Last night, the chorus program held their winter concert Gaudete, which translates from Latin as “rejoice,” in the auditorium at 7 p.m. This was the sixth performance of the winter season in the past two weeks for Annandale Singers and Women’s Chamber, the top two choirs.
“I’ve got my hand in a lot of different musical pies in the area, [so] we are afforded a lot of opportunities,” Choral Director Patrick Vaughn said. “The fact that we can take some time during the holidays to give back to people I think is huge.”
Today, they perform their last gig at the Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Old Town, Alexandria, for their Noonday Noël.
“I am most excited for this concert because we’re gonna be able to walk around Old Town afterwards and dress up nicely,” sophomore and member of Women’s Chamber Ruby Connelly said.
The concert opened with “Gaudete” by Michael Englehardt, a powerful yet energetic medieval-sounding number sung by all the choirs, amounting to over 100 kids.
Accompanied by an AHS percussion ensemble led by Band Director Zachary Wadsworth, the choir sang of Christ’s birth and the renewal of the world, anchored by the rhythmic pounding of a bass drum.
Afterwards, Atom’s Chorale and Men’s Chorale sang three songs and Women’s Chamber and Annandale Singers performed four, with a few solos mixed in.
They were accompanied by Lisa Gibbs-Smith on the piano since their regular pianist, Carol Workman, is recovering from surgery. Flutist Jeanne Crowley also accompanied a song.
While Vaughn emphasizes having a varied repertoire each year, some songs are tradition, like the “Jingle Bells” arrangement, performed for the last 25 years by Men’s Chorale. The piece is mostly acapella, apart from the cheery ringing of sleigh bells.
“I think those things that you’re able to connect year to year make it special for the kids,” Vaughn said.
Tradition follows elsewhere in the program too. Students participate in secret Santa, Women’s Chamber decorates the chorus room and wear reindeer antlers at the concert, while Annandale Singers wear Santa hats. Most classically, their performance always closes with an all-choir version of “Let There be Peace on Earth,” by Jill Jackson-Miller and Sy Miller. Alumni from the crowd are invited to participate in the song.
“Especially for our constituency here at AHS, [where groups] are worshiping [in] different ways, [this song] includes all of them. [It emphasizes how] we can all be peaceful,” Vaughn said. “If we take that theme and go out and actually look for others more than just in December, but 12 months out of the year, then all of a sudden we can start making changes in the world that are necessary,” he added.
This theme punctuated concerts earlier in the season, when the choirs sang for senior citizens and retired teachers.
Additionally, last week Annandale Singers had notable performances caroling at the Willard Hotel, directly across from the White House, at the Music Center at Strathmore and at the Kennedy Center, where they both performed with the Washington Choir.
Senior Elisa Quesada Sayler in Annandale Singers participated in a quartet performed at the Willard Hotel with other seniors Tyler Miller, Joshua Vaughn and Lina Abu-El-Hawa and had a solo in the German song “Es ist ein Ros entsprungen,” by Praetorius.
“I just really like singing and I was very intrigued because it’s in a different language and it was exciting to get to sing in a small group,” she said.
These out of school “runout gigs” are a great opportunity for the choirs to further connect.
“I feel like we all get along very well and I feel like [we’re] very honest and open with each other, so it’s nice,” sophomore and member of Women’s Chamber Ruby Connelly said.
However, choir students face a busy schedule and miss time at school.
“[The gigs are] pretty exciting to me [but] I don’t like missing my important classes. I’ve missed my chemistry class twice, which wasn’t very fun coming back, but otherwise, it’s pretty fun missing school and doing something other than class work,” Connelly said.
All in all, all the choirs were extremely diligent in practicing for their winter concerts after their quick turnaround from their fall concert on October 25.
“They just dive in and work hard,” Vaughn said.
