Bursting with the sound of steel strings on electric guitars, sweet-sounding melodies, and roaring applause, Windward’s upper school Coffeehouse commenced on Friday, March 14th. 

Despite its reputation as one of the quietest places on campus, the upstairs CTL was transformed into a concert hall, inviting listeners of all ages to immerse themselves in live performance, creating an intimate atmosphere and a unique space for artists and viewers. 

Head of the performing arts department Daniel Koh explained, “We think the space provides somewhat cozy, intimate vibes which are suitable for this particular event that primarily features solos, duets and small group performances.”

Performers and members of the Windward community look forward to the showcase of student talent at both the fall and spring Coffeehouses. 

“What’s unique about the Windward Coffeehouse events,” said Koh, “is that although the music faculty has a role in curating the material and coaching the student performers, the vast majority of the repertoire choices and preparation processes are in the hands of the student performers themselves, which is different than most of our other Music Department concerts.” 

Two Windward seniors, Cole Kaller and Lauren Weiskopf, performed an original piece at their final Coffeehouse this past Friday. 

“Cole and I started the song over a year ago,” Weiskopf explained, “but it felt serendipitous to finish it now before we graduate.” 

Describing the writing process of their original song, she noted, “It takes a really long time and we didn’t put anything in the song that wasn’t exactly right. We worked really well together, and a big part of that was feeling comfortable with telling the other person no, and having different ideas.” 

After closing out their final Coffeehouse, Weiskopf and Kaller felt happy with their performance, and in her words, “made a song we were beyond proud of.”

Coffeehouse also gives new performers the opportunity to experiment in front of a live audience.

Griffin Brown ‘26 recalled his experience singing publicly for the first time at this year’s Spring Coffeehouse. “I was extremely nervous as this was my first time ever performing in front of people,” he mentioned. “I was super scared.”

Despite his nerves, Brown took the stage, singing and playing guitar. As he performed “Something in the Orange” by Zach Bryan, Brown said he “felt very confident once I started playing.” 

Afterward, he was greeted with cheers from the crowd, friends, and family. 

Would he perform at Coffeehouse again? 

“Hell yeah, I would!” he said. 

But Koh explained that changes lie ahead for Coffeehouse. “We are very excited to have two new formal performance spaces in the new building—the Proscenium Theatre and the Recital Hall,” he said. 

When asked how the show will be impacted by the shift in location, he responded, “We are particularly excited to be able to perform in spaces that are acoustically and technically designed specifically for musical performance. We are also very excited that these spaces will accommodate larger audiences than any of our current on-campus locations.” 

One thing is clear: Coffeehouse holds a special place in the hearts of the Windward community and will continue to for years to come. 

Koh summed it up best. “Our Windward student body is terrifically talented,” he said. “This is a great event where that talent is showcased.”