On the evening of December 9, the Dublin community gathered at the Performing Arts Center for Dublin High’s annual Winter Concert. Every one of the school’s ensembles performed their signature pieces along with some Christmas-themed pieces like Sleigh Ride and the annual tradition of The Night Before Christmas. Particularly memorable was the new Director of Bands and Orchestra Mr. Jack Bainton rising to the occasion, conducting with passion, and inspiring the ensembles with his command.
The concert began with Jazz Labs, a student-led organization that aims to foster the playing of jazz at any skill level. The ensemble operates independently of the official ensembles, making them open to all who are interested. They played a festive, and jazzy, rendition of Jingle Bells, a spectacular beginning to the concert.
Jazz Ensemble then took their seats, playing three snazzy pieces featuring solos from nearly every section of the band. Senior bass trombone player Anthony Lam was most excited about the piece “Torque” by Alan Baylock. “Torque is a funk tune that shows off the power that trombone has in a big band setting, but also shows off the strength of the group as a whole,” he pointed out. The entire jazz showcase featured rhythmic complexity individually, but also the cohesion of the entire band. Such cohesion was evident in the band’s later antics: While leaving the stage, a few jazz members crowned New England native Mr. Bainton with an In-N-Out hat, a light, comical, and unifying touch to the event.
The Philharmonic Orchestra followed them, playing “Czech Waltz” and “Winter Gallop,” both bouncy pieces that demonstrated the versatility of the strings. The Symphonic Band then took over, entering with a piece called “Skydive” and ending off with “Christmas at the Circus,” a circusy twist on some classic Christmas pieces.
Audiences were subsequently given a taste of the mastery of the Chamber Orchestra, a highly acclaimed group, having attended the Midwest Clinic last year. Ryan Lee, a cellist in the ensemble, commented on his love for music.
“As for being in orchestra, I really do love music, especially creating it, so being in Chamber does feel like being part of a community where we work together and create beautiful music,” he shared.
The Wind Ensemble started off their segment with “Magnolia Star,” a piece centered around the train of the same name running from New Orleans to Chicago. The ensemble had an opportunity to have a virtual clinic with the composer of the piece, Steve Danyew. Junior and French Horn section leader Ethan Chang made an interesting point about his experience. The concert marked the first time the entirety of the band program came together since the end of the 2024 marching season for the Irish Guard. “It’s really fun because I get to see what my friends in other groups are working on. Outside of marching band, I don’t really get to know their in-school lives when they’re in different concert bands, so it’s always a pleasure to see what they’re doing,” Ethan noted.
The Wind Ensemble has an ongoing tradition where they play The Night Before Christmas as someone narrates the poem. This year, that honor fell on Mr. Edward Hightower, the drama teacher. He read powerfully, with what some called his “Shakesperean” voice.
“I have never, in my life, heard a more skilled instrumental performance from high schoolers than what I heard during the Winter Concert. The pride that I feel for this school – already high to begin with – is now stratospheric, and climbing,” he proudly stated.
Finally, the Chamber Orchestra and select students from the Wind Ensemble joined to perform the classic “Sleigh Ride” under the conducting of a guest winner of a raffle. Afterward, Mr. Bainton shared some final thoughts on the concert.
“I could not be more happy with this year’s Winter Concert. With it being my first year at DHS, it was inspiring to see each ensemble’s hard work pay off and result in wonderful performances. It was exciting to learn about and be a part of our school’s various music traditions, such as the Wind Ensemble’s performance of ‘The Night Before Christmas’ and finishing the night off with ‘Sleigh Ride,’” he shared.