Barrons Bring Cheer into the Winter Season

The+Woodbridge+High+School+choir+performing+at+the+Woodbridge+Community+Center.+

Glenn Lottmann

The Woodbridge High School choir performing at the Woodbridge Community Center.

Mikaela Peralta, Writer

 Since the new school year started, the choirs and band had been preparing non-stop for the winter concert that took place on November 13, 2017. The auditorium was packed with people curious as to what the Woodbridge High School choir and band had to offer.

The night started out with the concert choir students proceeding to the front of the auditorium, lighting up the dark room with candles and singing “What Child is This?” with Caleb Santos, a senior at Woodbridge High school, as the soloist of the song.

“Caleb Santos’s solo was sung beautifully. He set a dark and chilling mood that the rest of the choir followed nicely,” said sophomore Krishna Sharma, who had watched from the audience.

The songs “Dark lands March,”  “Gothic Dance,” and “All Through the Night” included some students who started to play their instrument just this year.

“I’m proud of each of those students who have worked hard to catch up to the rest of the group, sometimes on instruments they have never even seen before. They are not experts just yet, but they are growing musicians who are working hard to keep up with their responsibilities,” said Mr. Kohn, the band instructor and music teacher at WHS.

Jazz Choir sang an acapella cover of “Merry Christmas, Darling” with Michael Trujillo, a sophomore, as a soloist, followed by a show-stopping performance by our Show Choir. They performed pieces choreographed by Mr. Bunch for the songs “All I Want for Christmas is You,” “Baby That is Rock and Roll,” and “Neighborhood” with solos by Caleb Santos, sophomore Rosemarie Pilla, senior Kayla Mitchell, junior Eric McKenzie, and senior Jeff Smith.

“I thought that they were amazing. The choreography was on point and the vocals were phenomenal,” said sophomore Madison Carral, who was in the audience on the night of the performance.

“I felt like the choir was stronger [than last year] and more professional because we felt inspired because last year we didn’t get superior [in competition]. This year we are more serious,” Michael Trujillo said, who was from Jazz Show,  and who is a Concert choir member.

Following the Jazz Choir, there were performances by the wind ensemble: “Joy (Revised),” “Elegy for the USS Arizona,” “Melodious Thunk,” and “Sleigh Ride.” The “Elegy for the USS Arizona” was a tribute to the United States Navy soldiers during Pearl Harbor.

The night concluded with the combined choirs performing “Medley of Carols” joined by the wind ensemble and ASL (American Sign Language) students performing “Hallelujah” together.

“The concert went well. The students performed their music admirably and the audience was appreciative.  There is always room for improvement, but I think the students should be proud of their performance,” said Mr. Kohn on his entire team.