As the wooden doors of the Chapel swung open to let the audience inside, you couldn’t help but notice how perfectly the sun spilled through the stained-glass window, painting the white walls with a soft glow of purple, blue, and red.
Held on December 3, this year’s winter concert, “Voices That Changed the Score,” celebrated musicians and composers whose ideas and contributions reshaped the musical world. Some revolutionized compositional techniques and style, while others shared messages centered on change. “Every song worked with the idea of social justice, connecting to the school’s theme value of the year of justice,” explained Director of Choral Music Dr. Christine Micu.
Grandparents in festive coats, siblings and friends still in school uniforms, parents, and teachers began to enter and fill the pews, their conversations floating in the air.
The five orchestra students took their seats first — Ethan Yang (’27), Annika Mody (‘27), Paul Schnabl (’30), Neela Laurent (’28), and Julia Schnabl (‘28) — and the choir soon joined them. Together, they opened the program with a combined choir piece, “Glad We Be This Day.”
Next came Antonio Vivaldi’s “Gloria,” a 12-movement piece featuring several soloists and a lot of rich rhythmic and dynamic contrasts in volume. Its composer, Antonio Vivaldi — an Italian Baroque priest, composer, violinist, and famous for “The Four Seasons” — continues to influence music centuries later into popular modern music.
For Dr. Micu, the preparation for the winter concert started back in the summer. “In the summertime, in my office at home, I have music spread out all over the floor so that you can’t walk through there,” said Dr. Micu, smiling. “I make piles and piles of music, and I gradually slowly narrow it down. Then, when I get my rosters for who’s going to be in choir…I can weed it out as far as what music is going to sound really good for the group of singers that I have that year.”
Preparing for the song “Gloria” was no small task. “We had this pretty thick book,” Aviva Wrosch (‘27) said, laughing as she reflected on the rehearsals leading up to the concert. “The process of learning something that complex…the movements in succession with no breaks was different.”
With many choir members being new to the program this year, Dr. Micu explained that “the biggest challenge is learning choir vowels and developing really good choir singing habits, which are different than solo singing habits…like listening to the people around you and to blend with the people around you.”
That sense of collaboration was especially meaningful for new members. “In choir, when we rehearse the same piece of music, when we work together to produce a harmony, when we support each other to perfect a performance, choir experience really brings everyone together and makes me feel grateful to be one of the Bishop’s Singers and one of the Bishop’s students.” said Jerri Li (‘28), reflecting on his experience joining the Bishop’s choir this year.
Madison Gasaway (‘28) added that “breath support” — or how you control your air while singing — proved to be one of the most difficult parts of the concert. “Sometimes I feel like I’m about to pass out or feel very nauseous,” she said. “I think everyone in the choir can relate to that.”
Although challenging at first, “Gloria” came with a lot of rewards as well. Jerri recalled attending a professional performance of the same piece earlier that day at St James by the Sea, in La Jolla, calling it “impressive and rewarding” to see how experts approached the music differently — even inspiring him “to attempt to apply a few dynamics changes that I had heard hours before my solo.”
Cellist Julia loved the moment “everything came together,” adding, “hearing the choir and instrumental parts blend so well after all the individual practice and rehearsals was amazing.” For Madison, singing “Domine Fili Unigenite” was a highlight a described it as “a happy song that is very fun but also high intensity, which makes it exciting.”
As the final perfect authentic cadence chords (Honors Music Theory reference haha) for “Gloria” faded, the atmosphere of the Chapel shifted. It was holiday music time!
The Middle School Singers sang “Hope Lingers On,” incorporating stomps and claps the students put together during their X-period block, adding to the liveliness of the song. This was followed by “Ripple” with soloists Codi Lucas (‘30) and Emily Lai (‘30). “This choir concert differed from the past in that instead of only doing one or two songs for the winter concert, I got to be in five, which is way more fun,” Codi said. “It was pretty easy because we had plenty of time and a great teacher.”
Their next piece, “Christmas Dance,” showcased full choreography taught by Dance Teacher Ms. Yvette Luxenberg in approximately 45 minutes, according to Dr. Micu. Ms. Lux was spotted at the back of the chapel, near the opening doors, smiling and dancing along to the song she choreographed.
The Bishop’s Chorus then took the stage, all four members wearing a Santa hat, and sang “Underneath the Tree.” “Being on that stage for the first time as a high schooler was such an awesome experience,” said Bishop’s Chorus singer and Assistant Director of the Middle School’s Singers Brady Li (‘29). “I’ve been in choir since 6th grade, always watching the upperclassmen and hoping I’d eventually be where they were. Now that I’m finally in that spot, it feels full-circle.”
The Treble Singers then performed the song “Santa Tell Me” featuring soloists Leela Murali (‘32), Olivia Min (‘32), Lisa Pan (‘26), and Ariela Leff (‘28), followed by the Tenor and Bass Singers singing “Someday at Christmas.”
Next, the Bishop’s Singers sang the warm classic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” followed by “The Work of Christmas,” sung jointly with Bishop’s Chorus.
To conclude the evening, all performers came together for the final piece, “Candlelight Carol.” Although no alumni were present to join the state this year, the tradition still carried its usual warmth and sense of togetherness.
