Northwestern choral groups present annual spring concert

WINSTED — The Northwestern Regional High School and Middle School choirs teamed up Tuesday, May 18, in the school’s Les Ober Theater for their annual spring concert.

The evening began with the high school and middle school choirs singing a fragment from “Te Deum,� an Ambrosian hymn of thanks, “I Vow to Thee My Country,� text by Sir Cecil Rice and tune by Gustav Holst, and “An Die Musik� (To Music), by Franz Schubert. These three songs were accompanied by a student pianist, eighth-grader Ashley Ryan, whose smooth playing and stunning posture added to the elegance of the performance. She was then replaced by accompanist Joy Zublena.

After these songs, the conductor, Charles Fidlar, invited the audience to join the choir in singing two verses of “My Country ’Tis of Thee.� The high school chorus then filed off the stage, leaving the middle school choir to perform songs such as “Sound the Trumpet,� by Henry Purcell, and “Scarborough Fair & Canticle,� by Simon & Garfunkel.

Although the middle school choir only consisted of one boy, Skyler Zygmont, the  choir performed a range of vocal parts.

Once the middle school students finished their songs, Fidlar engaged the audience by teaching them a verse of the song “Gaudeamus Hodie� (Let’s Rejoice Today), by Natalie Sleeth. The audience was encouraged to join in as the middle school choir singers left the stage and the high school choir returned.

By the end of the round, the high school choir took the stage and performed “Be Still Nightingale,� by Jerry Estes, and a medley from the Broadway musical, “Wicked,� by Stephen Schwartz.

High school choir sophomore Jennifer Szakacs said the music from “Wicked� is quite demanding. “There were definitely parts we could have improved on, but overall, I think we pulled it off.�

Throughout the high school choir’s performance, the only boy, sophomore Erik Nilsson, had multiple solos. Other highlights included solos by sophomore Emily Arnold, sophomore Lauren Schiffer and Jennifer Szakacs.

The middle school rejoined the high school choir on stage to finish the show with “Ani Ma’amin,â€� by Caldwell & Ivory, accompanied by high school senior Elise Wignall on the violin.  

Judging by audience response, the concert was a success, as proud parents, grandparents and siblings left the auditorium congratulating students.