Pops concert makes it feel like Christmas
Cellists play at the pops concert on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Photos by Abby Van Selous
Violinists play “Feliz Navidad.”
Jillian Nowlin plays the clarinet.
A percussionist plays timpani drums. 
Ariana Parke sings with the choir.
A violist warms up before the concert begins.
A band member plays the flute.
A violinist plays “Alice in Wonderland.”
Cellists play at the pops concert on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Photos by Abby Van Selous
Violinists play “Feliz Navidad.”
Jillian Nowlin plays the clarinet.
A percussionist plays timpani drums.
Ariana Parke sings with the choir.
A violist warms up before the concert begins.
A band member plays the flute.
A violinist plays “Alice in Wonderland.”
Wearing ugly Christmas sweaters, Santa hats and elf hats, Dartmouth High School Dynamix dancers opened up the annual Pops Concert with a dance to “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” performed by The Jackson 5.
The annual concert, which took place on Tuesday, Dec. 17, saw students in the orchestra, band, choir and the Dynamix dance group come together to celebrate the holiday season.
Playing songs such as “Where are you Christmas?,” “Feliz Navidad,” “You better Sleigh!” and “Visions of Sugar Plums,” the students performed to a packed bleachers in the high school’s gym.
Now juniors in high school, twin sisters Krystal and Lillian Nowlin have been playing clarinet since they were five years old and agreed that they didn’t mind the large crowd.
“I know some people do get nervous because there’s so many people watching, but I think it’s more fun because everyone’s sort of listening to the group, not just specifically watching you,” Krystal said.
Krystal and Lillian agreed that “You Better Sleigh!” was their favorite song because “it’s fun to play and … fun to listen to.”
Student teacher Max Kniola conducted one of the band’s songs and said that he found that the students often play better at the concerts than rehearsals.
“It’s nice on a concert night, they’re a little nervous … and it actually kind of raises the bar,” he said. “They play just a little bit better when they got the nerves and their hands are a little shaky.”
In preparation for the concert, band students received the music near the beginning of the school year, first sight-reading the pieces and then practicing their individual parts before putting it all together, Lillian said.
“Then we come back together as full winds and then full band with percussion and everything and practice [together],” Lillian said.
Fagie Gifford, who is a member of the orchestra, said orchestra rehearsals were similar, explaining that they needed to “make sure everybody knows their part and just make sure [we] work together so the pieces really come together.”
Soprano Ariana Parke said the choir practiced the songs every class period and would focus on “what needed a little bit of changes” and “perfecting ourselves.”
The Pops Concert is the first concert of the year and the only time the orchestra, band, choir and the Dynamix dancers perform together.
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