The Choral Concert took place in St. Saviour’s Chapel during lunch on March 12. Wolverine Singers, Bel Canto and Chamber Singers performed in addition to several solo performances.
The concert opened with former Symphony Conductor and Music Teacher Mark Hilt playing the organ with Nadya Hitomi ’25. Performing Arts Teacher Zanaida Robles and Science Teacher Jesse Reiner then harmonized to “Good Morning,” an original piece written by Reiner.
Afterward, Bel Canto Singers Hayley Ross-Settineri ’27 and Julia Meyer ’27 performed “Sailor Song” by Gigi Perez. In addition, Mae Mae Gad ’27 performed an original piece named “I Fly.”
Gad said they felt underprepared but ended up enjoying the performance.
“Honestly I was a little nervous because I hadn’t been able to sing well that whole week due to a cold, but once I got there I had a lot of fun,” Gad said. “The acoustics in the chapel are great and I was surprised how there was enough sound in such a big space with no amplification.”
The concert ended with all the choirs performing “My Life Flows On in Endless Song”, originally composed by Robert Lowry, and “Kyrie From Haydn: Miss in Tempore Belli” by Joseph Haydn.
Audience Member Luna Yang ’27 said she enjoyed the concert, especially Gad’s solo.
“I thought the concert was very mind-blowing and all the singers did an amazing job,” Yang said. “My favorite memory throughout the performance was Mae Mae Gad’s solo, and I felt so moved by their talent and confidence in front of the crowd.”
The next day, Chamber Singers went to Azusa Pacific University, hosted by the Director of Choral Studies at the university, Michelle Jensen, for their Choral Competition on March 13. The students performed “Alleluia” by Middle School Accompanist Christopher Wong and “All The Things You Are” by Jerome Kern.
Robles said she was proud of her students because of how well they performed, even though there were last-minute changes.
“Something interesting that happened was we were prepared to sing two songs, but on the program, I had forgotten that I had put three songs,” Robles said. “So we actually cut one of the songs that we had been working on, and we added in the other songs that we hadn’t sung since December. But, I think the students really surprised themselves at how well they remembered it. I felt so proud of them because they could be so musical and flexible, being able to sing a completely different piece on the spot, in front of everybody. That was a really special experience and something I will ever forget.”
Student Director of Chamber Singers Sarah Parmet ’25 said festivals help the choir get closer.
“I love doing choir festivals because they’re another way for us to bond as a choir,” Parmet said. “We also usually get to leave school early and come late, which is pretty fun. The best part is getting lunch afterward and recapping how we all thought it went.”
Robles said the festival was a memorable experience for her.
“It one of the most interesting and positive festival experiences I’ve had because of the direct feedback we were able to receive,” Robles said. “There were only three schools, so we all got a lot of very personal time. We felt like they were really taking time to make notable differences and improvements in our work. It was a very valuable experience.”
