The Annual Winter Concert: Arise O Light

Sunday, December 10, 2023—During the darkest time of the year, the annual Winter Concert shined bright. With references to fireworks, candles, stars, and even the sun, this year’s concert theme “Arise, O Light” offered a fresh take on a concert that has traditionally been holiday-focused. An abridged concert for students, faculty, and staff on Thursday, December 7 allowed musicians to perform in front of a packed house at an all-school assembly. Then friends and family, alums, and former faculty came to campus for the full-length show on Sunday, December 10. Both performances were held in the David E. and Stacey L. Goel Theater. 

As with all Winsor productions, students ran the show with tech crew both backstage and behind the booth. Providing details about each piece, students Sophia Selassie ’28 and Angelina Fang ’26 emceed the Winter Concert, introducing each group of performers and sharing facts about the music, history, or inspiration behind each piece.

Pulling from cultural traditions that honor the lightness and darkness of the season, several of the songs had roots in holidays like Hanukkah and Diwali, singing in both Hebrew and Konkani, the official language of the Indian state of Goa. Winsor parent Mallika Anand P’31 even participated by accompanying singers on the tabla—a set of two Indian hand drums—in “Aeyaya Balano Sakkad” (“Come, Children, Listen to the Secrets of Life”) by Smt. M.B. Srinivasan, and arranged by John Higgins. African drums, flute, guitar, and shaker accompanied the Lower School Descants singing “Tu Eres Mi Sol” (“You Are My Sunshine”) by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell with lyrics adapted by Suni Paz.

The program spanned centuries, ranging from music written to accompany the royal fireworks in Great Britain in 1749 all the way up to pop hits from 1969. Singing a capella, Senior Small put their own spin on “Here Comes the Sun” originally written by George Harrison and sung by The Beatles. This special arrangement by Choral Director Andrew Marshall had students take turns alternating solos and singing backup-singer style, which the audience loved.

Upbeat and at times jaunty, the Lower School Orchestra played St. Paul’s Suite by Gustav Holst while the Upper School Chamber Players performed Invicta by Korean-American female composer Soon Hee. The Performing Arts Department places special emphasis on blending both well-known and underrepresented composers so that students can see themselves in the music and know that the classical canon is open to all. 

Inspired by inaugural U.S. poet Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb,” composer Franklin Willis wrote “Be the Light” to remind us that “when we work together, we can be the light to one another in our communities,” emcee Angela Fang shared. With rhythm and blues improvised on piano by Mr. Marshall, the Lower School Chorus I/II, together with Descants, clapped on the risers while the whole auditorium cheered with applause. 

A Winter Concert to remember, read the program for more details and watch the recordings below:Abridged Winter Concert AssemblyFull Winter ConcertProgram