Hard Work and Passion Pay Off in Fall Concert

This fall Cardigan’s musicians challenged themselves to learn a wide repertoire of pieces––from a traditional Hebrew folk song to a modern tune by Tawainese singer-songwriter Jay Chou, from a well-loved Irish melody to one of Amadeus Mozart’s most recognizable compositions.

With the help of music teachers Nathan Plourde, Christian Terry, and Sue Kinne, the students spent countless hours outside of their academic classes familiarizing themselves with the music and understanding the composers’ style and intent. And after months of practice, the students shared their growth and creative expression with the Cardigan community. The Fall Concert was a demonstration of the heart and soul and time the boys put into their musical pursuits. 

“Every student and faculty member here tonight knows and understands the schedule that a Cardigan student has,” explained Mr. Plourde, who took on the role of Cardigan’s director of music this fall. “It does not offer a lot of time for them to get into the practice rooms and get to rehearsals. And they sacrifice a lot of free time that they could spend doing other things.”

As the concert progressed, it was clear that their efforts were worth it. Each piece was well rehearsed and polished, with the boys working together to fill Humann Theatre with music.

The Program

Ode to FU
Fei Wang (1985-present)   
Performed by Quentin Zhao ’27, cello

Floral Sea
Jay Chou (1979-present)
Performed by Panda Express: Eason Gu ’26 (Violin), Owen Xu ’25 (Clarinet), Hugo Li ’27 (Trombone), and Leo Yin ’25 (Vocals), Steven Wang ’25 (Tuba), Rayson Li ’26 (Marimba), and William Zhu ’26 (Piano)

Shalom Chaverim
Hebrew Traditional
Performed by the Cardigan Chamber Singers

Frolic
Luciano Michelini (1945-present)
Performed by Nikita Gerbut ’25

Irish Tune from County Derry
Percy Aldridge Grainger (1882-1961) and Arranged by Paul Cook
Performed by Cardigan Wind Ensemble

Epic
Larry Clark (1963-present)
Performed by Cardigan Wind Ensemble

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525, I. Allegro
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Performed by Cardigan String Orchestra

Video: Cardigan’s 2024 Fall Concert (Watch on YouTube)