By Christopher Samuel ‘26 (Assistant Editor)
Every winter, students, faculty, alumni, and family members crowd Shallcross Hall’s Meeting Room in anticipation of stunning musical performances from our very own Friends’ Central students. This year was no different, and attending the Upper School Winter Concert was a delightful way to spend a Tuesday night. Conducted by Mr. Bradley and Ms. Zuckman and consisting of numbers from the orchestra, chorus, senior chorus, a capella group, and jazz ensemble, the concert was a thoroughly entertaining display of FCS talent.
The first group to play was the orchestra. Their first piece, “Swan Lake” Act 2 Scene 10, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, demonstrated a stark transition from light and airy to dark and brooding. It was followed by another classical piece, a variation of “Nimrod,” by Edward Elgar. Next was “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence,” by Ryuichi Sakamoto, a delicate and more contemporary piece from a movie by the same name. Finally, the orchestra closed with “Reina la Esperanza” by José Félix García “Félix de Carboneras,” a song characteristic of Semana Santa processions in Spain. This set of pieces was an energetic start to the concert.
After the orchestra came the chorus, accompanied by Zach Zaitlin. “Eatnemen Vuelie,” by Frode Fjellheim was their first song. The chant-like song was familiar to some due to its appearance in the Disney movie Frozen. Next was “Bashana Haba’ah,” by Ehud Manor and Nurit Hirsch, arranged by John Leavitt. Sung in Hebrew and with the additional accompaniment of several orchestra members, the song looks forward to the new year. Following this, the chorus sang “Harambee,” a piece composed by Robert Hugh that exemplifies a Kenyan musical tradition. The last song of the entire chorus was “Carol of the Bells,” by Mykola Leontovich, but next came the Senior Chorus, performing “White Winter Hymnal,” written by Fleet Foxes and arranged by Pentatonix. Complete with a clapping, knee-patting routine, it was an excellent celebration of the seniors and a superb finish to the chorus’ songs.
The Quaker Noats a cappella group was next. Their first song was “Dog Days Are Over,” by written Florence Welsh and Isabella Summers and arranged by Sasha Giuntoli ‘25 and Ms. Zuckman. Second, they sang “Rolling in the Deep,” written by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth and arranged by Patrick Painter. Both were adapted to being sung without instruments, creating fresh interpretations of two well-known songs.
The final group to perform was the jazz ensemble. They began by playing the lively “On The Sunny Side of the Street,” by Jimmy McHugh. After that came John Coltrane’s “Equinox,” and third was “Shaheed,” by Soulive. Written in 2001, “Shaheed” was the most contemporary of the jazz ensemble’s pieces. To close the night, the ensemble played “Chanson,” by Dave Grusin. Each piece was highlighted by solos, showcasing FCS students’ abilities.
The concert as a whole was consistently enjoyable and a great experience to exhibit the musical skills that FCS houses. A big thank you to the performers and all others involved in making the concert so successful!


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