On Saturday, March 29th, the Grier community gathered in the auditorium for the Spring Music Concert and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. From jazzy rhythms to emotional songs and iconic film scores, the showcase had it all. The concert featured performances by Grier’s Jazz Band, Flute Choir, Concert Choir, and Orchestra, and everyone brought their A-game.
The night kicked off with the Jazz Band’s cool and classy rendition of “It’s Alright With Me” by Cole Porter, featuring vocals by junior Yanrui (Rayna) Qu and an instrument section that really knew how to jazz it up. 11th grade drummer, Lucy Hanlon, shared that adjusting to jazz-style drumming was the biggest challenge. “I’m so used to drumming like pop rock stuff,” she said. “So I had to really change my style; but, it was fun and new!” Lucy also mentioned that the more they got into the groove, the more in sync the band became.
Next up, the Flute Choir performed a stunning rendition of “Rondeau” and “Amazing Grace.” Honestly, they sounded amazing. Senior Seoyun (Bella) Back mentioned how tricky it was to get the harmony just right between the flutes, but once everything clicked it was totally worth it. “It made our performance so rewarding,” she said. And you could tell. Every note felt so smooth and in sync, and it all came together beautifully.
Concert Choir followed with three pieces: “Wintersong,” based on an Emily Brontë poem, the American folk classic “Shenandoah,” and the fun ‘60s hit “Da Doo Ron Ron.” The song choices were originally made when the concert was planned to take place in February when “Wintersong” would have been extremely timely. However, the concert now took place just as all the snow disappeared. However, the Choir Director, Ms. Hartman, joked about the chaotic and unusual Pennsylvania weather, and how it had snowed on campus two days before the performance.
Despite the change in seasons, Ms. Harman decided to keep songs like “Wintersong” in order to have a variety from poetic to upbeat. “I wanted to choose something that would appeal to different emotions and styles,” she said. Ms. Hartman reflected on the challenge of coming back from a two-week spring break before the concert, and shared how she was proud of her singers. “The girls rose to that challenge. They hit the ground running,” she said with pride.
One of the most special moments of the night was the collaboration between Concert Choir and Orchestra on “Danny Boy,” arranged specifically for Grier by Orchestra Director himself, Mr. Minnich. He shared how he couldn’t find a version he loved, so he wrote one himself. “I knew the tune was beautiful, and I wanted something that would suit both ensembles,” he said. The result was a gorgeous arrangement that gave everyone, including myself, chills. Mr. Minnich also spoke about the process of creating custom arrangements. “Writing it was really fast because I deliberately made the music simpler for most people,” he explained. Bella also mentioned how the collaboration felt more fun than difficult, saying that they were able to give and receive feedback during practice.
Finally, Orchestra closed the show with the theme song from “Downton Abbey” and “The Lord of the Rings,” both crowd favorites. Senior Annie Nguyen, who stepped out of her usual percussion comfort zone to play piano in “Downton Abbey,” said, “I used to be safe and sound in the back, but now I was like right in front of everyone. That was challenging.” Bella also had a favorite moment of the night. “For me, of course, Lord of the Rings,” she said, calling the combination of melodies “truly powerful” and describing it as an unforgettable performance.
Despite the short amount of time they had to rehearse after the two week break, the concert was a clear reflection of how much Grier’s music program has grown in complexity, collaboration, and confidence. As Ms. Hartman said, “It shows they’re learning faster and tackling more challenging music.” This year’s Spring Music Concert wasn’t just about performing. It was about connecting through music, teamwork, and a whole lot of passion.
