Back after its COVID virtual renditions the past two school years, Greenstock returns to its outdoor, festival-like atmosphere May 27. Greenstock features self-selected student performers from any grade in the school where they perform bands, as solo acts, duos, trios, and share original music and/or covers. Participants perform popular music, mainly, but sometimes they play classical music or even dance. Faculty play as well, both in the faculty band and with students.

“We haven’t had an outdoor Greenstock in three years – since 2019 – or since the current seniors were freshmen,” said Neil Donato, the Department Chair of Fine and Performing Arts. “That means a lot of kids aren’t too familiar with what Greenstock is.”

College Counselor Cora Chester is also going to perform at Greenstock with Donato, and fellow faculty members John Holler, Monica Lewis, and Brandon Groff. Chester and Holler are going to play the guitar, Donato is going to play the keyboard, and Groff is going to play the bass. This is Chester’s third year performing at Greenstock.

“As somebody who has a life-long love for music and had gone to a high school that never had anything quite like Greenstock, I think it is a really great celebration in the musical community where you can have student bands, faculty bands, and even hybrid bands. And it is also a great opportunity for different kinds of expressions, since people get to pick songs that they play and therefore share the kinds of music they like with everyone else,” said Chester. “It’s also nice to have something like Greenstock at the end of the year, especially after COVID, it can give everyone the much needed celebration and release. This event is a lot of fun, and playing music with other people is also one of my favorite things, so I am glad that we are able to do it this year at Greenstock.” 

Sarah Robinson ‘22 will be performing twice for Greenstock this year. She will be singing a song with Donato accompanying on piano and another with Sofia Csaszar ‘22, Ian Benson ‘22, and Trevor Finnegan ‘22. She has performed at Greenstock for all four years of high school, but it is her first and last year performing in person. 

“I’m really excited for Greenstock this year, especially because it is my senior year, so it’s probably the last one I will be going to,” said Robinson. In the past few years due to the pandemic, we had to work around online versions of Greenstock and perform virtually, and so having my senior year’s greenstock be outdoors and In person means a lot.Greenstock is really special to me also because it’s one of the last times students and faculty can come together to enjoy music and each other.”

Unlike other school events, this one allows students interested in creating and performing music to share both of those combined talents.

“I think that Greenstock is special because it gives everyone the chance to take the spotlight,” said Cam Miller ‘22. We get to showcase the opportunities that Greenhills gives to students of interest in expressing music and creating music. Greenstock is perfect for that.” 

Miller has been a part of Greenstock every year since freshman year. Whether it be backing up singers in the band or killing it on the guitar, Miller plays alongside his fellow jazz band members, or as he calls them, “the jazz veterans,” Ian Benson ‘22, Trevor Finnegan ‘22, and Cale Piedmonte-Lang ‘22. They have all been a part of the event all throughout their four years of high school. This year, the band will perform several songs, some of which include “Tennessee Whiskey,” “Midnight in Harlem,” and “Call me the Breeze.” Performing alongside the jazz band members is singer Avni Mangrulkar ‘22, as well as Finn Klein ‘22 and Ryan Wang ‘22 on the saxophone.

“Ryan was in jazz in freshman year and that bond between our bandmates never leaves. He jumps back in whenever he wants to or whenever we need him which is cool,” said Miller.