On December 12, the JPS choir hosted their annual winter concert. Amidst the cold winter weather, crowds of families from JP Stevens began to file into the Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church to witness exciting performances. This year, the choir team decided to collaborate with the JPS Orchestra to support the singers.
Lines of cars were parked along the roads as they had filled up the associated parking lot. Many friends and family members arrived at 7pm to support the hardworking students’ concert. White, paper pamphlets containing the order of performances and song lyrics were distributed as they filled in the bleachers of the church, patiently awaiting the start of the event. The dark, winter air correlated to the green and red internal decor. The dark wood and darkened windows enabled this atmosphere aesthetically, positively correlating to the winter theme of the event. As more supporters gathered and started to settle into their seats, the choir took this time to practice. Eventually, the directors of the program began to quiet down the patrons to begin. Dr. Brian Verdi and Mr. Justin Lee, the orchestra directors, as well as Mr. Mathew Lee and Ms. Regina MnElroy, choir directors, familiarized themselves with the audience before introducing the talented performers.
The first two songs were Adiemus from Songs of Sanctuary and Baba Yetu from Civilization IV, played by the entire concert choir and orchestra. This ultimate collaboration starting with dramatic and fictionally-inspired songs was a significant introduction to the rest of the production. As this concluded, the choir students neatly filed down their stage while the orchestra readied themselves for the next song. The symphony orchestra then displayed the highlights from Harry Potter, allowing the audience members to reminisce with the familiarity of its tunes.
“It was a nice feeling to hear that song from my childhood,” said sophomore Yashika Advani. “Especially since I’ve never been to an orchestra concert before, it was a nostalgic moment.”
During this time, the choir patiently waited for their next performance while sitting alongside the walls of the church. After the orchestra’s conclusion, the chamber choir section unisonly strided back up the stadium to perform three diverse and passionate tracks which deeply moved the audience. The tenor-bass choir then arrived on stage to sing “The River” by Susan Labarr. This was a creative piece which discussed the aspects that shape one’s upbringing and allow them to feel called back to their childhood. This section exemplified a superior amount of emotion to display this message before making way for the next section, treble choir. They performed inspirational and choral pieces labeled “Run Away” by Stuart Chapman Hill and “Praise His Holy Name” by Keith Hampton. Up next, a new and nonstandard choir section, Harmonix arrived on stage for one song before the a cappella ensemble took over. This intimate group of singers notably blew the crowd away with their version of “All For Us” by Labrinth. This song is known from its incorporation in the popular show Euphoria, where many audience members recognized it from.
The first song that the a cappella team presented was ‘More Waters Rising” by Sara Lynch-Thomason. The harmonies of these instrumental voices wowed the audience before moving onto their next song “Glow” by Eric Whitacre. Preceding the start of this melody, the lights dimmed low, quieting the crowd to display peak concert etiquette. The somber harmonies were backed up by the orchestra’s low chimes, putting the audience in a calming environment.
“It was the best time, the acoustics in the church were absolutely amazing,” said junior Marcy Dangervil, a member of the a cappella ensemble, treble, and concert choir. “It was a remarkable experience to listen and be a part of that sound.”
Before the last two performances, the orchestra and choir directors addressed the audience together, thanking them for the endless support. Next, acknowledgements were made to the Edison Board of Education, numerous teachers, parents, etc, whose endless support helped to make the program a success. Finally, the symphonic choir and orchestra performed “Believe” from Polar Express, connecting to the audience members with their rhythmic sounds. The crowd of supporters were then encouraged to sing along to the final song, a Christmas carol entitled “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” arranged by David McKay Mendelssohn, Wesley, Whitefield & Cummings. This fun, catchy tune enabled the audience members to clap along and embrace the lively atmosphere with the performers.
“I’m so proud of the students for being musical and artistic,” Stated Regina McElrow, co-choir director. “They were all so patient and supportive of one another!”
The night ended around 8:30 pm with a standing ovation before one by one, the tuckered performers met up with their families. People lingered back to laugh with the JPS faculty members and thank them for the wonderful show they conducted with formality and enjoyment. The concert was a huge success that left the crowd inspired.
