HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT
CHAIRPERSON'S STATEMENT
Welcome to the 2023 Christmas Concert Series! The Belen Jesuit Bands have been awaiting this joyful opportunity to share the spirit of Christmas with the community. Through old favorites and more contemporary songs, the band students hope to convey the spirit of collaboration that has made the concert come to life. While the upbeat songs they have prepared will surely delight the audience, traditional songs such as Silent Night, Away in a Manger, and On a Peaceful Night are reminders that Jesus is the true reason for the Christmas season.
Band Director Marlene Urbay and our esteemed instructors, Javier Alonso, Arnaldo Arencibia, Ivette Falcon, Rey Guerra, Ruben Jimenez, and Juan Ledon, have been preparing the young men and encouraging them to be dedicated musicians. The last few months have led to growth in all of our students, from the sixth graders making their debut on the Roca Theater stage to our experienced Concert Band and Jazz Band students.
Over the years, our band program has expanded to include the award-winning Jazz and Concert Bands, the High School Band, high school and middle school String Ensembles, and several middle school bands. Students have been invited to perform at school events and community events, including fundraisers for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and dedications of Miami-Dade county parks. Each year, bands compete at OrlandoFest, as the Jazz Band is doing this spring. Most bands took part in the Fall Concert, which was a collaborative event for the Humanities Department. Along with the festive band performances, the show was emceed by Isidora Ulloa, drama teacher and moderator of the Junior Thespians, included a skit directed by drama teacher and moderator of the High School Thespians, Carlos Acevedo, and incorporated artworks created by visual arts students enrolled in courses taught by Ignacio Font.
Acknowledgement must be extended to our band parents, who encourage their sons to practice their instrument and support their participation in the Belen Jesuit Band Program. In a world with many distractions and countless demands on the limited free time of our students, parental support is an essential pillar to the success of the program. Additionally, the Humanities Department is greatly indebted to the ongoing support of our President, Father Guillermo Garcia-Tuñon ‘87, our Principal, Jose Roca ‘84, and our Assistant Principals, Patty Bustamante and Olivia Zarraluqui.
Enjoy the beautiful music created by our band students. The Humanities Department is extremely proud of the amazing accomplishments of our young men in just a few short months of working together this academic year. We pray that you, our audience, walk away with increased Christmas spirit.
Sylvie San Juan Humanities Department Chairperson & Gallery Director
Christmas Concert
Thursday, December 14, 7:30 p.m.
Drumline
Opening Traditional
JazzBand
FrostytheSnowman S.NelsonandW.Rollins
ItSwingsUponaMidnightClear L.Neeck HereComesSanta G.AutryandO.Haldeman
Band6
JollyOldStNick V.HortonandG.Murray
UponaHousetop B.Hanby
WhentheSaintsGoMarchingIn J.Black
JingleBells J.Pierpont
GuitarDuet
Rudolph J.MarksandH.Brannon
Soloists-LincolnFormosoandMarioFelipeFernandez
PianoTrio
SilentNight J.Mohr
Soloists-GabrielHermida,AaronJohnson,andOwenJohnson
GuitarEnsembleMiddleSchool
ChristmasMedley Differentcomposers
DecktheHalls-JoytotheWorld-SilentNight StudentsfromBand6and7
PianoDuet
AwayinaManger W.KirkpatrickandJ.Murray
Soloists-AlexanderCastilloandGabrielRobaina
HighSchoolBand
FrostytheSnowman S.NelsonandW.Rollins
LetitSnow J.Styne
StringEnsembleHighSchool
ChristmasMedleyI Differentcomposers
JoytotheWorld,AngelsWeHaveHeardonHigh Pianist-SebastianLazo
ConcertBand
It’sBeginningtoLookaLotLikeChristmas M.Willson SoundoftheSeason Differentcomposers
TheMostWonderfulTimeoftheYear,SomewhereinMemory,SilverBells ChristmasFinale Differentcomposers
Christmas Concert
Friday, December 15, 7:30 p.m.
Drumline
Opening Traditional
Band7
CarolsinConcert
Differentcomposers
FelizNavidad JoseFeliciano
PianoTrio
SilentNight J.Mohr
Soloists-AaronJohnson,OwenJohnson,GabrielHermida
StringDuet
OHolyNight A.Adams
BenjaminHernandez(violin)andArielGutierrez(cello)
StringEnsembleMiddleSchool
StringaSongofChristmas Differentcomposers
FirstNoel,SilentNight,DecktheHall,AwayinaManger,JollyOldSt
Nicholas,WeWishYouaMerryChristmas
StudentsfromBand6-7-8accompaniedbyAaronJohnson
GuitarSoloHighSchool
SoloChrist,MasNada H.Amador
Soloist-HenryAmador
GuitarEnsembleHighSchool
ChristmasMedley
Differentcomposers
TheLittleDrummerBoy-AdesteFideles-Mary’sBoyChild
PianoDuet
CaroloftheBells P.Wilhousky
Soloists-AlejandroAlvaradoandJoseArencibia(Band8)
Band8
OnaPeacefulNight
R.V.Williams
DingDong J.Curnow
JazzBand
FrostytheSnowman
S.NelsonandW.Rollins
ItSwingsuponaMidnightClear L.Neeck
HereComesSanta G.AutryandO.Haldeman
Bands and Band Members
Band 6
Flutes: Marco Martinez, Ryan Colmenarez, Jacob Llau, Gabriel Tovar
Oboe: Pierre Martinez
Clarinets: Mateo Aiza Feitosa, Alan Morales, Maximus Panosso, Eduardo Penna, Jack Underwood
Alto Saxophones: Angel Caceres, Simon Diez, Nicolas Elizondo, Joseph Guerra, Javier Redero
French Horn: Gabriel Perez, Jose Rovira
Trumpets: Tiago Balleste, Lucas Cruz-Alvarez, Ignacio Lapadula, Carlos Lima, Lucas Mazzini, Jorge Velazquez
Trombones: Sebastian Benson, Tomas Madrigal, Charlie Silva, Eduardo Toledo
Euphonium: Xavier Castillo
Bass: Sebastian Folmer, Fernando Solorzano
Percussion: Carlos Rodriguez, Anthony Souki, Judah Souto, Pedro Irurita, Ignacio Rivera, Christian Robaina
Piano: Guillermo Amescua, Nicolas Dominguez
Band 7
Flute: Lucas Alarcon, Victor Montero, Zev Quraishi, Jose Huerta
Oboe: Federico Gonzalez, Matthew Pinero
Clarinets: Christopher Paez, Pedro Vieira, Nicolas Caballero, Eduardo Caceres, Luciano Suarez
Bassoon: Marcos Martinez
Alto Sax: Daniel Biggs, Jorge Gonzalez, Dominic de Armas, Roy Lyons, Fahd Quraishi
Tenors: Jose Lacasa, Nicholas Nunez, Nicholas Amador
French Horn: Vicente Garcia, Victor Garcia, Lucas Gonzalez
Trumpets: Jonathan Borgert, Andres De La Vega, Renato Obando, Ignacio Rodriguez, Dhalig Vargas, Paolo Candia De Sousa, Robert Chisholm, Kevin Fernandez, Felipe Padilla
Trombones: Lorenzo Ferreira, Esteban Alvarado, Maximo Fortun, Lucas Cardona
Percussion: David Francia, Winston Burris, Antonio Hernandez, Daniel Perez, Rafael Zequeira, Jacob Biggs, Ghazi Souki
Piano: Owen Johnson, Aaron Johnson, Gabriel Hermida
Band 8
Flute: Gabriel Mortillaro, Kevin Llau
Oboe: Ramon Lopez
Clarinet: Joaquin Gonzalez, Luca Toledo, Marcelo Menendez
Bassoon: Andres Cajigas
Alto Sax: Lucas Miranda, Nicolas Antonini, Beckett Castro, Ryan Musa, Marcel Rosado, Patrick Burrows
French Horn: Justin Perez
Trumpet: Elan Balleste, Santino De Jongh, Evan Gonzalez
Trombone: Dominick Diaz, Leonardo Rodriguez , Francisco Irurita
Piano: Alejandro Alvarado, Jose Arencibia
Percussion: Jose I. Rasco, Adrian Urrutia, Adrian Vidal, Joaquin Padilla
Electric Bass: Andres Artime, Samuel Gonzalez
Bands and Band Members
High School Band
Alto Sax: Jacob Arbucias, Mike Weglarz
Trombone: Dominique Espinosa
Piano: Gabriel Robaina, Alex Castillo
Electric Bass: Ezra Bergquist
Percussion: Raphael Espinosa, Joshua Duran, LJ Underwood, Gavin Coffy
Concert Band
Flute: Gabriel Belfort, Lucas Arista, Daniel Guon
Oboe: Vincent Perez Ramos
Clarinet: Felipe Diez
Bass Clarinet: James Schmidt
Bassoon: Nicolas Abreu
Alto Sax: Daniel Gomez, Alex Molina
Tenor Sax: Nicholas Sandri, Gabriel Moreno
French Horn: Julian Cabrera
Trumpet: James Logue
Trombone:Andrew Sanchez, Luis Mayendia
Euphonium: Micael Guillaume
Piano: Sebastian Lazo, Daniel Dyjak
Electric Bass: Lucca Ballesteros-Wegener, Justin Cuellar
Percussion: Michael Shmouni, Marcelo Ballesteros-Wegener, Andres Molina, Francisco Rodriguez
Violins: Markus Gonzalez, Tomas Chang, Julian Vinals, Marcos Perez, Giordan del Riesgo, Ian Wolstenholme, Benjamin Hernandez
Cellos: Ariel Gutierrez, Nicolas Pasut, Javari McFarlane
Bass: Jose Purroy
Guitar: Henry Amador
Jazz Band
Alto Sax 1: Sebastian Lara
Alto Sax 2: Michael Rodriguez, Daniel Gomez
Tenor Sax 1: David Guillaume
Tenor Sax 2: Anthony Fernandez
Baritone Sax: Daniel Arner
Trumpet 1: Jose Sepulveda
Trumpet 2: Frank Sanchez
Trumpet 3: Andre Andujar
Trumpet 4: Alejandro Solorzano
Trombone 1: Michael Basulto
Trombone 2: Luciano Garzon
Trombone 3: Daniel Espinosa
Trombone 4 - Emil Alireza
Piano: Diego Leon-Aguilar, Salvador Leos, Manny Melcon
Guitar: Jack McClintock
Bass: Daniel Esparragoza, Miguel Sarol
Percussion: Giancarlo Berumen, Denys Castillo
Bands and Band Members
String Ensemble Middle School (Students from Band 6-7-8)
Violins: Christopher Cuesta, Alan Alonso, Michael Dominguez, Alexander Cuetara, Nicolas Hernandez, Gustavo Larrazabal, Nicolas Mayendia, Nicolas Angulo, Andres Garmendia, John Paul Gonzalez, Daniel Gonzalez, Kevin Gonzalez, Lucas Conde, Jose Espinosa, Connor Vitier, Logan Vitier, Benjamin Hernandez
Cellos: Federico Betancourt, Gavin de Oliveira, Felipe Purroy, Charles de Armas, Paulo Compean, Hugo Sueiro, Javari McFarlane, Ariel Gutierrez, Nicolas Pasut
String Ensemble High School
Violins: Markus Gonzalez, Tomas Chang, Julian Vinals, Marcos Perez, Giordan del Riesgo, Ian Wolstenholme, Benjamin Hernandez
Cellos: Ariel Gutierrez, Nicolas Pasut
Bass: Jose Purroy
Guitar Ensemble Middle School (Band 6 and 7)
Christian Jurado, Mateo Shmouni, Lincoln Formoso, Felipe Fernandez, Gabriel Sanchez, Diego Rodriguez, Marcos Mestre, Rafael Llorens, Lucas Anderson, Nicholas Sanchez, Sebastian Vinals, Ivan Espaillat
Guitar Ensemble High School (Guest students from Middle School)
Nicolas Bethel, Sebastian Jurado, Lucas Diaz, Guido Gerstl, Lucas Alvarez, Richard Gonzalez, Miguel Sarol, Santiago Felix-Padilla, Christian Jurado, Mateo Shmouni, Gabriel Sanchez, Diego Rodriguez, Simon Patmore, and Tomas Lopez Sanabria
Drumline
Adrian Urrutia, Adrian Vidal, Rafael Espinosa, Michael Shmouni, Denys Castillo, Andres Molina, Giancarlo Berumen
