Antonio Vivaldi’s centuries-old music reverberated through the Downtown Artery last Saturday night during the “Winter: An Immersion in Music, Word and Light” concert performed by NoCo Artists, a local group of musicians.

The “Winter” concert is one of four concerts that constitute the 2016-2017 theme of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons.” Each concert’s intention is to immerse the audience into the seasons through music, singing and spoken word, such as poems. The space is also transformed to echo each season; last night, the Artery was draped in dreamy linens and made use of lighting to evoke a wintery scene.

The piano, violin, cello, a choir and a poet all took part in this performance that celebrated the season of winter and the genius of Vivaldi to an appreciative and entranced audience.

“I like the kind of music you can shut your eyes to and picture what they’re (the artist is) expressing,” said Chynna Shipp, a Fort Collins resident. “I have enjoyed the talent in a small town and the musicality and expression that they’ve given us tonight.”

For many, the concert was more than music; it was a performance that encouraged the audience to be at ease.

“Being a musician, I highly respect classic art, and there are very few shows in town that allow me to fully relax and be present,” said Christian Nyzio, a Fort Collins resident. “This (performance) just pulls presence out of me.”

Poet and NoCo Board Member Veronica Patterson wrote original poems for the evening’s performance, which she spoke between songs as a way to “dialogue” with the music itself.

“I love the way the concert is sequenced and composed,” Patterson said. “To me, a concert is as much as poem or a composed piece of music. You try to keep the audience engaged by change, beauty and laughter.”

NoCo Artists, which was founded in 2009, aims to “ignite a passion for classical music through innovative live experiences.”

Upcoming “Four Seasons” concerts include a “Spring” concert in March and a “Summer” concert in June with tickets available at www.nocoartists.org.