Spring Instrumental 2025

POLYARTS Middle and Upper School

Instrumental Concert Thursday, May 1, 2025 7:00 PM | Memorial Chapel

A Note from the Performing Arts Department Tonight’s concert is not only a celebration of the season, but of the progress, dedication, and creativity each student has brought to their ensemble. As we appreciate the sounds and tones of the concert bands, our jazz ensembles, and the orchestration of strings, I am struck by how far these students have come and relish in the fun they’ve had along the way.

Together, these ensembles remind us that growth takes time—but when nurtured with care, it leads to something beautiful. As you listen, we invite you to hear more than just notes on a page. Hear the hard work, the learning, and the friendships behind every phrase. Like spring itself, this concert is a celebration of new beginnings and all of the explorations yet to come.

Ashley Hacker Performing Arts Department Chair

Excellence in the Arts Certificate Program: Class of 2025: Jason Rodino, Ellen Zwerling Class of 2026: Ava Barbiere, Eshaan Dangayach, Sylvie Dorsch, Emilio Gittens, Eve Harris, Grover Howell, Jasper Inamoto, Konatsu Iwai, Jack Pfeifer

A Note from the Music Department Observing instrumentalists in their natural habitat—whether in orchestras, bands, or quartets—can be a captivating experience. Audiences watch as musicians across all sections—strings, winds, and brass—bring their instruments to life, producing sounds and movements that may seem almost otherworldly to the untrained eye. We see bows rise and fall in synchronized waves, hear brass instruments send shimmering notes through the air, and feel the grounding pulse of the percussion anchoring it all.

Through all of these novel sights and sounds, it’s the familiar melodies and harmonies that tie the audience to the music. There’s nothing like the power of a song to bring you so far from and yet close to ‘home’ at the same time! During your time with us tonight, take a moment to see, hear and experience both something mystical and something familiar.

Vincent Iannelli Choral Director & Music Programs Coordinator

BAND

Directed by Chris Benvegna

Grade 7 Band Ode To Joy

By Ludwig Van Beethoven Arranged by John Higgins Ronin Barro, Sydney Battle, Asher Blumberg, Lydia Colarusso, Amina Diagne, Hudson Faurot, Maya Gadsby, Hunter Gill, Zachary Gordon, Reeves Kaitano, Brooks Lewis, Zayna Magnus, Autumn Pelissier, Julia Power, Wyatt Rofey, Peter Schlesinger, Sauren Sheth

Grade 8 Band Costa Del Sol

By Bruce Pearson & Chuck Elledge Calvin Cheng, Charlie Corcoran, James Glickman, Eytan Goldberg, Dakori Horsfall, Gus Kumar, Baxton Ling, Nico Masson, Brendon Merchant, Evan Neuman, Zan Pervez, Julian Richards, Hudson Whiteley, John Zaremba

Concert Band I Can’t Turn You Loose (from The Blues Brothers review) Arranged by Jay Bocook Metal Medley Arranged by Sean O’Loughlin Hey Jude

By John Lennon and Paul McCartney Arranged by Robert Longfield Ava Barbiere, Tyler Chan, Leo Cheng, Eliana Cochrane, Christopher Espinosa Perez Nunez, Rose Filippazzo, Sam Harris, Morgan Hewan-Lowe, Zuva KaitanoPrice, Julian Miravete, Christopher Paidarakis, Gregory Povetko, Lucas Powers Wojtowicz, Clark Spillane

Advanced Band Canzon per Sonare #4

By Giovanni Gabrieli Arranged by David Marlatt Ancient Airs and Dances Suite 1 Balletto

By Ottorino Respighi Arranged by David Marlatt Sylvie Dorsch, Lowie Giles, Emilio Gittens, Eve Harris, Grover Howell, Jax Powers Wojtowicz, Jason Rodino, Aiden Yang, Chris Zang

JAZZ

Directed by Dr. Orrin Wilson

Jazz I Now’s The Time

By Charlie Parker Arranged by John Berry Straight No Chaser

By Thelonious Monk Arranged by John Berry Scrapple from the Apple

By Charlie Parker Arranged by Mark Taylor Aki Fields........................................................................................................... Alto Saxophone Logan Geisler..................................................................................................................... Drums Sadie Hart......................................................................................................... Alto Saxophone Austin Nevins-Saunders.................................................................................................. Guitar Arhan Sengupta.................................................................................................................. Piano City Smith............................................................................................................................. Guitar

Jazz II My Little Suede Shoes

By Charlie Parker Arranged by Mark Taylor Ornithology

By Charlie Parker Arranged by Mark Taylor A Night in Tunisia

By John “Dizzy” Gillespie & Frank Paparelli Arranged by Roger Holmes Naomi Bobbitt.......................................................................................................... Vibraphone Eshaan Dangayach........................................................................................................... Guitar Konatsu Iwai......................................................................................................................... Piano Dean Mcknight......................................................................................................................Bass Jasper Mulligan................................................................................................................. Drums Ryan Speaker.................................................................................................................. Trumpet Ellen Zwerling.................................................................................................. Alto Saxophone

STRINGS

Directed by Carrie Dowell

Seventh Avenue Strings (Grade 7 String Ensemble) Storm

By Soon Hee Newbold Cameron Fell, Hugo Kotlus, Annika Krahe, Georgia Krasner, Rhett Rendeiro, Ella Shum, Jojo Stoehr, Abigail Vatel, Eleanor Weil, Gabriel Yeung

Seventh Avenue Strings (Grade 8 String Ensemble) Canción del Amor

By Tim McCarrick Storm

By Soon Hee Newboldn Momentous Brian Balmages Kangsan Dickerson, Fiona Inamoto, Joshua Lee, Camilla Lyubarov, Max Rice, Neil Shankar (Grade 5) Henry Stanfield, Kevin Zhang

String Ensemble STRING RAYS Summer from “The Four Seasons” III. Presto

By Antonio Vivaldi Arranged by Jennifer Meckle Shenandoah American Traditional Arranged by David Burndrett Momentous

By Brian Balmages Koen Chen, Sebastian Czaplicki, Ally Di Pietra, Jasper Inamoto, Bodhi Kehoe, Diangely Llano, Jack Pfeifer, Lila Rice, Chioma Stanley, Brianna Sylvain, Bryson Sylvain, Brandon Willabus, Leonardo Yang

Advanced Strings Summer from “The Four Seasons” III. Presto

By Antonio Vivaldi Arranged by Jennifer Meckle Koen Chen, Jasper Inamoto, Bodhi Kehoe, Jack Pfeifer, Chioma Stanley, Brandon Willabus, Leonardo Yang

Our Production Would Not Be Possible without the Generous Support of: John Rankin Interim Head of School Michal Hershkovitz P’16, ’18 Assistant Head of School, Academics Sarah Bates Head of Upper School Daniel Doughty Head of Middle School Michael S. Robinson Head of Arts Ashley Hacker Performing Arts Department Chair Vincent Iannelli Music Programs Coordinator The members of the Performing Arts faculty, the Engagement & Communications Department, the Admissions Department, the Poly Prep IT staff, the Facilities and Maintenance Department, the Security staff, the Kitchen staff, and the Middle & Upper School deans.

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POWERED BY ANNUAL GIVING

Join Us for These Upcoming Performing Arts Events Speech and Debate Showcase JOSEPH DANA ALLEN LIBRARY Wednesday, May 7, 2025 | 4:00 PM & 6:10 PM Upper School Musical Theater Cabaret POLY ARTS CENTER DANCE STUDIO Friday, May 16, 2025 | 4:30 PM Middle School Musical: Disney’s Newsies Jr. Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Jack Feldman Book by Harvey Fierstein RICHARD PERRY THEATRE Friday, May 16, 2025 | 7:00 PM Saturday, May 17, 2025 | 2:00 PM Poly Conservatory Recitals MEMORIAL CHAPEL Tuesday–Thursday, May 20–22, 2025 | 4:30 PM Grades 5 & 6 Music Share MEMORIAL CHAPEL Wednesday, May 28, 2025 | 10:00 AM Lower School Grade 4 Music and Dance Share RICHARD PERRY THEATRE Thursday, May 29, 2025 | 5:00 PM

Stay tuned for more information about our upcoming events!