Melodies merge at Samo choir and orchestra concerts
Samo Choir and Orchestra took center stage in their fall concerts and filled Barnum Hall with their harmonious voices and instruments.
The Samo Choir celebrates good times by kicking off their first “Samohi Serenade” of the school year by singing “Celebration” by Kool & The Gang. Rainbow lights illuminate the Madrigal Ensemble as they all party and dance together on stage.
“The Circle Game” by Joni Mitchell, sung by some of the choir's most gifted seniors, filled Barnum with heavenly harmonies and put the audience at ease. Chloe Senior (’25), Leah Boumel (’25), Celine Hutchinson (’25), and Isabella Salem (’25) connected on stage, sharing sincere smiles and joyful voices. Choir students enjoyed the show both backstage and in the spotlight.
“I love getting to sing with so many different people of all different levels, ages, and genders, it’s nice how it connects us all,” said Senior. “...I was very happy with the outcome [of the concert], I think that we pulled it off really well and everyone had fun,”
Emma Godfrey / The Samohi
Chloe Senior (’25), Leah Boumel (’25), Celine
Hutchinson (’25) and Isabella Salem (’25) sing at
Samo Serenade.
Samo’s Barbershop chorus strolled on stage to sing an audience favorite of “When I’m Sixty-Four” by the Beatles. The crowd chuckled and cheered at their playful and entertaining performance, especially at the bottle-popping sound effect made with their mouths during the line, “Birthday greetings, bottle of wine”.
Sung by Choe Senior (’25) and Walden Sullivan (’25) was a captivating and moving duet of “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper. Senior and Sullivan brought light and life to the stage, captivating the audience by meeting each other's gaze to hit every note. Sullivan reflected on his pride in the hard work that led up to the concert.
“I think it’s important to keep in practice with singing because it's hard to take a long break and return from it and I think Mr. Huls is dedicated to keeping us in vocal shape,” said Sullivan.
This year Samo Choir additionally wove dance throughout their show, crafted by choreographer Senior and lead choreographer Salem. In a mix of various dance styles, Salem and Senior led featured dancers through leaps and turns in their “Rumours, Fleetwood Mac Medley” piece, and synchronized grooves in “Everybody Talks” by Neon Trees. The crowd gasped in amazement at the unexpected acrobatic flips in “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell.
“Dancing in ‘Everybody Talks’ and making eye contact with all of my friends, which included a group of people that normally wouldn’t dance, was a very fun experience,” said Salem.
Salem professionally choreographed to accommodate all different levels of dancers, with movements precisely paired to the dynamics of the songs.
Samo Orchestra brought Disney movies to life at their “Disney In Concert Around the World,” performance. Orchestra students accomplished a professionally stunning concert that let the audience experience the ups and downs of Disney movies played on a screen above. Post-concert, outside Barnum Hall, stood a crowd murmuring remarking on the skilled students. Shayna Kadish (’25), a student in the Philharmonic orchestra gives her opinion on the concert.
“We are playing pieces that we have been able to put together pretty quickly,” she said. “I think it says a lot about our potential as an orchestra this year because we’re going on a tour and we’ll be able to put together more elaborate pieces quicker.”
The Orchestra created a captivating experience where the audience, completely immersed in the movie, felt as if they were encountering their monsters and adventures, with live music from these characters' journeys flowing through Barnum, and their ears. Leading to each performance ending in eruptions of applause.
In their seats, these eager listeners hummed the catchy tunes of every song. The entertaining atmosphere was especially captured in their performance of “Hercules”. Tessa Rogers (’25) and Brooke Merriam (’26), students in the Symphony and Philharmonic orchestras spoke on their highlights of the night.
“My favorite song is Hercules because it's super fun to play, and I feel like that's the song everyone enjoys hearing,” Rogers said.
“I love that we have the opportunity to play music from Disney movies we’ve all watched growing up,” Merriam remarked.
In between performances a slideshow of “When They Were Little” came on screen. Photos popped up of orchestra students as children in Disney-themed costumes. “Aww” s were heard all around as the crowd reminisced at the adorable pictures.
Choir showcased their contemporary favorites along with the addition of skillfully choreographed dances, while orchestra played a medley of their most loved Disney songs. Both productions emphasized Samo students' immense talent and dedication to their crafts and left the audience awestruck by their incredible capability fostered at such a young age.