It was a melancholic night in the Chapel last Friday, February 9, as vocal ensembles performed seven numbers for this year’s Winter Vocal Concert.

The 35-minute program featured an array of songs, modern and old-fashioned alike. Director of Vocal Music Yoon Soo Lim said that instead of basing the concert on a topic such as love (courtesy to Valentine’s Day), this concert was, instead, about change, nostalgia, and the hope that we all have for these changes.

This hope can be felt deeply in the Combined Choir’s heartwarming delivery of the opening number, “Unclouded Day,” a gospel song written in the late 19th century.

Next, the Chamber Choir sang two numbers: a rendition of the poem “A Red, Red Rose” by Robert Burns and a seven-part a cappella arrangement of “Danny Boy,” a popular Irish melody. In particular, “Danny Boy” seems to be a favorite, at least according to ensemble leaders Reed Bauer ’18 and Nicole Sergiwa ’18. When interviewed, Bauer mentioned his hope that the song would move the audience.

Following these performances, the Hilltones treated the audience to an energetic version of Panic! At The Disco’s “Death of a Bachelor,” featuring Lou Alpert ’18 and Max Pollak ’19 as soloists. The Hilltrebles followed suit with “Killing Me Softly,” where Lexi Chroscinski ’19 and Mary DeLan ’20 blew the audience away with their vocal prowess.

The combined choir concluded the concert with a medley of two songs from the English band Keane titled “Everybody’s Changing” and “Somewhere Only We Know.” Accompanied by musicians Joshua Lim ’18 on percussions, Wes Midy ’18 on guitar, Joyce Pu ’19 on pipa, and Johnny Lu ’20 on keyboard. The ensemble drew thunderous applause from the Chapel.

“It’s amazing that you can evoke emotions like nostalgia through music,” Lim said. “I think this will speak most strongly upperclassmen in the ensemble, as the sixth formers transition into college life.”