Cello in hand, freshman Florence Wei stepped onto the McAfee Center stage for her solo. After introducing the piece she had been practicing for six months, Bach’s Prelude from Suite 3, Wei inhaled deeply and began to play.

As she swayed with the melody, audience members hunched forward, mesmerized by the sound of her cello. Seamlessly shifting dynamics from loud to soft, her vibrato resonated throughout McAfee Center.

“I love playing music, and it’s really great if what I do benefits others,” Wei said.

Wei performed as part of a fundraising concert on Nov. 29. It was organized by Tri-M, the school’s music performance club and benefitted  young people displaced by Hurricane Ian, which devastated parts of Florida in late September.

Wei, who has played cello for over six years, was one of 20 student performers at the concert. The concert raised over $360.

“We felt the cause was relevant because high schoolers like us have been displaced by Hurricane Ian,” said junior Tejas Tirthapura, the club’s president.

Tirthapura played the second and third movements of Bartók’s Viola Concerto and Scherzo from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” composed by Felix Mendelssohn, accompanied by senior violinist Shannon Ma.

Before switching to viola and joining Tri-M in his sophomore year, Tirthapura played violin starting at age 5. 

“My favorite part about Tri-M is performing,” Tirthapura said. “When we go out and perform, we not only get to represent the orchestra program, but I also get to show my passion for music, and it’s always fun to see other people perform.”

He said performing for a cause felt different than a usual concert. As Tirthapura practiced, he thought about portraying his music for those affected by Hurricane Ian. Raising money for hurricane relief efforts changed the way he played.

“I wasn’t playing for me,” Tirthapura said. “I was playing to support others.”