The violinists play the lively "Cole Porter Salute"
As the blue lights rose, fifty-three student musicians gracefully lifted their instruments under the instruction of Dr. Clements. This April, St. Ignatius’s annual Spring Pops concert, featuring orchestra, jazz band, and choir, presented a beautiful mix of music that delighted family, faculty, and students alike.
The first group to perform was the orchestra, who started off with the jubilant “Cole Porter Salute,” which featured an array of Broadway classics. Next was “Slavonic Dance” by Antonin Dvorak, an exuberant piece with a lively violin part. The orchestra then transitioned to their more “pop” piece—a Lord of the Rings medley, and the theme from James Bond. “This semester of orchestra was really fun, and I enjoyed all of our pieces, especially “Lord of the Rings,” says Carmen Aaronson ’24, who plays the bass clarinet. “The woodwinds, brass, and strings all come together to sound very exciting.”
After intermission, the jazz band (directed by Mr. Green) amped up the energy with their upbeat renditions of “Just By Myself” and “The Jazz Police.” The 11-person ensemble also played a slow, pretty ballad called “You Know I Care” by Duke Pearson. Almost all of the songs featured individual solos, notably from Nick Graham ’23 on alto saxophone and Anthony Jin ’24 on the trombone. “Playing in jazz band is definitely a unique experience… ‘Jazz Police’ was a good chance to learn how to play with a lot of energy, and was an exciting way to end the concerts,” said Anthony.
As orchestra exited, SI’s Chamber Chorus (directed by Ms. Gomes) stepped into the spotlight. The first song they performed was “Bendecid Su Nombre,” a piece from Jubilate Deo that the choir also performed at Lincoln Center in New York City this spring break. The next three songs were student-conducted. The first, an arrangement of “All Star,” was conducted by Emily Fable ’23; the second—“Because” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney —was both arranged and conducted by Gaby Freedland ’23.
James Nicolson ’23 then led a quartet in singing his arrangement of “I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues.” Chamber chorus finished their performance with a beautiful rendition of “Desert Song.” Mixed chorus polished off the choir act with notable songs like “When the Party’s Over” and “Clouds.” “This was a really bittersweet performance that was the most fitting end to my performing arts experience at SI…I felt both sad and happy when all the seniors lined up and sang “Clouds” together one last time,” said Preston Ho ’23.
Naomi Ko ’24 is a Vol. 71 Editor-in-Chief