Students Sparkle at Winter Concerts

Posted on Friday, December 7th, 2018

Gaynor’s annual Winter Concerts are always filled with smiles and beautiful singing but this year, something was a little different; students took to the stage in the new Performing Arts Center rather than the gym where the performances were historically held.

On December 5–the first of the two shows–the Yellow and Silver clusters performed skits and various songs including “Celebration” by Kool and the Gang, “Let it Be” by The Beatles, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon and Garfunkel, and “Respect” by Aretha Franklin, before ending with “You Will Be Found” from Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen.

After “You Will Be Found,” the audience was clearly moved. Head of School Dr. Scott Gaynor, visibly sentimental, reflected on the concert. “This is about celebrating what is deep in our hearts. Our kids are amazing. I thank Ms. Siegel for dreaming big and our parents for trusting us with your amazing children. Our students knocked it out of the park tonight. I can’t think of a better way to kick off our new Performing Arts Center.”

On the second night of performances, the Pink, Red, and Orange Clusters performed “Joy to the World” by Three Dog Night, “I Got You (I Feel Good)” by James Brown, and “Respect” by Aretha Franklin, before their final song of the night, “Celebration” by Kool and the Gang.

The Winter Concerts go deeper than just giving students the ability to perform. They also provide a platform for students to be more self-confident. Lower Division Director Donna Logue noticed it in the performances. “Every child did something special. There was one student who struggled with audibility at every rehearsal and was shaking like a leaf in the Green Room, but kicked off the concert loud and proud. None of this would have been possible without all [the faculty’s] dedication to making our students shine. The students were able to perform so well tonight because of all their collective experiences at Gaynor through the years. That progression has been carefully nurtured by Ms. Shuppy, Ms. Patti, and Ms. Akins and we were all so blessed to reap the rewards of their talent, hard work, and commitment to finding the performer in each child.”