Lower school instrumentalists and singers were the stars during the Winter Concert on Dec. 6, which featured five ensembles performing lesser-known classics and familiar favorites.  Joe Connolly, dean of students K-5, acted as master of ceremonies, while Danny Dunn’s lower and middle school technical theater students made sure the show went off without a hitch.

Louis Hoffman led the Lower School Orchestra in performing Jacques Offensbach’s “Can Can” and “Rosamunde Overture” by Franz Schubert. Hoffman also directed the Lower School Jazz Ensemble, who performed “St. James Infirmary” by Joe Primrose and “Doin’ My Thing” by Jimmy McGriff.

The evening also featured Harker’s two preparatory ensembles. Rick Leder conducted the preparatory wind ensemble’s performances of the American traditional “Go Tell Aunt Rodie,” the theme from “New World Symphony” by Antonin Dvorak and “Boogie Blues” by Bruce Pearson and Ryan Nowlin. Conducted by Toni Woodruff, the preparatory string ensemble played “I Have a Song to Sing, Oh” by Arthur Sullivan and brought some holiday cheer to the show with the traditional “Christmas Fiddlers in the Hall.”

The Bucknall Choir, directed by Jennifer Cowgill, sang a traditional Hanukkah song titled “Hanerot Halalu,” the hymn “Panis Angelicus” by Cesar Franck and, in the spirit of the holiday season, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

For the last song of the evening, Hoffman brought together his orchestra and jazz band for the fun-filled finale, a performance of the theme from the immensely popular mobile game “Angry Birds,” with the students and conductor wearing hats shaped like characters from the game.