Stonewall students play for the arts

The sound of grinding coffee beans and the smell of brewing espresso didn't seem to distract the Stonewall Jackson High School orchestra members Thursday night.

They kept their concentration on their music and on their conductor, Anna M. Martin.

Their parents' flashing cameras had as little effect as the customers browsing for books at the Barnes & No-ble on Sudley Road.

The young musicians said they liked playing at the book store. "The atmosphere is good," said 14-year-old Ivonae Renderos. "It's fun."

They also liked the fact that they were helping to raise money for the school's fine arts programs.

"It's always good to have money," said 15-year-old orchestra member Rishi Saxena,

Sue Justus, Barnes & Noble community relations manager, said the bookstore invited the orchestra to perform at the store as part of its community outreach program.

"It's part of our mission statement to be involved in the community," Justus said.

The book store also offered a sweetener to the deal. Barnes & Noble will give at least 10 percent of the proceeds from people who buy books and say they're Stonewall Jackson High School supporters, Justus said.

The deal lasts through Saturday, Justus said.

The school could make more money if more people buy more books, Justus said.

"As they sell more, they earn more," Justus said.

The "Spring Strings" performance, where the freshman orchestra, the concert string orchestra and the chamber orchestra performed works by Dvorak, Joshua Missal, Bach,  Mendelssohn, Jeffrey S. Bishop and Webster & Harris, was part of "Celebrating the Arts and Music Of Stonewall Jackson High School."

More programs will continue through Saturday, said event coordinator Catherine O'Connor.

The Stonewall Jackson High School Chorale will perform its "Spring Sing" Friday at 7 p.m.  and the drama department will offer presentations at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, O'Connor said.

"This gives each one of our fine arts programs a vehicle to showcase our students' talent," O'Connor said

Justus said the arts have a special place in her heart and the orchestras sounded "pretty darn good."

"I personally feel very

passionate about this. I know how hard it is for the schools now—with the recession we're not having—and the budgets being cut left-and-right, this is just a way for them to get some extra money for projects and programs that otherwise wouldn't be funded," she said.

Orchestra mother Janice Proctor said she was going to do her part to raise money and buy some things after the concert. She, too, liked having the performance in the book store.

"I like the fact that they get to interact with the public," she said of the orchestra members.

Martin said she would put any money the school raises to good use.

"I like to travel with the kids and every couple of years. I take an overseas trip and I think what I'm going to do with any money we get here is to dump it into   the travel fund," she said.

Keith Walker can be reached at or 703-369-6751.