Belmont Hill students were treated to a long chapel of music and fun on the morning Friday, February 16th. Perhaps expecting a lengthy speech, the boys were instead pleasantly surprised to discover that the chapel would consist of a performance by two students from the Berklee College of Music. Warmly introduced by family friend Mr. McAlpin, Jason and Jacob Sibi-Okumu walked onto the chapel stage with guitars in hand and introduced themselves to the school community.
Hailing from Nairobi, Kenya, Jason gave a brief, rousing speech about pursuing one’s ambitions in life. With acoustic guitars in hand, Jason, a singer and songwriter, teamed up with his jazz guitarist brother Jacob to perform an excellent half hour of music for the Belmont Hill community. Playing familiar songs such as Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You, Coldplay’s Fix You, and Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds, Jason and Jacob had the crowd clapping, snapping, and singing along. Immensely talented and charismatic, the duo created a warm, happy atmosphere in the chapel and received a standing ovation at the end of their performance. Afterward, students and faculty alike buzzed about how much they enjoyed the morning entertainment, and the show’s jovial tone lightened the mood on campus throughout the rest of the day.
Not only did Jason and Jacob bring such talent and happiness to the school that morning, but the change in pace from the usual long chapels was refreshing for many students. Instead of listening to a forty-minute lecture, the boys were able to actively participate in a new, exciting kind of chapel. The merit of modifying the usual routine in order to engage the student body was on full display that day, and the Belmont Hill community is glad to have been able to hear and sing along with the talented Sibi-Okumu duo.
