Getting in the Holiday spirit with SA’s choir

Sonoma Academy’s Winter Choir and Orchestra Concert was a magical experience and a great way to get ready for winter break. From orchestra performances to solos, there were many special moments, and it was just the thing I needed to get into the holiday spirit.

Music Director Mario Dell’Olio did an amazing job including songs from most winter holidays, and I could tell that there was meaning behind every song he put into the concert. Dell’Olio said he had the concert because “over the past few years I’ve felt like the holidays are kind of ignored at SA and I was like, let’s not ignore them; let’s embrace them.”

Before the choir performed “Hope for Resolution,” Dell’Olio told the audience that he chose this song in “contraposition of what’s happening in our world right now and in our country.” The piece was an Anti-Apartheid song that carried a hopeful message. For Dell’Olio, “Music is about bridging the gap and bringing people together.”

The Chamber Choir’s performances were one of the most fun parts. They’re a group of 13 singers, and through their performances, I could tell how committed they were to every note. Each one of their pieces was crisp and precise.

My personal favorite part was when the Chamber Choir performed “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.” Before the song began, the audience and I were confused as to why Dell’Olio and accompanying violist Benjamin McCauley (‘29) were putting on rainbow light-up gloves. It was to our surprise when all the lights in the PAC were turned off, leaving those gloves to be the only things visible in the space. As the Chamber Choir began to sing their song, they also pulled out little lights to go with each ‘note’ they sang. It was a dreamlike experience.

Theo Ebling (‘27) told me that the hardest song they had to learn was “‘Ding-a Ding-a Ding’ because there’s no accompaniment.” That means there’s no music to guide the song. Members of the Chamber Choir explained that the lack of accompaniment makes the song harder to perform.

Another one of my favorite moments was when the senior trio of Lulu Kimball (‘26), Natalie Burton (‘26) and Avery Cline (‘26) performed their rendition of “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.” The song was fun and featured great harmonies. Burton explained, “Mario figured that none of us had had an opportunity to do a choir solo, so he put us together.” They met during lunches and after school, and according to Burton they “were going to do a kick line at the end,” but “it didn’t end up happening because Mario backed out.” This piece was one of the most lively moments of the night, and I’m glad these girls had a chance to sing apart from the choir.

Among the performances, there were two solos. Pen Malone (‘26) performed “Laudate Dominum” and filled the space with her angelic voice. The orchestra supporting her sounded just as good and made her performance all the better.

Hayden Haveland (‘28) performed a rendition of “Blue Christmas” accompanied by Choral Accompanist Kira Bombace on the piano. He was a crowd pleaser, at one moment pointing at the crowd whilst singing “without you,” which generated some laughs. Ebling told me, “he barely practiced, I think he sang it one time. He just looked at the lyrics on his phone before performing.” Haveland said his favorite part of performing was “spreading joy to our community.”

Another crowd favorite was the Sonoma Academy Orchestra’s performance of “Jingle with the Classics,” a holiday remix of “Jingle Bells” along with classical music. The audience couldn’t help but laugh when the song switched from “Jingle Bells” to Offenbach’s quick-paced “Can-Can.”

Overall, Sonoma Academy’s Winter Choir and Orchestra Concert showcased not only the talents of its musicians but also the care put into every performance. As the final song ended, the audience and I were left grateful, joyous and filled with the holiday spirit–a perfect way to start winter break. Dell’Olio leaves us with these words: “Music is for everybody, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re an athlete or a scientist, an intellectual, a singer or someone who plays instruments–let’s do it all and celebrate.”