Kenmore City Hall filled with the sounds of Antonín Dvořák, and other chamber orchestra pieces, as the Inglemoor High School Orchestra played a concert for citizens of Kenmore on Feb. 25.

The concert celebrated IHS’s invitation to play at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, both internationally known concert venues in New York City.

During the concert, Kenmore Mayor David Baker presented the Orchestra with a check for $1,500 for playing at city hall that will help students travel to these opportunities.

“There’s a couple of pesky laws on the state books and we have to be legal and we have to follow them,” said Baker at the event. “We can’t gift money, we have to have something in exchange for it. We have got to support this, so it’s not much, it’s a start, but here’s a check for $1,500 from the city.”

According to Baker, the city cannot legally donate to their cause, so instead the city paid for the students to perform a concert for citizens at City Hall.

“This is something more than that. There’s a lot in the community that don’t get the opportunity to hear these kids,” Baker said. “I find it amazing. We are so fortunate to have this quality of children in our community that I’m just overwhelmed.”

While Kenmore City Hall is not as prestigious as the opportunity to play in New York City, it is still something that the students of Inglemoor’s Chamber Orchestra.

“I want to tell you right now, this is more about what is happening in our schools than is not,” said Ted Christensen, teacher of band and orchestra at IHS. “I have the opportunity to work with these kids today as they get ready,… I said to them ‘I hope you all appreciate, at your age, how incredibly talented you all are.’”

About 30 people came to listen to the string ensemble play and to support this group of eager and dedicated students reach their goals. “They really do a lot of great music,” Christensen said.

While it was an opportunity for many citizens to come hear the music played by IHS’s orchestra, it was also an opportunity for students to raise awareness for their group within the community of Kenmore.

“It was really fun, I was glad we were able to do this and raise awareness about our orchestra and the arts within our city,” said Ben Porter. “It’s really fun, just knowing we are going to Carnegie Hall… and to be part of this group doing so many special things is really motivating and really enjoyable.”

For many of the students, it’s not only a joy to play, but to be part of this special community within Inglemoor High School.

“I love it, I love being a part of it,” said Rebecca Crawford, viola player in the Dvorak group. “Just being part of the group and being with the other instruments and with other people is really great and interacting is great, and I like being able to contribute to that.”

Of course, it’s not every day that students get to go to Carnegie Hall, either.

“Carnegie Hall is something you hear about when you’re little, and you hear about all these famous people playing, then we as an orchestra get to go,” Crawford said. “It’s a kind of like a dream come true, it’s really cool.”