On Nov. 30, the HS Music Department hosted their annual Winter Concert after school in the auditorium. There were a total of eight groups performing in this order: Strings, Choir, Blue Note, Ladies Choir, Men’s Choir, Ambassadors, Band, and HSO (High School Symphony Orchestra) directed by Julia Kim, Michael Ganus, and Lesley Scott. 

The HS Strings performance marked the beginning of the concert. As they played a beautiful  rendition of “Point Lookout,” the fire alarm suddenly started ringing. Despite the unexpected interruption, HS Strings played on, delivering powerful and touching music to the audience. 

“I was impressed by how focused and stable HS Strings was during a sudden disruption,” Adelyn Yim (10), Choir member, said. “It reflected their diligence and how well they rehearsed throughout the semester.”

The great teamwork of HS Strings is further explained in detail by the conductor.

“During ‘Point Lookout,’ we were heading towards the softest part of the piece, and the fire alarm went off. As Dr. Gerhard quickly went out to check on the fire alarm which turned out to be a false alarm, HS Strings kept the focus and persevered until the end of the piece, not missing a note. This was from great teamwork by all members of HS Strings, with their eyes on the conductor. All in all, the alarm blended in with ‘Point Lookout’ quite well,” Ms. Kim, HS Strings conductor, said.

After HS Strings, Choir sang “Holiday Road,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” and “Like It’s Christmas.” Continuing the Choir, Blue Note performed “Children of Sanchez” and “Jam ‘N’ Live,” and the Ladies Choir performed “Santa Tell Me,” “My Lord Has Come,” and “Does the World Say.” 

After a brief intermission, the Men’s Choir opened the second half of the concert with “I’m Still Standing,” and Ambassadors, a select choir ensemble, sang “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “Glow,” and “What Child Is This?”

The closing of the concert was marked by HSO with their two pieces “Coming of Age” and “Dvorak Symphony No.9 from the New World.” “Coming of Age,” which was directed by Mr. Ganus showcased a flute soloist, Riona Kim (12). 

“To end my last winter concert with a solo part was incredibly enjoyable. Especially because it served as an introduction to a satisfying and unique variation when the orchestra was in harmony to deliver to the audience,” Riona Kim (12), flute soloist, said. 

Finally, the end of the winter concert was finalized by “Dvorak Symphony No.9 from the New World” conducted by Ms. Kim. 

“In my first Orchestra concert as a freshman, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Our performance of Dvorak presented a significant challenge for trumpets with its exceptionally high notes. During our practice sessions, the repeated attempts at these high notes added pressure, as even a small mistake could impact the overall music quality. Despite the difficulty, with the guidance and support of Ms. Kim and Mr. Ganus, we managed to successfully conclude the piece,” Chris Ahn (9), HSO trumpet player, said.

The hard work and dedication of the musicians were displayed well throughout the concert with not only how they dealt with unexpected events, but also with their concentration in the moment itself. 

“This year’s winter concert was really nice because all of the performers worked hard to perform their pieces, and it was evident through the amazing performances carried out by all the different music departments. I am looking forward to the next concert to see how all the performers will grow as musicians, and see what new pieces all of the music departments will bring,” Lucy Park (10), Choir member, said.