Harlem’s Winter Choir/Guitar Concert commenced on December 10th, in Harlem High School’s auditorium. This performance was significant to the community as the singers and musicians welcome the holiday season, and spread joy with festive music that brightens everyone’s day.

The show started out with the beginning guitar classes playing classic Christmas songs such as, “Jingle Bells,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “Carol of the Bells,” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

The beginning guitar classes consist of guitarists who are learning the instrument for the first time. For them to have performed in front of a crowd with only four months of practice, shows not only commitment, but confidence and bravery.

Next the concert choir, which is a choir class for anyone interested in singing for the school sang festive songs such as “Down the Chimney,” “Winter Bells,” “A Medieval Fa La La,” “The First Noel,” and “The Holiday Tango.” They sang elegantly and in a way that made the whole crowd look up to the stage and be immersed in their voices. Along with the concert choir, there were musicians playing instruments for them to sing along to such as senior Ethan Amundson and senior Quinn Nothnagel on percussion, and freshman Abigail Lobo on the flute.

The Choraleers, which is a group of singers who are committed and dedicated to singing, were next as they sang “Under Winter Moon,” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” “The Christmas Song,” and “Joy To The World.” All the singers came onto the stage wearing the same long black robes. They stood in their formation so it was easy to distinguish who was a soprano, alto, tenor, or bass. They sang in a harmonious, melodic way that captivated the audience. Along with the Choraleers, senior Nolen Stoneburner added pleasant music playing tenor saxophone.

Finally the a capella extracurricular choir class “Voices of Harlem” sang, “White Christmas,” “Jamaican Novel,” and “Christmas ( Baby Please Come Home).” This group of singers show immense amounts of dedication as they are simply in this club to continue and show off their love for singing. The two last songs they sang, (“Jamaican Novel” and “Christmas ( Baby Please Come Home)”), featured a variety of solo performances from many different voices and vocal ranges such as freshman Imogen Brady (soprano), senior Asiah Pierce (alto), junior Gabriel Coletta (tenor), and sophomore Charles Faulkner (bass).

When interviewed Brady (9) said, “My favorite song to perform was either White Christmas or Holiday Tango. They both sounded really great.”

To appreciate just how long they have been working on this performance, Brady reveals, “we’ve been preparing for months, since September.” When asked what Brady’s favorite part of the whole experience is, she explains, “My favorite part has really just been being able to sing. Singing has always definitely been my favorite thing.”

Having such passion for singing really does make all the difference when it comes to having an exceptional performance. Everyone sharing the dedication that comes with singing makes it so much more evident to the audience how determined they are to put on a stunning show.

The holiday feeling was thick in the air and the crowd happily enjoyed all the festive music. After every performance, a pleased crowd would give a roaring applause to congratulate all the singers on their hard work.

Everywhere you looked, you could always see someone in the crowd smiling when they looked up at the stage. At times, the crowd would even join in, and sing along with the performers.

All in all, Harlem’s Winter Choir/Guitar Concert proved both the choir and guitar classes of their talent to parents, students, teachers, and people in the community. The presence of the holiday season is now clear to everyone, and we can thank the performers for welcoming it to us!