With COVID-19 forcing all 2020 fall performances into a virtual format, everything is back to normal for orchestra as it hosts its first in-person concert in more than a year Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria.

“We are just really excited to be able to make music together after about 18 months of no music,” assistant orchestra director Madison Waggerman said. “We are just so excited to have people come and enjoy, and have a good time with us.”

Having to utilizing online resources due to COVID-19 for most of last year’s performances, including contest entries, Tuesday’s concert is a long time coming for orchestra director Julie Blackstock.

“The first day that we played, I mean, it made me tear up and I think that a lot of people did,” Blackstock said. “Because majority of the students were at home last year and never heard anybody except for themselves and a projection over Zoom. So, I think that it was just awesome to make music together again. It feels great to have students in the room again, you know, to have life in here and laughter and yelling and all of that stuff.” 

Although no COVID-19 protocols such as social distancing are in place, Tuesday’s concert had to be moved to the cafeteria due to renovations still taking place in the auditorium.

“I think it will definitely be interesting because we’re so used to playing in the auditorium and we’re so used to the acoustics of it,” senior orchestra student Kinan Serrao said. “A new environment will definitely provide some interesting sounds but we’ll try our best.”

This story has been updated to include a quote from orchestra director Julie Blackstock