The Hawks Nest was alive with holiday cheer on Thursday night, as the MTHS Music Program had their annual Winter Concert. The auditorium was filled with vibrant music, spreading from classic holiday tunes, to exotic foreign songs. The concert’s theme was “Season of Joy”, and the song selection certainly fits the theme.
The MTHS Concert Choir, conducted by Mrs. Rachel Kaczor, started the show with Sing the Good News! by Mary Lynn Lightfoot, and then exited the stage after Hi Ho for Hanukkah, a rhythmic twist on traditional Hanukkah songs, by Betsy Jo Angebranndt.
The Concert Choir finished their first performance, and after that, Varsity Vocals took the stage, performing Christmas classics such as Rocking Around the Christmas Tree, and Feliz Navidad. After Varsity Vocals ran through their setlist, as is tradition, one Senior who has shown dedication and motivation throughout their time in the MTHS Music Program gets a “Senior Spotlight” performance. This year, Senior Marisiya Goins was the soloist, singing a beautiful rendition of Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. After this, the MTHS Concert Choir returned, and finished their setlist with Wonderful World of Winter, and Sisi ni moja.
A brief intermission occurred, and with the stage reset, the MTHS Jazz Band, conducted by Mr. Andrew Fodor, started their performance with Rock the Halls!, a rockified take on the Christmas Classic, Deck the Halls. Next up was Oh Chanukah, a groovy twist on the renowned Hanukkah song, S’vivon Sov Sov Sov!. Closing up their performance, the Jazz Band finished with Jingle Bell Rock, a Christmas classic played in swing. Shortly after this, the MTHS Concert Band took the stage.
The MTHS Concert Band was by far the largest group of the night, taking up nearly the entire stage. They started their performance with a “bang”, performing Due North by famed composer Michael Sweeney, a song that is set to resemble the cold, harsh conditions of northern North America. Next up, S’Vivon!, a syncopated take on the aforementioned Hanukkah hit S’Vivon Sov Sov Sov!. S’Vivon! featured a clap line in the song, with the middle winds putting down their instruments and clapping a rhythm, adding a different sound to the well-known melody. To close the night, the Concert Band played a medley from The Polar Express, featuring a train whistle! Songs from the renowned holiday hit filled the audience, as the movie was brought to life.
