Students Shine on Stage at the Annual Fall Music Concert
The Fall Concert brought the entire Winsor community together in the David E. and Stacey L. Goel Theater for the very first performing arts showcase of the school year. Over 100 students participated in the annual concert, which gave students the opportunity to take their learning from the classroom to center stage.
This year’s annual Fall Music Concert featured performances by Lower School Orchestra, Upper School Chamber Players, PAB Chorus I/II, PAB Descants, Upper School Illumina, and Senior Small. Each ensemble is a Winsor performing arts elective or an ensemble in the Lower School Performing Arts Block (PAB). In addition to two instrumental classes and three choral classes, two other classes participated in the show: Upper School Tech Theater and Class IV Stagecraft ran the back of the house, moving risers, dimming lights, managing microphones, and maneuvering instruments and music stands.
Grace Wu ’29 and Isha Raikar ’29 introduced the pieces performed by Lower School Orchestra, explaining that they learned “Hallelujah,” a Jewish folk song arranged by William Starr, by ear. Their second piece, “The Wellerman,” a New Zealand sea chanty, arranged by Sarah McLellan and Julia Connor, ended with the musicians shouting a resounding “hey!” that raised the energy in the theater.
Chamber Players played two American traditional pieces for the program that featured solos from various members of the ensemble. Chorus I/II made their debut on stage with “The Song That Nature Sings” and Descants presented “Thank You for the Music.”
During Illumina’s two-song set, the Winsor community received a special treat. Another school year brought a fresh “Disney Medley 4,” arranged by Winsor Choir Director Andrew Marshall. In fall of 2021, Ilumina introduced their very first Disney medley. Each year since, Mr. Marshall has arranged the new Illumina group’s favorites Disney songs. With music samples from The Little Mermaid’s “Under the Sea” to Coco’s “Remember Me,” students were transported by the nostalgic mix of childhood favorites in this year’s medley.
And to wrap up the concert, Senior Small garnered enthusiastic crowd participation for their rendition of “Suddenly I See” by KT Tunstall, which had the audience clapping along.
Congratulations to all the musicians!
