On February 21, the Symphonic Orchestra, B-Flats, Jazz Combo, Upper School Jazz Ensemble, and theater actors performed for the student body and faculty in a Friday morning Chapel, under the direction of Mr. Fiori, Mrs. Carye, Mr. Patterson, and Mr. DiResta. The Symphonic Orchestra began with a performance of “Remember Me” by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, featuring an introductory solo by violinist Wesley Zhu ’25. The orchestra then transitioned into the popular rock song “Final Countdown” by Joey Tempest, with an additional accompanying feature by Patrick Gaulin on the drums and various percussion instruments. When asked the orchestra’s performance, senior bassist Yareh Constant ’25 stated, “I think we had a bit more nerves than usual just because our audience size was much larger than we were used to, but I think it was a great performance overall. We selected popular repertoire that people would recognize so the music would be a little bit more enjoyable, and I’m glad the orchestra coordinated to follow through with a solid performance for the students to enjoy.”
Next, the B-Flats were introduced to the stage under Mr. Patterson, beginning with “Caravan of Love” by E. Isley, C. Jasper, and M. Isley. Mr. Patrick Gaulin once again guest-accompanied on the drums and percussion instruments. The B-Flats also performed “Song for Mama” by Babyface, Next, the Jazz Combo took the stage under the direction of Mr. Fiori; they performed “And I Love Her” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, with Jake Ma ’27, Babikir Saeed ’26, and David Luo ’25 all soloing on the trumpet.
Then, the Jazz Combo took the stage under the direction of Mr. Fiori, beginning with “And I Love Her” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, with Jake Ma ’27, Babikir Saeed ’26, and David Luo ’25 all soloing on the trumpet. The Upper School Jazz Ensemble also performed under the direction of Mr. Fiori, playing “Song For My Father” by Horace Silver, with Ryan Ho ’28 soloing on the alto saxophone, Marco Pena ’28 soloing on the vibraphone, T.Z. Snail ’26 soloing on the piano, and finally, Tiernan Emmert ’28 soloing on the double bass. The ensemble also played “Red Clay” by Freddie Hubbard, with Ethan Xie ’26 soloing on the tenor saxophone, Brandon Li ’26 soloing on the alto saxophone, and William Skordos ’27 soloing on the guitar.
When asked about his thoughts on the musical Chapel, Mr. Fiori remarked, “It was wonderful to be able to gather in the midst of this icey winter to celebrate our talented musicians and actors! This was also a very uplifting way to start a cold Friday morning. Bravo to our student performers!”
Ultimately, it was a great morning filled with fantastic renditions of popular scores by the Symphonic Orchestra, B-Flats, Jazz Combo, and Upper School Jazz Ensemble for the school featuring numerous solos and features.
The Panel would like to give a huge thank you to Mr. Fiori, Mrs. Carye, Mr. Patterson, and Mr. DiResta for the careful organization and direction of all the ensembles and groups involved, as well as each soloist who performed in the school-wide Chapel.
