PORTSMOUTH – The Portsmouth High School Performing Arts department hosted the Chamber Music Festival in the Portsmouth High School Auditorium on Thursday, March 20. With talented performers and tasty treats, it was truly a magical event for both the participants and the spectators.
There were 32 participants, ranging from 6th – 12th grade, and a wide variety of acts such as jazz bands, solos, duets, and original pieces.
Mr. Wotton, the Portsmouth Middle and High School choir teacher, says that he loves events such as these because “students have the ability and confidence to perform on their own and have individuality with their music.”
Known formerly as the Chocolate Festival, Wotton says that “it started as a fundraiser to sell chocolate and perform music at the same time in order to raise money for the arts. Over time, due to COVID-19, the chocolate gradually disappeared due to restrictions, and now we are slowly bringing back the sweets.”
Cookies, brownies, chocolates, and more occupied the audience members in between acts this year. Each table was adorned with a small candle and sweet chocolate goodies scattered throughout the setup.
Mr. Wotton himself noted that the “low-light coffee house vibe,” significantly improved the experience but said that in the future he would like to, “improve the stage setup in terms of lighting and fanciness, promote it more to the school community, and have more students, staff, and community members attend. I want to get more variety of acts, vocal and instrumental.”
Charlotte Mclain, a sophomore at PHS, had been a part of the Chamber Music Festival since the 8th grade. When asked why she participates in the festival, she said, “It helps me work on my performance, and I just love to sing.” She did a musical theatre solo, “What Baking Can Do” from the Waitress.
“It’s much more low pressure from big events like seasonal concerts,” added Norah Blakey, another sophomore at PHS. “[It]helps get the nerves out and gives people a platform to perform how they want.” She sang the hit pop song “Wildflower” by Billie Eilish.
As only a 7th grader from Portsmouth Middle School, Lulu Richmond expressed that the Chamber Music Festival “brings together the community, and it’s just really fun too.” She went on to say that she felt brave enough to perform not one, but two acts that night, explaining: “I wanted to show my talents, and I think I wanted to also watch others and learn from them.” Richmond performed “Minuet Two” on the violin and sang “A Million Dreams” from “The Greatest Showman”.
The theatre, band, and choir departments are taking a trip to Disney World this April vacation. These groups have been working all year to perform for thousands of spectators and participate in specialized workshops run by Disney experts. We wish them the best of luck on this upcoming adventure.
