One of the most magical aspects of the holiday season at Flintridge Prep is the Winter Music Concert – serving as a joyous way for students to share their past semester of hard work with friends, family, and faculty. This year, the music concert was split into two separate performances: “Full Circle,” which featured the middle school Instrumental Music Ensemble, High School Choir, Flintridge Singers, Orchestra, Community Orchestra, and a chamber group; and “I Feel the Earth Move: Roots of Rhythm & Blues,” which showcased the Jazz Band and Jazz Rock Ensemble. Both concerts, with a repertoire ranging from George Frideric Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” to Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You,” highlighted the depth of Prep’s commitment to artistic expression, with students of all grades and experience levels joining to perform their art and bring our community together. 

The concert kicked off with the “Full Circle” program, where the music spanned from classical pieces such as Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony to contemporary pop and jazz songs like Laufey’s beloved bossa nova “From the Start.” The 8th grade choir sang “The New Girl in Town” from the hit musical Hairspray, and the Community Orchestra continued the theme of revolution and circular motion with arrangements of “You’ll Be Back” from Hamilton and Joe Hisaishi’s “Merry Go Round of Life.” “I loved the concert because I got the opportunity to play more modern and fun pieces that I wouldn’t usually play,” said Wesley Chen ‘28, a violinist in Community Orchestra. However, the grand finale truly went full circle, coming back to some of the earliest pieces of classical music, where the Flintridge Singers, Orchestra, and Community Orchestra all came together to perform Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus,” a beautiful display of the power of musical expression and collaboration.

Following the successful morning performance, the Jazz program began in the afternoon. Paying homage to its name, the sets explored the roots of American jazz and rock music. The night started with a performance from the Jazz Band where students played a mix of music, beginning with traditional jazz standards like “Lazy Bird” by John Coltrane, and ending with popular hits like Vince Guaraldi’s “Linus and Lucy.” The Jazz Band’s performance was largely improvised, moving beyond playing off of sheet music, with students performing their own ideas over chord changes. Following the Jazz Band’s performance, the Jazz Rock Band took the stage, playing pieces such as Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You.”

The Winter Concert at Flintridge Prep was a huge success. Embracing the holiday season, “Full Circle” and “I Feel the Earth Move: Roots of Rhythm & Blues” went beyond just musical performances, exemplifying the richness of the Flintridge Prep community. When voices join, instruments swell, and hearts combine, we create something truly magical.