William Tennent Prepares for its Annual Winter Concert

Putting together the program for the William Tennent High School Music Department's Annual Winter Concert has always presented certain challenges for instrumental director Joe Lovecchio and vocal director Tyrone Dinkins.

But the usual search for a balanced program and the need to have the performers properly prepared has been given an added degree of difficulty due to complications from the major construction happening at the high school.

The renovation project caused the annual concert to move out of the high school's auditorium. The show will borrow the stage at Log College Middle School tonight at 7:30 p.m., where the young musicians will shake off the trials of the past few months and offer up an entertaining and educational night of seasonal music.

"We like to do a mix of familiar holiday music and music that is a little more challenging for the students and the audience," said Lovecchio. "We want to push them a little further along their development."

The loss of the high school auditorium meant that daily rehearsals had to take place in the classrooms, which have acoustics that Lovecchio labels simply "terrible." He also had to deal with the fact that much of his equipment is not readily available.

"All of our stuff is in storage," said Lovecchio. "If I need a piece of sheet music, I have to go up to the fourth floor and root through 40 boxes to find it."

Ultimately, Lovecchio knows that the inconveniences are temporary and has accepted the reality if the situation. In other words, the show must go on.

The evening's program will separate the performances of the vocal and instrumental groups.  The night will lead off with the Chorale performing works such as "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day," arranged by John Rutter, and "Ashlosha D'Varim" by Allan E. Naplan.

The Orchestra will then take the stage to perform pieces such as Mozart's "Overture to 'Bastien and Bastienne'" and "A Bach Christmas," arranged by Susan Christiansen, followed by the Madrigal Singers, who will offer renditions of "Silent Night" and "Ave Maria."

After intermission, the Concert Band will perform arrangements such as "Christmas Travelogue," as arranged by James Curnow, followed by the Chorus to sing selections including "Carol of the Bells" and "The Christmas Song."

All of these performances will lead up to the grand finale, which will combine the Chorus, Orchestra and Concert Band for a rendition of "White Christmas."