Winter Concerts

Winter Concerts

Bring the family. Bring your friends. The winter concerts are a gift to the community, and all are invited!

Upper School Band & Choral Concert (view photos)

Wednesday, December 6, 7:00 p.m.; Kurtz Center for the Performing Arts

The Upper School Symphonic Band will once again explore music from a wide variety of genres and the theme inspired by the piece “Choose Joy” by Randall D. Standridge. This piece was monumental in the band and choirs trip to Orlando last year and will be conducted by Chris Green, director of the Central Florida Sounds of Freedom Pride Band from Orlando, Fla. The band will continue to explore joy through selections including “A Solitary Wish,” which shows multiple sides of emotions of the winter season, “Angry Beavers,” which demonstrates the joy of industrialism and hard work. The band will conclude with the joy of childhood with “Bare Necessities” from the Jungle Book.

Jazz Band will present a diverse program featuring swing, old Broadway, rock and “spy music,” while featuring numerous soloists. The band will present "Mr. Blue Sky" by the Electric Light Orchestra, "Embraceable You,"  by George and Ira Gershwin, and a Frank Sinatra hit, “Come Fly with Me.” The Jazz Band will conclude with “Tank” from the television show Cowboy Bebop, which continues the bands tradition of high energy, highly complex closers to the instrumental portion of the concert.

Quakers Dozen and Charter Singers are looking forward to performing their winter program. Through a cappella and instrumental accompaniment, both choirs hope to instill the sense of longing and energy needed to revitalize spirits during the cold winter months. The Charter Singers will sing the classic spiritual “Elijah Rock,” as well as a contemporary choral piece, “Good Night Dear Heart.” They will also round out their piece by performing a modern indie folk song “Helplessness Blues.” Quakers Dozen will sing several group a cappella numbers, including “Copa Cabana,” “Life on Mars” and “Over the Rainbow.” 

Middle School Band & Choral Concert (view photos)

Monday, December 11, 7:00 p.m.; Kurtz Center for the Performing Arts

Sixth grade band arrives on stage for their first performance of the year to delight the audience with their renditions of famous folk songs. Seventh and eighth grade concert band has worked hard to master the power of "African Bell Carol," the flowing melodies and harmonies of "Colliding Visions,” and will conclude with a piece by the well-known female composer Carol Brittin Chambers titled "Byzantine Dances." Middle school jazz band will keep the groove going with the catchy song "Handclap” by Fitz and the Tantrums. Students have risen to the challenge of Weather Report’s classic tune "Birdland," and will conclude with the iconic Chicago tune "25 or 6 to 4" featuring two soloists.

The sixth grade choir is excited to perform two contemporary pieces, “Joga” by Bjork and “Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane. They will also be joining the Penn Singers and we will hear the entire Middle School choral program singing “Draw The Circle Wide.” Following that performance, the seventh and eighth grade choir will sing more contemporary pops style selections spanning 3 decades. They will be performing “Symbol” by Adrienne Lenker, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World '' by Tears for Fears and “Happier” by Bastille.

Lower School Winter Concert

Friday, December 15, Grades 3-5 at 8:30 a.m., Grades K-2 at 9:45 a.m.
Kurtz Center for the Performing Arts

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Lower School students have been hard at work preparing for the Winter Concert. Since September, they have been building on their musical skills through playing instruments, singing songs, playing games, performing dances and so much more. Our concert is a wonderful way to see how we progress through music at Penn Charter.