Risers backed by red and green lights adorned the stage as families and peers of choir students filed into the auditorium, preparing for a festive and stunning show. At 7pm on Dec. 14, Holt’s choirs performed their winter concert, featuring choral arrangements both novelty and hymnal in spirit of the holiday season. The lights dimmed over the audience to introduce the Baritone choir. 

Stepping off of the risers and into a semicircle center stage, the Baritones performed their rendition of the ever-sour You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch, subtly choreographed steps enhancing the slinky harmonies of the carol. The treble choir performed next, and at the end of their set was Jingle Bell Rock, performed jointly with the Treble and Select Treble choirs. The two Treble choirs stepped back and forth, smiling as they blended their talents in a fun concert highlight. 

The Chamber and Concert choirs performed together as the last group of the night, the setlist containing latin hymns and madrigals, as well as the contemporary stunner Run To You, a favorite of Chamber choir member Chloe Bryant (‘23).

“Run To You was my favorite song to perform, because style-wise it was the most challenging and demonstrated our vocal tone the best, which is something I appreciate,” Bryant said. The song’s ebb and flow of tempo, volume, and pitch made for a dynamic addition to the repertoire for the Chamber and Concert choirs.

Ending the concert was a joint number with every choir coming together to perform We Wish You A Merry Madrigal. The risers were completely filled and the singers stretched from end to end of the stage. The song was a gorgeous finale for the concert, merging the talent of the choirs in a rapturous and climactic sendoff.

The concert capped off the first semester of choir performance, showing the great efforts of all involved in beautiful music. The second semester is the final choir season for all seniors involved, bringing up bittersweet nostalgia in some, but the seniors of the choirs are mostly looking forward to the changes that the next performance season will bring. 

“Unfortunately, we’re losing some people, but we’re gaining some too, so it’ll be fun to see how we mix. Plus, we sing some fun songs for our spring concerts,” Aden Hicks (‘23) explains. The lineup change will provide a challenge for the members of Chamber choir along with a new dynamic to enhance the choir’s sound and synergy. Now that the first semester of performances has come to a close, Holt’s choirs are determined to make the next semester even better than the last.