On December 13, 2019, the Hill School Orchestra, Hill Jazz Ensemble, and our vocal groups performed their winter concert in the CFTA. Each group played songs that went along with the festive holiday theme. The vocalists and instrumentalists played a medley of songs including “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson, “Carol of the Bells” by Mykola Lentovych, and “Yardbird Suite” by Charlie Parker. The orchestra even played the “Star Wars” theme by famed composer John Williams in honor of the 40th anniversary of “The Empire Strikes Back”, which was the second movie in the ennealogy, as well as in anticipation of 2019’s “The Last Jedi.”
The concert featured many special stand-out moments, especially when Mary DeLan ’20 sang “All I Want For Christmas Is You” backed by the jazz ensemble.
“This year, the jazz ensemble members recommend song selections,” Director of Instrumental Music, Margaret Neiswender said. “And ‘All I Want for Christmas’ was suggested. We then thought of potential vocalists, and the deal was sealed with Mary when we realized her free period was the jazz ensemble rehearsal period. Collaborative pieces take a great deal of rehearsal, so it was great luck that this worked out so well. The song seemed to be a crowd favorite!”
There was also another student collaboration within the jazz ensemble: Johnny Luu ’20 conducted “Jingle Bell Rock.” Luu is one of the co-presidents of the ensemble this year.
“Conducting Jingle Bell Rock truly was an exciting and eye-opening experience for me in my music career,” Luu said.
For this tune, it is a Hill tradition that the newest or youngest members of the band play the drums and intro solo each year.
On December 15, Hill’s vocal groups also performed during the annual Candlelight Service in the chapel, singing various hymns for the Hill community. The service was not only filled with singing but also filled with faculty children who got to read lessons from the psalms.
“This is now my fourth candlelight, and it is a service I look forward to every year because it is one of the best and most emotional concerts we perform annually,” said Alex Christie ’20, a member of the chorus. “Preparation for the service began right after Parents Weekend, where all the vocal groups began to learn what we would be singing and spent time practicing. Starting the week before [the performance], we transitioned our chorus classes to the chapel, where we could adjust our balance with the breathtaking acoustics of the space. During the service, we sing a variety of classic Christmas hymns, typically bookended by Once In Royal David’s City as we proceed in, and Joy to The World at the end. As for the robes, they are kind of interesting to wear. They may not be the latest in haute couture, but they give the choir a very unified appearance. They also allow us to wear comfy-clothes underneath with good shoes!”
All together the weekend was full of performances that helped to project the holiday spirit across the school’s campus.