By Leslie Lim
Staff Writer
On Dec. 5, the Gabrielino High School Choir department held its annual Choir Holiday Concert in the Goodson Theater.
Featuring duets and group performances, the event was composed of holiday songs from various composers and different arrangements of classic holiday carols.
“I just wanted the audience to feel both serious and joyful aspects of the holidays in our concert,” sophomore Christian Lung stated. “I wanted to share the gift of music and show not only what we have done, but what Mr. Pitts has accomplished through us.”
Choral director David Pitts sang a duet with Michael Moreno, senior, accompanied on the piano by sophomore James Leung. The song they sang was originally performed by David Bowie and Bing Crosby, a mashup of the classic holiday songs “The Little Drummer Boy” and “Peace on Earth.”
Michelle Li, along with fellow freshman Paige Dance, performed a duet of “Grown-up Christmas List” as performed by Michael Bublé.
“Coming into concerts is always nerve wracking,” stated Li. “But all the people are really supportive so it’s not as nerve wracking when you have all your friends next to you.”
During the intermission, Chamber Choir performed in the lobby to promote the San Gabriel Toy Drive which ended on Dec. 6.
“I feel like our group has worked very hard and hopefully our upcoming performance will showcase what we’ve done throughout the year and how hard we’ve worked,” said Chamber Choir member, Samuel Lidskin, junior.
The Combined Choirs performed “The Twelve Days After Christmas” by Frederick Silver, a satirical take on “The Twelve Days of Christmas” originally by Bing Crosby.
“I think [this concert] is special because it’s Christmas and you get to bond with everyone because all of the choirs are together on one stage performing,” said senior Tricia Liu.
Vocal Ensemble also performed “Deedle Deedle Dai,” a Hanukkah song written by Loos Brownsey and Marti Lunn Lantz. Pitts, while introducing the song, mentioned that the eight days of Hanukkah had started only two days prior to the concert.
“It was really important to me to include different religions into the concert,” stated Pitts.
The choirs performed classic holiday songs such as “Do You Hear What I Hear,” by Audrey Snyder, and “Dashing Through the Snow,” arranged by John Leavitt.
At the end of the concert, Pitts continued a choir tradition and invited choir alumni to the stage along with the Combined Choirs in order to sing “Peace, Peace,” arranged by Fred Bock. As the choir sang, Pitts invited the audience to sing “Silent Night.”
“It’s a bunch of kids that are coming together and [performing], which is special,” stated senior Elisa Pitts. “It’s great. We get this opportunity to sing traditional carols together during such a joyful time.”
