Health & Fitness
Naugatuck High School Winter Concert
The music students at NHS presented a wonderful evening of holiday music.
The annual Naugatuck High School Winter Concert was presented on the scheduled snow date Dec. 18, 2013. Band Director Robert Hughes thanked the attendees for making the effort to come to the rescheduled concert. Principal Jan Saam was in attendance to enjoy this evening of music.
The ninety minute program opened with the Concert Band that performed "Old Brenton Carol" by Holst/R.W. Smith and Appalachian Carol by Jerry Brubaker. The flute players all sported festive holiday hats. The students in the Chorus, under the direction of Mahlon Peterson, followed with "Home" by Greg Holden, "Like an Eagle" by Carl Strommen, and "You Raise Me Up" by Brandon Graham.
The Combined Symphonic and Concert Band, under the direction of Mr. Hughes, then took to the stage to perform their traditional rendition of Leroy Anderson's "Sleigh Ride." The Symphonic Band/Marching Band remained onstage to play "Toy Symphony" by Mozart's father Leopold Mozart. It featured lots of interesting instruments in the percussion section. They followed with "Canadian Brass Christmas Suite" by Calvin Custer featuring some trumpet and horn solos.
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The members of the marching band closed the instrumental section of the program with their championship winning fall marching band show entitled "Triumph" arranged by David Dion. The band was under the direction of Drum Majors Cortney Els and Megan McSweeney, and when these young ladies weren't on the podium, they were helping out in the percussion section. This three movement piece brought down the house.
Next up were the Chamber Singers to perform four acapella pieces. "I Will" (Lennon/McCarthy,) "Crazy" (Willie Nelson,) "The Mouse Madrigal"(Steven Porter) and "Prayer of the Children" (Kurt Bessing) in honor of the Sandy Hook victims.
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The new accompanist Chris Dabbo returned to the piano to back up the students in the vocal music groups. The large Concert Choir tackled "O Fortuna" from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff, "Requium Aeternam (John Rutter) in Latin and "The Christmas Song" by Mel Torme.
The evening of music ended with all the vocal music students singing together. Mr. Peterson invited the audience to join in on "Silver Bells" by Jay Livingston and we sounded quite good. The final number was the traditional Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" and all NHS music program alumni were invited to join in.
