As the end of October nears, the topic of chatter revolves around the end of the quarter and the upcoming Halloween festivities. However, a series of underrated events also occur at this time, and they deserve our attention: Park City High School concerts. 

The first of three events was the Jazz Concert held on October 11th.

Until a friend of mine extended an invitation to their concert, I had no idea about the high school’s jazz band concerts. As an avid jazz music listener, though, I accepted my invitation with enthusiasm. I walked into the Eccles Center that night expecting to hear an average high school band play some mediocre jazz music. Fortunately, I am thrilled to report that I could not have been more wrong. 

The band played pieces from the 1967 masterpiece of an album “Basie Straight Ahead” by Count Basie and His Orchestra – but to say they simply “played” these songs would be an understatement. They didn’t just play some jazz music, they obliterated the stage with their rhythms and noises (in the best way possible). My head hurt from endless bopping and my hands hurt from rigorous clapping, but nonetheless, I left that concert feeling more satisfied and elated than any PCHS sporting event has ever made me feel.

The first jazz concert was like a gateway drug; it made me return to the Eccles Center the following week seeking more live-music ‘crack’. On October 19th, it was the choir and orchestra’s night to shine. I knew that some nice classical music would be the perfect remedy for all of the stress from finals week. And yet again, Park City’s musicians exceeded my expectations. The orchestra did indeed prove effective in providing a break from finals stress, but it wasn’t just through classical music. They played a wide variety of music, from country-style fiddle music to intense, Spanish bullfighting music, and they played it masterfully. 

The third and final concert of the series took place the following night, the 20th, and it featured our school’s Wind Ensemble and Concert Band. On this night, I discovered another delightful side effect of the concert ‘drug’: supporting your friends. It’s really cool to hear good music and know that you’re friends with the people who are creating the music, but that’s just one aspect of it. The other rewarding aspect is conversing with the musicians after the concert and seeing how surprised and happy they are to know that someone besides their parents came to appreciate their talent. 

Next time you attend a sporting event at the high school, I implore you to ask yourself why you’re there – it’s to support friends or to watch a sport you like, right? As students of Park City High School, we should apply that very same logic to the concerts. Whether you’re a fan of music or a fan of your friends who are musicians, attending any of the concerts that PCHS puts on is surely a worthwhile experience, and I urge you to come and join me next time in the audience. I guarantee that the talent that our musicians display will blow you away, and you’ll have a grand ol’ time at these concerts. In short, they were awesome and musicians deserve your support.