It was a calm and chilly night. Cars drove in the parking lot, and the masses gathered in the McInnis lobby. As I entered the building, I was greeted and escorted to a seat. Once the doors opened I saw the auditorium filling up. I settled in my seat, awed by the scene of the St. Davids Orchestra Society.
Many of the musicians in the orchestra were familiar to me, and it was a blessing to see them bring out the full potential of their wonderful God-given talents and musical skills. Cortize Hicks on violin I, Somer Jordan on violin II, percussionists Brett Van Horn and Daniel Murphy and many more expressed their passion for music in magnificent ways through musical pieces put together by director R. Stephen Framil; these included Beethoven’s “Andante cantabile con moto,” Smetana’s “Ma Vlast” and the creative addition of Howard Shore’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings.” Framil did an incredible job of expressing his enthusiasm to conduct a fantastic group of musicians and kept control of tempo and dynamics throughout the performance, even during some challenging musical pieces.
Other performances throughout the night were given by the Chamber Ensemble, University Choir and Turning Point! Everyone who took the stage showed the audience their amazing gifts from the beginning to the end of the music festival. Each passing second was worth attending and peacefully absorbed the powerful sounds that elevated the night.
Witnessing all of the talent created an awesome atmosphere that filled the entire auditorium. In my seat I remembered my own experiences performing concerts as a trumpetist in places like the Kimmel Center. For all musicians and music lovers who attended, the Winter Music Festival implicitly provoked a sense of nostalgia for other great musical performances, whether as a performer or as a viewer. When a performance can create that type of atmosphere it makes it easier to appreciate the art of music that is freely poured out for all humankind.
Josh Steen 
Grace Nealy 
Ethan Goonewardene