Students from the H.B. Plant High School Music Department performed at the annual Winter Holiday Concert hosted at First Baptist Church on Tuesday night.

The performance was conducted by Steve Bossert, Orchestra Director, Bruce Yost, Choral Director, and Brian Dell, Band Director, accompanied by Tara Swatzbaugh, and put on by event coordinators Jennifer Collins and Mary Jo Williams. First Baptist Church in downtown Tampa was packed with students, teachers and parents. The venue had garland and decorated trees throughout, and performers dressed in long black gowns and suits. The show was put on in segments, alternating between Orchestra’s music selection and the Chorus program. For chorus, the Combined Jr. Varsity and Women’s Chorus, Combined Men’s Chorus, Pink Panthers, Pawcapella, Varsity Women’s Chorus and Varsity Chorale sang, and representing Orchestra was the String Trio – composed of Jennani Gayaram, junior, Benjamin Glick, junior, and Carson Wiltshire, junior — followed by the Concert, String and Philharmonic Orchestras.

Varsity Chorale and Pink Panther member, Caileigh Potter, senior, said of the night, “I thought it went really well; I thought it was definitely one of our best performances.” Potter recounted her two favorite moments, saying, “I loved going up there and doing the Pink Panthers number with the hand clapping. That was a lot of fun, and Hallelujah chorus because I thought that was a good ending, having everyone come up and sing.”

Violinist Rae Larrinaga, senior, said after the concert concluded, “I feel pretty emotional about it. It wasn’t perfect but I’m really going to miss everyone because I just love them so much.” Larrinaga’s notes the last couple measures of “Messiah” as her favorite moment of the show, saying, “It was just such a great finale and a good moment for me to hold onto as I end my career in Orchestra. I’m going to really miss it, but that’s something that I will remember – those huge notes filling up the whole church.”

Backstage after the performance, double bassist Steven Jenkins, senior, said, “Overall, I feel that we did pretty well. Despite some minor errors here and there, I think we did pretty well.”

“I think everybody enjoyed it; this concert’s usually a crowd favorite. It’s really fun to be here and I’m kind of sad it’s my last one,” said Jenkins.

Women’s Chorus member Parmida Haj, freshman, said, “It went well. I had a very good time.” Haj said her highlight of the night was the Hallelujah chorus, saying, “That was the best one, I think. It sounded so amazing with all of the chorus and the orchestra. It sounded good.” Haj, a newcomer to the high school’s music department said, “This is my first year. I’m a freshman. [The concert is] very exciting. I really want to do chorus my next years because I enjoyed it so much. This is my favorite concert of all of them.”