On December 19, Princeton High School held its 79th annual winter concert at the Princeton University Chapel. The event featured performances from the three orchestras, Repertoire, Sinfonia, and PHS Orchestra, and the five choirs, Chorale I and II, Cantus, PHS Choir, and Chamber Choir.

The orchestras performed pieces by various composers from England, Germany, Czechia, Argentina, and Italy. The Sinfonia and Repertoire Orchestras opened with pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach and Gustav Mahler, while the PHS Orchestra played pieces by composers such as Astor Piazzolla and Ralph Vaughan Williams. Among the selections, Piazzolla’s works stood out to performers. “My favorite piece is ‘Oblivion’ by Astor Piazzolla, because I like how the orchestra is connected [with] each other in providing the base beat,” said Helen Yu ’27, a violinist from PHS Orchestra. “The sound of the flute sings above the orchestra, with the harmonies making the piece delicate and beautiful.”

The choir groups also performed music from various languages, styles, and periods, featuring Christmas carols and unique sacred songs from Italy. Their concert selections were influenced by their upcoming trip to Italy, where they will perform music reflecting the country’s rich traditions.

“Many of our songs are in different languages, so they require some extra time to learn [the] words,” said Chamber Choir member Maya Halcomb ’25.

To prepare for the winter concert, the choirs and orchestras started rehearsals in October and practiced four days a week, in addition to preparations with friends and individually outside of school.

“There are some extra [rehearsals] here and there when there is an upcoming event,” said Jessica Carrera ’27, a member of Cantus. “Overall, practice [ran] smoothly, and learning new songs is always rewarding.”

While the concert at the chapel is an annual event, featuring the same format communal compositions every year, each performance still provides a distinctive experience.

“It is the different personnel, different repertoires, and the audience there that evening that make it very special,” said orchestra director Robert Loughran.

The blending of all of the choir’s voice parts was essential to the style of music they performed.

“I hope [the audience] appreciated the work we put in and gained an ear for the style of music we perform,” said Halcomb. “While it may not be pop music, there is something to be said about the harmonies and magic of singing with so many people.”

The winter concert is shaped by the audience. Every year, these performances aim to create memorable connections between the music and the listeners.

“I hope the audience enjoyed our performances and came out with a personal connection, like a new perspective, inspiration, or curiosity,” said Carrera.