Upper and Middle School musical talents flourished during the annual spring concert April 25 in the Lennie and John de Csepel Theatre. Over the course of the evening, student musicians and singers showcased 19 performances under the direction of Miss Annette Etheridge, Middle and Upper School Music Director, Mr. Sean Lowery, Upper and Middle School Orchestra and Upper School Chorus Director, Miss Danielle Gennaro ’05, Bell Choir Director and Technical Director of Upper School Theatrical Productions, and Ms. Cynthia Alonzo, Choreographer for the Upper School Dancers. Performances from the Madeleines, Nightingales, Middle School Bell Choir, Orchestra, Chorus, Madrigals, A Ca-Bellas, Upper School Bell Choirs, and Upper School Dancers tolled the onset of spring.
The Middle School Madeleines opened the concert with an inspiring performance of “I Have a Voice” by Mr. Frank Wildhorn. As the youngest students in the concert, their enthusiasm captivated the audience and pointed to the dazzling performances to come. The four Upper School Orchestra members, Nora Gelfand ’27, Izzy Nedder ’27, Mia Ritossa ’26, and Helena Randolph ’24 and their director Mr. Lowery combined percussion, flutes, and violins for an uplifting performance of “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay and a traditional song “Celtic Air.” The unique peal of the Middle School Bell Choir filled the space with the ringing of “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love)” by Miss Ariana Grande.
Bell Choirs, unlike choral groups, are composed of any number of bells scaling two octaves. The Sacred Heart Bell Choir uses roughly 30 bells for Middle and Upper School choirs. Each member is responsible for two or three bells, which correlate to two consecutive notes on the scale. Using sheet music, musicians play their bells on a certain beat following a sequence, which creates a song with harmonies and melodies. Sophomore Lexi Parsons, a Bell Choir and A Ca-Bellas member, has been playing bells for six years, including two years at Sacred Heart Greenwich. She explained how the group had prepared for the concert.
“Since right after Christmas break, we’ve been going through different songs and trying out different pieces,” Lexi said. “We meet twice a cycle as a group before school, just running through them and each learning our portion of the songs.”
Last night, the Upper School Stuart Bell Choir performed “What Was I Made For?” by Mr. Finneas O’Connell and Miss Billie Eilish O’Connell and “From the Start” by Miss Laufey Lin Jonsdottir and Mr. Spencer Stewart. Later, the Duchesne Bell Choir performed “Evermore” by Miss Taylor Swift, Mr. William Bowery, and Mr. Justin Vernon and “Nessun Dorma” from the opera Turandot by Mr. Giacomo Puccini. Miss Gennaro arranged all the Bell Choir pieces. Lexi commented on the obstacles and triumphs that the group faces.
“The challenging part is that we only meet twice a cycle, and sometimes not everyone is there,” Lexi said. “It’s hard to hear the full song if you don’t have everybody because it is a group effort, but one of my favorite parts is that it’s fun, and you get to do it with a bunch of different people who you maybe wouldn’t interact with.”
Three Upper School Dancers made their spring concert debut with a performance of the song “Rescue” by Miss Lauren Daigle. Their choreographer, Ms. Alonzo, joined them onstage to create a captivating piece that displayed a new and different artistic talent than past spring concerts.
Later in the evening, the Madrigals filled the theater with musical performances of “Wanting Memories” by Ms. Ysaye M. Barnwell, “Nothin’ Gonna Stumble My Feet” by Mr. Greg Gilpin and Mr. John Parker, and “Kaleidoscope Heart” by Ms. Sara Bareilles. All Madrigals and Chorus songs during the concert were sung acapella, harkening back to their spring break Ireland trip. Miss Etheridge mentioned that while performing in various locations across the country, they did not always have access to a keyboard or piano and had to sing without one. “Kaleidoscope Heart” was performed onstage in a semi-circle formation, involving intricate body percussion, which added to the ambiance of the concert and showcased the group’s harmony.
The Madrigals, Chorus, A Ca-Bellas, Nightingales, and Madeleines concluded the concert with a joint performance of “Seasons of Love” from the musical Rent by Mr. Jonathan Larson. Following the finale, Miss Etheridge presented senior Madrigals with flowers as a send-off. Senior Anna Oliver has been a member of the Madrigals since sophomore year. Prior to the concert, she commented on her excitement for the future of the music programs at Sacred Heart.
“At my last spring concert, I look forward to seeing the freshman Chorus and the Middle School Nightingales,” Anna said. “It is wonderful to see the next generation of singers, and I can’t wait to see what they do in the future. I hope that the Madrigals are able to stay united as a group and continue to grow in the program.”
Featured Image by Caroline Gammon ’26
