PHOTO ESSAY: Student Bands and A Capella Perform at Friday Chapel
Following the Dec. 9 and Dec. 11 winter concerts for the MUS orchestra, wind ensemble, Beg To Differ and studio bands, student-musicians took to the stage to perform music for the student body at Friday Chapel, Dec. 12.
Featuring performances from a Lower School studio band, Beg To Differ and both Upper School studio bands, the chapel performance was organized by Music Instructor Matt Tutor ’91.
The Friday performance highlighted months of work surrounding the continued expansion of curricular options within the music department. This year held a resounding number of students interested in Beg To Differ and the studio bands, and as such, two studio bands were created: Studio Band Red and Studio Band Blue.
BEHIND THE SCENES
Alex Colley (12) and Russell Lindeman (10) have a key conversation around the piano before their performances.
Charlie Hottinger (12) laughs as he rallies with his bandmates before the performance.
Students worked backstage and in the booth to film the performance and light up the set. Carter Wildrick (12) and Henry West (12) stabilize a camera.
TAKING THE STAGE
John Planchon (7), a member of the Lower School studio band, stares out at the audience as he prepares to play.
The bands performed after Beg To Differ, presenting select songs from their holiday concerts such as “Buddy Holly” (Weezer), “R U Mine?” (Arctic Monkeys) and “Hotel California” (Eagles).
Kellett Giles (12) played the keys and sang on “Hotel California” (Eagles). Following a wrestling-career-ending UCL tear, Giles picked up playing piano.
This year, he decided to join the studio band.
“It was a lot of work going into [the concert],” said Giles. “We had been working on those songs since the beginning of the school year.”
Giles spoke highly of his uplifting bandmates, who welcomed him to the band and encouraged him before the performance: “It was my first year but the other guys in the band who had been doing it for a while helped me a lot to get into the right mindset.”
“Playing for Studio Band was something I had wanted to do for a while, ever since I saw older kids doing it when I first came to MUS,” said Kreider Tayloe (11).
Having watched these yearly concerts his entire time at MUS, joining the Studio Band course and subsequently playing on stage was a surreal experience for Tayloe.
“It’s been a great time and definitely the most fun class I’ve taken this year by far… playing at the concert and for the school was really great because a lot of time and preparation went into it.”
“It was nice to see it work out so well,” he said. He encourages other students to take the class.
Warren Milnor (12) steps into the light with his guitar, glancing down at his fretboard.
Russell Lindeman (10) is pictured singing. He was one of the frontmen for the Studio Bands, alongside Alex Colley (12).
Reid Lemay (12) rocks out on the drums.
By the end of the performances, the entire student body and faculty were on their feet for the musicians, spurred on by the senior class.
The next concerts will take place in the spring, but until then, the A Capella and Studio Band Owls will continue honing their craft in the Bloodworth Studio, preparing for their next performances under the lights of the Hyde.
