Every year, just before students and teachers alike head home to enjoy their winter break, Maggie Walker’s entire music program comes together to put on a show celebrating the holiday season. This year, the musical groups started the festivities on December 16th, with an evening concert performed in front of parents of all the student musicians. The next day, they all returned to the stage to put on stunning performances for their peers. The concerts offered a break from the stress of school and work and were the perfect way to celebrate the upcoming holidays.

To open the concert, Maggie Walker’s Intermediate Band kicked things off with a rocking rendition of “Who Let the Elves Out,” a song that immediately lifted the spirits of everyone listening. They followed that up with “Oh Chanukah.” In both performances, individual artists from the band were given the chance to showcase their musical talent in solos. The Advanced Band performed three songs as well: “Greensleeves,” “Christmastime is Here,” and “Honk,” all under the direction of Mr. Merillat.

The chorus’s performances were interspersed throughout the program. They performed three songs: “A Wreath of Carols,” “Ad Astra,” and “Here We Come A-Caroling.” Katie Watson (‘25) named “Ad Astra” her favorite song, stating that it was “a lot of fun to sit and listen to.” Under the expert guidance of Chorus Director Mrs. Michelle Graham, the chorus pulled off a fantastic performance. Their voices were able to share the excitement of the holiday season with the audience, lifting everyone’s spirits.

Many talented musical clubs also performed at the winter concerts. NBT, Maggie Walker’s vocal club, sang a cover of “Stitches” by Shawn Mendes and “The Christmas Song.” Deadbeats, Maggie Walker’s a cappella club, performed “Hallelujah,” a crowd favorite. 

Last but certainly not least, Maggie Walker’s three orchestras performed at the events. The Intermediate Orchestra played one piece called “Warrior Legacy,” a strong, bold song. The Advanced Orchestra followed that up with a medley of famous tunes from the classic ballet by renowned composer Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker. Following the Advanced Orchestra’s performance, the Artist Orchestra took to the stage to put on a stunning performance of Arcangelo Corelli’s Concerto VIII, Op. 6, No. 8, more commonly known as the Christmas Concerto. The performance of the Christmas Concerto featured senior soloists Matthew Klausner, Eric Qian, and Joshua Yoo, who were accompanied by the rest of the orchestra. Finally, following Orchestra Director Mrs. Allison Barnes’s lead, all three orchestras joined together to perform “Two Moods of Hanukkah.” 

The last song performed that night, “Holiday Sing Along,” is a long tradition at Maggie Walker. For a long time, the school has put on a very special performance annually, which includes the band, chorus, orchestra, and audience! “Holiday Sing Along,” as the name suggests, is a mashup of the most popular and well-known Christmas carols. To take the festive cheer to even greater heights, the audience joined the chorus in singing along to the famous songs. With the help of conducting from Mr. Merillat, the combined band, chorus, and orchestras left the audience with something to remember. The sound of cheerful caroling from the chorus and audience, accompanied by the beautiful sounds of the combined bands and orchestras, was “an amazing showcase of the talent from the Maggie Walker Musical Arts Team,” according to Grace Blakley (‘25). Overall, watching the chorus, band, and orchestra come together to create a festive holiday experience was a wonderful way to end 2021.