Beautiful music echoed throughout GWS when a few lucky students had the opportunity to perform The Planets with the Inland Empire Philharmonic Orchestra. The top singers from Arlington High, Ramona High, and Chaffey High Schools, along with the Chaffey District Orchestra, collaborated with professional musicians to give an awe-inspiring performance on January 21.

 Gostav Holst's The Planets consists of a song for each planet (except for Pluto, since it had not been discovered yet). The Friday night performance consisted of only five of the planets. During "Neptune: The Mystic," the choir, aloft in the balcony, sang notes without words, their voices sounding like angels from heaven. Their performance resulted in thunderous applause that echoed long after the song ended.

 "Neptune: The Mystic" was followed by "Jupiter: The Bringer of Jollity," performed by the combined Chaffey District and Inland Empire Orchestras. The piece began with conductor Patrick Flynn whispering, "Jupiter" to the entire group, and ended with a standing ovation from the audience. French teacher Madame Antoniak relayed her perception of the concert saying, "I thought it was exciting to see the District Orchestra on stage with a professional orchestra, and they sounded great!"

 This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all performers. Some students had the opportunity of discussing music and sharing advice with professional players. For Elizabeth Mercado (02), "It was exhilarating. It is something that I'll remember forever."

 January 21 was not just another concert for many Chaffey musicians. It was an opportunity to perform in a professional group for television.