Dropping December temperatures and sunsets before 5 p.m. meant it was that time of year for Maggie Walker students. The end of the first semester was marked by last-minute studying, frantic test rescheduling, holiday caroling, and most importantly, the Winter Concert! Through the frenzy of end-of-semester testing and final projects, the Maggie Walker music department was busy preparing for the Winter Concert to kick off the holiday season. Orchestra, band, and chorus students alike could be heard in the halls and outside the auditorium during lunchtime rehearsals, filling the school with holiday cheer. The music department definitely felt the pressure as the concert neared, as Reese Wu (‘25, violin) said, “With so many students and so much music to go through, we had to be as efficient as possible,” but as is the Maggie Walker way, the musicians pulled through in the end!

The music department finally got to show off weeks of hard work on Friday, December 13th. With this year’s freshman class joining the ranks, the music program had outgrown our school’s auditorium and the first Winter Concert was held at Highland Springs High School with the hard work of our music teachers and parent volunteers. Despite relocating this concert to a larger auditorium, nearly every seat was filled as parents, siblings, friends, and grandparents all came to watch their musicians perform. 

This year’s Winter Concert program was full of vibrant, exciting selections with pieces such as “The Solitude of Snow” (Chorus), “A Holiday Mash-Up” (Intermediate Band), and Wexford Carol (Intermediate and Advanced Orchestra). Orchestra and band students also got the chance to perform several pieces together with the Intermediate Full Orchestra and Band performing Christmas Eve/Sarajevo and Advanced Full Orchestra and Band performing “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Rhapsody in Blue.” Chorus performed several other enchanting selections in many languages such as “Hotaru Koi” and “Avanza Navidad.” The concert’s grand finale was the annual rendition of “Holiday Sing-Along” known and loved by all who have played in or attended a Maggie Walker Winter Concert! Playing this piece was especially bittersweet for our seniors. Wu said that the emotions of the last Winter Concert didn’t hit her at first, but “as the entire ensemble played those last three notes together, it struck me for the first time that that was the last time I’d ever play this piece,” a sentiment likely shared by many musicians in the graduating class.

A week later, Maggie Walker’s musicians performed the Winter Concert again for faculty members and the entire student body on Friday, December 20th, the last day of school before Winter Break. The music department played the program twice and audience and performers alike were decked out in their best holiday spirit wear. Sanika Kumar (‘27, trumpet) said that “it felt great to perform in front of my friends and the whole school especially since we had worked hard on our pieces,” and that she felt it was the perfect way to start winter break. 

This concert showcased the musical talent of our Maggie Walker students as many soloists stunned the audience with their playing, a product of hard work and dedication. Another unique and very special part of Maggie Walker’s music program is the opportunity for students to conduct. Katie Watson (‘25, viola and trombone) arranged and conducted the piece “How to Train Your Dragon” for this year’s Winter Concert, starting to work on the arrangement in her sophomore year and completing it this October. She describes this experience, saying, “It was a really long process involving hours of digging for references, listening to the soundtrack, and sending desperate, late-night videos to my friends,” but it paid off in the end with the help of Mrs. Barnes and Mr. Merillat as she loved leading rehearsals with band and orchestra, and the performance was definitely standing-ovation worthy!

The Winter Concert is not only a lovely tradition Maggie Walker is excited for every year, but also a product of the hard work of our talented student musicians, our amazing parent volunteers, and our wonderful music teachers Mrs. Barnes, Mr. Merillat, and Mr. Revell. Each year’s performance fills our school with holiday cheer and highlights our music program, making us all wonder what next year’s concert will bring.