Winter 🎵 pic.twitter.com/OyihJwIhAx

— HMHS (@HaddonfieldHS) December 22, 2021

HMHS’s Winter Concert and Winterfest were a fantastic way to close out 2021 and usher in a new year of music.  On December 21, the concert band presented their holiday extravaganza with two medleys: “Chanukah Celebration” and “Christmas Spectacular.” Each contained classic songs from their respective holidays, featuring the wind and brass ensemble of the HMHS band. 

Next came the orchestra, or string ensemble. They played several symphonies including “North Pole Workshop,” “Brandenburg Concerto Number 5,” “Dance of the Tumblers,” and “Santa at the Symphony.” This was followed with a combination of both the string and band ensembles, to make a full orchestra debut. 

On top of the success of the performance, Mr. Janney and Ms. Mildrum announced that four of their students made it into All South Jersey, a very prestigious youth organization for students involved in instrumental arts. “It’s a blind audition, so they face the wall,” explained Claudia Fisicaro, a freshman accepted into the clarinet section, “The moderator takes your paper and then you play.” Fisicaro disclosed that she was both shocked and happy at the fact that she was accepted. 

Following the band and orchestra performances, came the choirs of our school. First, the Madrigals took front and center in a very jolly rendition of “Here Comes Santa Claus” followed by “Carol of the Bells.” As they performed, the risers were set up for the chamber choir to get in position. Mr. Mills, the primary director of the choirs, explained that chamber choir’s songs were meant to show reflection, which is why one of them was a call for peace from an older collection of holiday songs from around the world. 

Finally, the finale came, with the concert choir at its helm. The biggest choir of all the groups at our school, basses, tenors, altos, and sopranos came together to harmonize in a ragtime edition of “Deck the Halls,” reorganized by Molly Ijames. Next, the group sang a Jewish folksong by the name of “Ma Navu,” with the ending climax being their version of “Like It’s Christmas,” a Jonas Brothers love song with the winter holidays at its center. 

This year’s Winter Concert was truly a marvel not soon to be forgotten. From the amazing orchestral accomplishments displayed, to the vocal talent comprised of hard work and weekly practice, the reentrance to in-person concerts could not have gone better.