Tunes of the Season: Westlawn Elementary's Winter Concert Warms Hearts

By Alanna Dushok
December 14, 2023

The 2023 Westlawn winter concert was a hit! Students in band, strings, and chorus performed three times: twice for their peers during the day, and once in the evening for a gathering of families, students, and community members.

The Westlawn Orchestra, under the direction of Ms. Emery, performed four songs for the audience. Strings students from fifth and sixth grade performed in the winter concert, and the represented instruments included violins, violas, and a single cello. Strings students were occasionally accompanied by Mrs. Cutler and Mrs. Layton on the piano and percussion instruments. Of all the songs played by the strings students, the real crowd-pleaser was "Jingle Bells:"

The Westlawn Band, under the direction of Mr. Erickson, played a variety of songs mixing different groups of students for each one. Some songs were played by all students, some by the sixth-grade advanced band students, and one was played by the advanced band students and a select set of fifth graders who had earned the privilege of playing through significant practice. This year the band features many different instruments, including one oboe! Audience members were delighted to hear the band’s rendition of “Sleigh Ride” (a challenging song that Mr. Erickson had never previously attempted with any elementary band), and were also pleased when the band played “The Dreidel Song:”

The Westlawn Chorus, under the direction of Mrs. Cutler and Mrs. Layton, sang three songs focusing on the spirit of the season while remaining delightfully non-denominational. While the audience enjoyed Pink’s “Cover Me in Sunshine,” which featured a section for a crowd sing-along, the chorus’s rendition of Harry Belafonte’s “Turn the World Around” was both an auditory and visual treat, with students combining both movement and music to create a real treat:

Please enjoy these other images from the performances!

2023 Winter Concert Moments

Strings students play "The Dreidel Song."

Strings students play "The Dreidel Song."

Strings students carefully watch Ms. Emery for direction as they play.

Strings students carefully watch Ms. Emery for direction as they play.

Ms. Emery conducts the Westlawn orchestra.

Ms. Emery conducts the Westlawn orchestra.

The sole Westlawn cellist sits toward the center of the orchestra.

The sole Westlawn cellist sits toward the center of the orchestra.

Strings students often attach a sponge to their instruments to make it more comfortable to hold them.

Strings students often attach a sponge to their instruments to make it more comfortable to hold them.

Just like with the guitar, all string instruments can be plucked as part of a song.

Just like with the guitar, all string instruments can be plucked as part of a song.

Westlawn band features a sizeable trombone section.

Westlawn band features a sizeable trombone section.

Westlawn band also features a significant number of trumpets.

Westlawn band also features a significant number of trumpets.

Many of the percussion students in the band are fifth graders.

Many of the percussion students in the band are fifth graders.

Westlawn chorus students are in fifth and sixth grades.

Westlawn chorus students are in fifth and sixth grades.

Chorus students need to get permission from classroom teachers to practice once per week during the school day.

Chorus students need to get permission from classroom teachers to practice once per week during the school day.

The risers were so full for the winter concert, we might need to invest in larger ones!

The risers were so full for the winter concert, we might need to invest in larger ones!

First grade students imagine their future selves being "on stage."

First grade students imagine their future selves being "on stage."

First grade students are eager to sing along with the chorus.

First grade students are eager to sing along with the chorus.

The chorus was accompanied by Mrs. Cutler on piano and Ms. Emery on violin.

The chorus was accompanied by Mrs. Cutler on piano and Ms. Emery on violin.

Students played "Slight Ride" and used the temple blocks to create the clip-clop of the horse in the song.

Students played "Slight Ride" and used the temple blocks to create the clip-clop of the horse in the song.

Kindergarten students were extremely curious about all of the instruments they saw at their first Westlawn concert.

Kindergarten students were extremely curious about all of the instruments they saw at their first Westlawn concert.

Principal Hill sat with the PreK students in the front row. Who do you think was more excited?!

Principal Hill sat with the PreK students in the front row. Who do you think was more excited?!

The concert happened to fall on Westlawn's Grinch Day, so many students and staff wore green or Grinch-themed clothing and accessories.

The concert happened to fall on Westlawn's Grinch Day, so many students and staff wore green or Grinch-themed clothing and accessories.

Like the first graders, the kindergarteners were enthusiastic participants when they were invited to join the chorus in singing.

Like the first graders, the kindergarteners were enthusiastic participants when they were invited to join the chorus in singing.

We think these kindergarteners will make fantastic additions to the Westlawn orchestra, band, or chorus one day!

We think these kindergarteners will make fantastic additions to the Westlawn orchestra, band, or chorus one day!

Update January 30, 2024: Due to an unscheduled early dismissal during our family and community performance, our chorus was unable to sing their final song. Mrs. Cutler and Mrs. Layton worked with students over the past few weeks to learn the handbell piece, and we were able to record the performance below.