Instrumental Music Ensembles Dazzle at Winter Concert Despite Setbacks

Stage Band performs @ 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools Awards in November. Photo via @sww_HSA on instagram 

Winter at Walls can only mean one thing: the annual Winter Concert! On Dec. 11, all of Walls’ instrumental music ensembles performed a wide range of music for an audience of students, faculty and family at the George Washington University’s Dorothy Betts Theater. 

The setlist featured everything from holiday classics such as Mary, Did You Know? by Anthony Newley and Lesley Bricusse, performed by the Stage Band to an epic musical narrative of Santa as a warrior performed by the Symphonic Orchestra which included pieces such as Santa The Barbarian and Son of Santa the Barbarian. The concert included more popular pieces, too, such as Round Midnight by Thelonious Monk and performed by the Jazz Band and Crazy in Love by Beyonce, which was performed by the Stage Band. 

For student and Symphonic Orchestra member Simone Abiy (‘28), the more popular pieces were a standout. “Stage band played songs I was more familiar with and sounded amazing. It was better than the original because they had their own ring to it; they didn’t just play it how the original singer did,” she said. 

Christopher Alberts, Chair of Walls’ Performing Arts Department as well as Director of Instrumental Music, added that, “Every performance, from the Jazz Ensemble’s reflective Round Midnight to the Stage Band’s electrifying Crazy In Love, showcased the incredible range and talent of our students.” Abiy added, “The concert went really well. I think everyone was determined to do their best and everyone worked so hard during rehearsals and it all paid off.” 

  Behind the splendidly successful performance, was months of preparation on the part of student musicians and Walls faculty. Student performers have been rehearsing pieces for the show since the first week of school. “It was a bit stressful preparing for the concert…[but my favorite part was] just playing my trombone and escaping into the music,” said Abiy. 

Lucy Byron (‘27), a member of the Symphonic Orchestra, added that “My favorite part of preparing for the concert is being able to run the whole program through (all of our songs) without stopping and….getting to showcase all of our work.” At its heart, preparing for performance was a collaborative process. Mr. Alberts noted, “One of my favorite parts is watching students step up as leaders, especially the upperclassmen…Seeing this collaborative spirit and mutual respect grow within the program is incredibly rewarding.” 

In addition to rehearsing for the show, the Walls music department had to overcome significant logistical hurdles. “The biggest challenges are managing all the moving pieces, because Walls doesn't have a dedicated space for performance in house, we rely on using  spaces like the Betts Theater at GW,” Mr. Alberts said. Byron agreed, explaining that, “. The biggest challenge is performing in a different space than where we practice in school because the music always sounds different so it takes a little getting used to.” Still, he added that, “These challenges are outweighed by the joy of seeing the students come together to create something truly special.” 

After a resoundingly successful performance, the future is bright for Walls’ instrumental musicians. The ensembles have already begun preparing for performance in the Black History Month program, the DCPS Band and Orchestra festival, and their annual Spring concert. “To the students,” Mr. Alberts said, “thank you for your hard work, leadership, and passion. Each of you brings something unique to the program, and it’s an honor to guide you on this musical journey. I look forward to many more memorable performances in the future!”