By Rachel Wanat
In what was both a testament to professionalism as well as a display of talent of the Princeton High School Music Department, the Princeton High School 2011 Winter Concert occurred on Thursday the 22nd at the Princeton University Chapel.
The Princeton High School Repertoire Orchestra and Sinfonia was the first to perform, playing pieces by Ralph Vaughan Williams and Henry Purcell. Next was the Princeton High School Chorale, performing pieces by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Giovanni Pierluigi de Palestrina, Randall Thompson, as well as a piece arranged by Meir Finkelstein. The attention of the audience was then drawn to the back of the chapel, where the Chamber Choir sang their first piece, Gloria “ad modum tubae.” Making their way to the front of the chapel, their second and final piece was Gaudete, arranged by Brian Kay. The Princeton High School Women’s Choir followed with four pieces.
The Princeton High School Orchestra then performed and featured three soloists: Karen Bao on the violin, Ben Wulfman on the horn, and Julian Edgren on the piano. All three solos were met with outstanding ovation after their performances.
Co-concertmaster and senior Rebecca Tang says, “For me, this concert was personally more significant than those from previous years because it’s my last year. As a senior, this was the last Winter Concert I’d ever play in. In terms of the music we performed, I think this concert was right on par with concerts from previous years.”
Of getting to perform at the Princeton University Chapel, Tang says, “PHS is unbelievably lucky to have access to the Chapel, and it really shows in the music we make; the Chapel has really unique acoustics that bring out the best of our music-making.”
Soloist Ben Wulfman says, “Karen and I both did Argentinian pieces, which was a good representation of our upcoming tour.”
With regards to his solo, Wulfman maintains, “[It] was a really pretty piece. It captured that kind of culture of the tango.”
As the lights went out in tradition and the Princeton High School Choir rose in the balcony, an eerie calm pervaded the chapel. The only thing that took away from the ambience was the constant flashing of cameras, which projected shadows of profiles throughout the chapel. The humor of the unsuspecting profiles being cast took away from the serious mood set by the choir.
After processing, the lights came on and the Choir performed There Shall a Star by Felix Mendelssohn Batholdy and Wassail by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Princeton High School Choir member and senior Emily Zetterberg says, “I absolutely loved the winter concert this year. I’m proud of the choir as an ensemble. I feel like we really pulled it together.”
Of the PHS Choir’s performance, she continues, “The pieces really came together and I think a lot of that is due to our phenomenal directors. We also had three rehearsals in the Chapel, which helped us with blending and acoustics. The winter concert is absolutely my favorite concert of the year. I can’t pinpoint a reason why, but there is something about the dim lights, stained glass windows, and holiday feel that combines to make a really magical experience.”
If not magical, then the experience is at least reverent. As a student, I sat in the pews stricken with the awe I have come to expect from the Winter Concert. As this was the third Winter Concert I have attended, I came prepared to be surprised, not by the music, but that the musicians delivering it are my talented peers.
Rachel Wanat is a student at Princeton High School.

