Twenty-one songs is how the Pops Concert keeps two hours fun. On Friday, there was a full house in the Huss Auditorium to listen to timeless oldies and pop favorites performed by the jazz band, orchestra, and choir.
The Jazz Band opened the Pops Concert with, arguably, the best anime opening song from the series Cowboy Bebop, “Tank!” by Yoko Kanno. Junior Thomas Ferguson, the emcee for the evening, did his homework on the popular 90s anime. As the bass and the percussion built up, Ferguson said, “Okay, three, two, one, let’s jam,” alluding to the original opening and perfectly timed it with the brass instruments’ entrance. Junior Juan Miguel, on the baritone saxophone, had a fantastic solo.
“The Magical World of Pixar” arranged by Robert Longfield was the first piece the Honors Sinfonia played. It contained theme songs from popular Pixar films Cars, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille and Toy Story, evoking a sense of nostalgia for upper school students who grew up with those movies.
The Academy Symphony introduced themselves with “Counting Stars” by OneRepublic. This was followed by the Summit Singers introducing themselves with “Chinese Satellite” by Phoebe Bridgers and “Issues” by Julia Michaels, featuring a notable solo from sophomore Eva Johnson.
When a good oldie plays, you’ll know when you hear an older audience member clap and cheer “Woohoo” as if they were face to face with the artists themselves. That is exactly what happened when Honors Sinfonia began to perform “Hotel California” by the 70s rock band The Eagles. The arrangement featured two solosist. On the keyboard was senior Theo Su. Junior Josh Melchert returns to blow away the audience with the electric guitar, bridging rock and classical music.
Before intermission, the Academy Symphony took the audience on one more adventure with “Mission Impossible” by Lalo Schifrin, from the film series starring Tom Cruise. The most iconic tune from the theme song, originally played by an oboe, was replaced with the keyboard played by Su and junior Sophie Donahue.
The Jazz Band welcomed the audience back with “Vehicle” by James Peterik and arranged by Ralph Ford. “Vehicle” was originally a rock song performed by the Ides of March in 1970. But with its strong brass riffs, “Vehicle” is perfect for jazz. Junior Roman Farley on the trombone had two solos. The first one was a bit rocky, but the last ended the performance with a cherry on top.
One of the best performances of the night was “Interstellar” by Hans Zimmer, which the Academy Symphony performed. It was a great selection for the orchestra. With the backdrop turning blue and star-like prints projected on the wall, the performance by the Academy Symphony was stellar.
Next, the Academy Chorale sang three hopeful love songs starting with “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol, featuring solos from seniors Elliot Cooper and Harper Glass followed by “Let It Burn” by Shaboozey. For “Such Great Heights” by The Postal Service, Junior Zahra Wiedmann, ninth grader Clara Lovelace and seventh grader Clare Barlow played the bell set. Adams made his way from the back of the stage to the front with the baritone saxophone to accompany the choir.
Undoubtedly, the Jazz Band’s best performance was “In The Mood” by Joe Garland and arranged by Paul Lavender featuring juniors Tommy Mcgill and Shefali Meagher on the saxophone. Many were pleasantly surprised when the saxophones, who are usually sitting, stood up and slowly spun while playing. What is even more impressive is that they sounded stable. The trombones eventually stood up and the trumpets performed their choreography, turning side to side. It was simple movements, but with the Jazz Band the furthest from the audience, choreography made them pop.
This year, to celebrate the holiday season, the orchestra returns with another popular holiday tune. As Ferguson said, “it’s time to defrost Mariah Carey” with “All I Want For Christmas” performed by the Academy Symphony.
The rock genre seems to be a Pops Concert favorite, specifically songs from the British rock band Queen. Last year, Honors Sinfonia performed a medley of Queen songs. To close out the evening, the ensembles came together to perform “Don’t Stop Me Now.” The Academy Chorale and Summit Singers took to the stands, spread out on both sides of the auditorium and began the performance with raw vocals. The orchestra and jazz band joined in, perfecting the finale.
The Pops Concert performed on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.
