On Thursday, December 14, Cherokee’s choral music program held its annual winter concert. This year the concert featured student teacher Mr. Thomas, who had been teaching alongside Ms. Snodgrass for a few months prior to the performance. Mr. Thomas directed one song per choir, which include Chorale, Girls’ Ensemble, and Concert Choir. For example, Mr. Thomas directed “Lacrimosa” by Mozart for Concert Choir. Mr. Thomas has since left Cherokee, but students like Danielle Ciampaglia, in Concert Choir, said it was nice to have a new person involved in the choir program.

Girls’ Ensemble and Concert Choir also featured songs by composer Ola Gjeilo. Gjeilo’s songs are classically inspired, sometimes sung in Latin, like “The Ground,” sung by Concert Choir, at the winter concert. These songs were especially exciting for members of the choir to perform because Cherokee choirs received a master class from the composer in January, in New York City.

As per usual, the concert ended with the performance of “O Holy Night,” with solos by Christian Lane and Charity Cha. The performance of “O Holy Night” is a beautiful Cherokee choir tradition, as all singers from all choirs sing together on stage, joined by any past choir members who have graduated and are invited by Ms. Snodgrass to come up and sing along. All in all, it was a phenomenal event that celebrated all of the hard work put in by the students of the choir program.