but it was also the selection of songs that made this evening such a success. “Besame mucho,” “Feeling Good,” “Killing Me Softly,” “Rocket Man”—all these pieces simply sound top-notch when the music and vocals are truly on point. It was a major challenge that the performers took on—and they rose to it! The audience rewarded every performance with well-deserved applause throughout, and Tobias Karlein from the school administration team was also thrilled. Guys and girls, you could even perform this program for an outside audience!

The musical performances that evening were visually enhanced by our reliable “Sound & Light” team, consisting of Christian and Jonathan.