Vibrant sounds of strings and woodwinds filled the air as the Upper School (US) Orchestra opened the Winter Concert Extravaganza on Dec. 13, 2024, with Mozart’s “Jupiter” symphony. This year, the concert had three unique performances: orchestra, chorale and a cappella, and jazz. The annual event spanned almost three hours, from 6:30 to 9:15 p.m., and coincided with the end of the Hand + Heart Auction. Students, faculty, parents, and prospective families were among those who attended the Winter Concert, which was decked out with festive decorations, coffee, hot chocolate, and a photo booth.
US Orchestra Director Elliot Cless ’02 said the event was unique because of the variety of performances, which have not included singing in prior years.
“It was a really festive and vibrant event—one of my favorite events of the school year. Adding Chorale and a cappella to the mix, along with elements like a coffee station, photo booth, and inviting prospective families, made it pop.”
For Dr. Cless, art allows US students to express their individuality and build connections within the school community.
“The arts are a beautiful and integral space for students to find aspects of their identity, share talents with the community, and tell stories that always involve emotional qualities. It’s a space where they feel comfortable and create connections that might not always happen in other areas of school life.”
Following Mozart’s “Jupiter” symphony, the orchestra played an outer space medley, combining excerpts from multiple pieces and transitioning them into a single continuous performance. The orchestra used various musical techniques during the medley, from improvising sounds reminiscent of radio waves emitted by stars to playing warm, harmonic passages from existing pieces.
To accompany the music, the Lindberg-Serries Theater was filled with various colored lights, ranging from deep greens and blues to bright shades of pink and yellow, representing various parts of outer space. Dr. Cless was particularly proud of how the orchestra group handled difficult transitions during the medley, he said.
For their final rendition, the orchestra chose “Star Wars: Throne Room and Finale,” which Dr. Cless conducted using a lightsaber as his baton.
Dean Riaz ’28, a member of the orchestra, said he liked the selected pieces.
“I play the violin, and one of the highlights of preparing for the Winter Concert was brainstorming space-themed sounds with Dr. Cless. He chose a great theme for the concert and selected some incredible pieces that really captured it, like Mozart’s ‘Jupiter’ symphony.”
After the orchestra, the Chorale performed a mix of holiday songs, including “Somebody’s Watching Me” by Rockwell, a song for Halloween; “Nagada Sang Dhol,” a Garba song for Diwali; and “La Llorona,” a traditional Mexican song for the Day of the Dead. After, Chorale sang a wide selection of winter songs, such as “White Christmas” by Berlin, “Al Hanissim” by Meir Lamberski, “Jingle Bells” by Pierpont, and “Carol of the Bells” by Mykola Leontovych.
Then, the Knightingales, the US a cappella group, sang “Lift Me Up” by Rihanna, “Take Me to Church” by Hozier, and “I Want You Back” by The Jackson 5.
Nava Galperin ’28, an audience member at the concert, said the performances by Chorale and the Knightingales were her favorite, praising their spirit and song choice.
“I think the chorus and a cappella group was probably my favorite. The singing was very impressive and clearly well rehearsed. They had a lot of energy, and all of the songs were fun.”
To close the concert, the jazz bands’ setlist featured a mix of upbeat, swing-style, and contemporary pieces. Noah Ditzion ’28, who played the saxophone in the 9th-grade ensemble, said the diverse selection of music made the jazz section special.
“My favorite part of the event was seeing the different types of songs and enjoying all of the great music played. The 9th-grade ensemble had lots of options for what to perform. Overall, we chose the melodies that we thought sounded best and what the audience would like and enjoy.”
Noah said he appreciated how the Winter Concert was an inclusive event that brought together students from different grades to showcase their talents.
“Playing an instrument at BB&N is really valuable because it highlights how much everyone at BB&N values and supports one another. The Winter Concert is a fun way to bring people together and connect through shared experiences.”
Matthias Paulson ’26, who plays in the Thursday Jazz Band, said music and art improve your ability to learn in other circumstances.
“A lot of people listen to music, and they look at art … The more you practice, the better you get at learning. So, music and art teach people how to learn, even if you don’t plan on doing something with it.”
