You Made It Possible: Samohi Orchestra Performs with Rick Springfield

Thanks to your donations, music education in our Santa Monica schools is second to none. In fact, our students are so good that 80s rock superstar Rick Springfield invited the Samohi Orchestra to play with him at his concert last Saturday at the Saban Theatre.

Rick first played with Samohi students at last year’s Greg Coote Concert For The Arts. He was blown away. His current tour includes several dates with professional symphonies, like the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Nashville Symphony. But, for his LA show, Rick wanted to play with our students again. That’s how talented they are!

Watch Samohi students with Rick Springfield on KTLA.

Watch Samohi students perform Jesse’s Girl at the concert.

Thanks in part to your support of arts in our schools, Santa Monica students have access to incredible, unforgettable experiences like this. Senior Rachel Anderson said the show felt “like we had time traveled back to the eighties and were at a … concert full of smitten teenagers.”

Fellow senior Annie Huang shared that “This concert was so different than all the others I’ve done in the past. It’s such an amazing experience that doesn’t happen too often, since [my instrument], timpani is such a classically orchestral instrument. You could tell that everyone was having a blast and it was nearly impossible to not sing along.”

“The music program at Samohi is such a big part of my life that I can’t even imagine my educational experience without it,” Annie said. “It’s taught me time management and responsibility. It’s honestly so inspiring. My peers in the music program are some of the brightest and most hard-working students I know, and we all push each other to do better. Even if I don’t plan on pursuing [music], professionally, will forever be a part of my life. It’s something that I’ve found so valuable that I also want to share it with others.”

And Rachel agrees. “Music has taught me a different sense of discipline. It has made me value teamwork. It has taught me that the most important thing in life is finding a group of people who share your passions.”

Your donations directly enriched Annie and Rachel’s education. “[Donors] have no clue how much of a difference their donation makes. Each and every student is a reflection of everything they make possible and we’re all so grateful for that,” said Annie.

“When I moved from Arizona before seventh grade,” said Rachel. “We chose Santa Monica because of the incredible school district and its music program. My life is the way it is because of you.”