The 2023 Winter Concerts have never been better! With performances from many bands, orchestras and choral groups, the winter concerts had the audience in awe.
The band groups started the winter concert week at Whitman. The Jazz Band opened the concert with upbeat arrangements that immediately captured the audience and closed their performance with the holiday tune that featured each section individually. The next group, Concert Band, performed three tunes: “Coast Guards,” “Novena,” and “Music” from Stranger Things. While Coast Guards and Novena were wonderfully performed, Music was the most enjoyed song by both the audience and members of the band. The Whitman band groups closed their 2023 winter concert with their group of selective upperclassmen, the Wind Ensemble. The Wind Ensemble opened their performance with a difficult piece called “El Camino Real,” with solos by Beckett Loomis, Genny Esposito, Andrew Fogel, and Bronysn Chiechi. The Wind Ensemble followed this challenging piece with a Big Four March, under the direction of student teacher Joseph Veteck, as well as Music from La La Land, and of course, ending the concert with their annual song Christmas Festival.
Following the band, the orchestra had 2 groups perform on their concert night. The first group was a concert orchestra, mainly composed of underclassmen. This performance consisted of three songs, all featuring various soloists. After the lovely performance from the concert orchestra, the upperclassmen group, The Symphonic Orchestra, closed the 2023 winter concert. Their performance began with a soloist opening the song “The Idylls of Pegasus,” creating a triumphant-esc feel in the audience. Next, the Symphonic Orchestra performed their Christmas song that was a lot calmer than their opening tune. Finally, they closed the concert with a fun and enjoyable tune called “A Fiddle Dance.”
The last winter concert consisted of the various choral groups. The first group to perform was a concert choir composed of underclassmen, who performed three classical pieces. Then, the treble choir, a group composed of trebles from all grades performed a notable song named “Winter Song” with soloist Lily Majewski. Following the treble choir was the selective after school club, Chorale. This group put on a wonderful show with their varying selections of Christmas and classical music. Lastly, the Voices of Walt Whitman closed the 2023 winter concerts with songs in French, Russian, and holiday songs including the annual alumni song “The Hallelujah Chorus.” This performance was beautiful as it included candle lightings and an extremely diverse range of music.
The 2023 Winter Concerts by the Band, Orchestra and Choral groups did an outstanding job pleasing the audience and bringing them into their holiday spirit!
