Andrea Genovese Soares (December 20, 2003) 

Wearing reindeer antlers, red noses, and elf hats, a spirited band of carolers directed by Frank Marino entertained students and teachers in the hallways this afternoon with rousing renditions of seasonal tunes. This traveling concert capped a busy two weeks for the performing arts department. The Performing Arts department hit a climax at its Winter Concert yesterday, December 11. 

The Madrigal Singers, the top a cappella choir, had five performances in the past two weeks. They performed at the Masonic Temple, the Women’s Club, La Cote d'Or, at the school’s Winter Concert and at a private party. 
 

At the Winter Concert they opened up with a traditional madrigal piece by Linda Spevacek-Avery: "Let Us Dance, Let Us Sing!" They also performed traditional carols like "Coventry Carol," arranged by Darmon Meader, "Carol of the Bells," by N. Keibtivucg and arranged by Wilhousky, and "A Seasonal Madrigal," by Sally K. Albrecht, which included the well-known melodies of "The Holly and the Ivy" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."  Being an a cappella choir, the singers of this group receive only one pitch from its director, Frank Marino. An interesting change, though, happened before their third piece. Mr. Marino gave a pitch twice, but no one sang! Senior Greg Corbino left his place in the choir and grabbed Mr. Marino’s baton out of his hand and conducted "Carol of the Bells." As part of the act, Mr. Marino then said, "I’m looking for a conducting position," earning a big laugh from the crowd.

Letting their seasonal spirit shine through,  members of  a cappella choir sang their hearts  out at the annual Winter Concert that showcases  the talents of all of Mason’s musical arts programs.  (Photo by Sarah Stanley)

Also performing that night was Opus Zero, the biggest choir. They sang a varied repertoire, including "Sleigh Ride," by Leroy Anderson, "Ose Shalom," a traditional Hebrew text to music by John Leavitt, and "Shepherd’s Joy," a Celtic Christmas celebration. They performed a piece Mr. Marino introduced as being "serious," but turned out to be a humorous piece: "Merry Christmas, Mozart," arranged by Jay Althouse. Its melodies were based on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s pieces, and its words were extracted from traditional carols. The crowd got a good laugh out of it. 
 

The Symphonic Band, coming in just shy of 80 members and conducted by Mary Jo Webster, has never had so many people onstage at the same time. Even with so many members, a few soloists shined that night, including freshman Alicia Harstack (flute), senior Phil Blush (saxophone), freshman Elizabeth Fortenberry (oboe), and junior Sean O’Connor (trumpet). Also, the band accompanied freshman Jessika Cartwright, who sang George Gershwin’s "Someone to Watch over Me."  The band agitated the audience with "Selections from Chicago," a medley including, "And All That Jazz," "Cell Block Tango," "Roxie," and "We Both Reached For the Gun." The movie, "Chicago," made all these tunes more famous last year, 27 years after the original play by Maurine Watkins was first performed. The band also challenged itself with John Chance’s "Variations on a Korean Folk Song," a grade 5 piece, the hardest level of difficulty it has ever tried.

Members of the Symphonic Band, bedecked in their  finest formal wear, wowed the crowd at the Winter  Concert. (Photo by Sarah Stanley)

Last by not least, two smaller ensemble groups showcased their talents at the Winter Concert. The Brass Quintet played several seasonal tunes led by junior Alex Nette. It was made up of juniors Sean O’Connor (trumpet), Alex Nette (trumpet), and Nathan Ballou (tuba) and sophomores Maggie Person (French horn) and Bob Bumgarner (trombone). The Brass Quintet is booked for holiday concerts and for the upcoming IB awards ceremony. 

The Jazz Ensemble played "Jumpin’ At the Woodside," by Count Basie, and "Free Ride," by the Edgar Winter Group, featuring a trumpet solo by Ben Greenberg and a drum set solo by junior Kellan Meador. They also played in the JV show as well.