One of the most special, community-building events we’ve had all year occurred last Thursday night on the CA campus. On a beautiful May night, music was in the air, as the choir, orchestra, and two different jazz combos played for an appreciative audience of family, faculty, and friends. Using the Maloy Courtyard on the east side of Welborn House as the stage, the groups performed a wide array of music, ranging from a Czech national anthem to Billy Joel, to Pentatonix, to Chick Corea.

One of the jazz guitarists, Senior Jack Kuelling, who is going off to study music at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, performed an original composition with his bandmates, Renna Allen (bass) and Sawyer Pinkowitz (drums). Their trio was impressive indeed and would more than hold their own at any jazz club around town. A second jazz combo featured a horn section, keyboards, two guitars, and a drummer. Their rendition of Corea’s “Spain” was certainly a crowd favorite. Two different choirs, including an expanded Chanteurs group, performed under the direction of Dr. Kevin Padworski. Their repertoire showed impressive range, as well.

The evening started with the eight-piece CA orchestra, conducted by Jennifer Arnold. The students delighted the audience with pop, classical, and a modern composition. Senior violist Annabelle Swenson has been with the group since its origins four years ago and has noted that this orchestra has been a hugely important piece of her experience at the school. 

In order to help the audience see everything better, a large “jumbotron” was brought in and set up just south of the Campus Center, providing a beautifully clear picture. (We will use two similar large screens at Commencement on June 3.) The sound system, with the help of a professional audio company, was also excellent, boding well for future performances we might want to hold outdoors, even post-COVID.

Mr. Phil Jones, who directs the jazz and rock combos, told me that, for “all of us in the Music Department, we feel like this concert was a celebration of the resilience of this community of students, faculty, and families. With the difficulty of this year, we felt it was even more important to find a way to share our joy in making art.” We certainly appreciate all the effort that went into making this night so enjoyable for everyone.

Dare I say we might want to consider an outdoor concert next year, even when we get to a post-COVID situation? On the other hand, we do have a beautiful new theater coming onto the scene. . . . Looking forward to many more great performances in the months and years to come!