Excited murmurs, soft laughter, and pleasant chatting; these were the sounds of people entering the auditorium for Paint Branch’s annual Winter Concert.

Held on December 11, the evening began with Vocal Music Director Ms. Mitchell launching into the program promptly at 7 p.m. with her usual charismatic attitude. She began by introducing the Women’s Show Choir, the night’s opening performance. These talented young women sang the holiday favorite “All I Want for Christmas is You.” This put the audience in a festive mood from the start.
Following this performance was the gifted Men’s Barbershop Group, singing the classic “Keep America Singing.”

Next, the entire Concert Chorus swept onstage in elegant, formal black attire and began their set with the Christmas favorite “Carol of Bells.” Following that powerful song, senior Ian Edge, recently accepted to West Chester as a music major, conducted “Let Their Celestial Concerts All Unite.” This set ended in a beautiful cultural crescendo with senior Babajide Adetunji adding a majestic solo to “Baba Yetu.”

Instrumental Music Director Mr. Kirchhoff introduced the small, yet talented Concert Band, who beautifully swept through a series of works including “Southgate Fantasy” and “Arabian Dances.” The skilled Symphonic Band soon followed with the patriotic “Pride of the Fleet,” concluding with Symphonic Highlights arranged by Stephen Bulla, from everyone’s favorite movie Frozen.

The Concert Orchestra then provided musical interpretations of various animals from “Carnival of the Animals.” The group ended in a regal finale with “Entrance of the Queen of Sheba,” where gifted seniors Sehin Mesfin and Sindhu Muppala performed solos.

A culminating piece with the Full Orchestra, which included several Paint Branch alumni, followed as they performed the holiday classic “Sleigh Ride.”

The program then shifted back to vocal music as the vibrant Jazz Singers took the stage. Starting with the vivacious “Get Ready/Dancin in the Streets,” which included a strong solo from sophomore Savannah Kunze, this group’s captivating performances had the audience riveted through all five songs.

The program concluded with an amazing Jazz Ensemble set that highlighted several solos from juniors and seniors alike. Most notable was senior Victoria Kral’s alto sax solo in “Pure Imagination” and junior Liliana Rosario’s tenor sax solo in “Lester Leaps In.” The Winter Concert never ceases to impress, and this year was no exception.