Preparing for an Enchanted Evening of Music at Estherwood

Embracing the theme of “We Gather,” classical instrumental music students from both divisions will come together for the School’s annual Prism Concert, at the Estherwood Mansion, on Tuesday, April 12, at 6:30 p.m.

“In the same way a prism breaks white light into a spectrum where all colors are represented but blend together at the points where they meet, this concert features continuous music across various ensembles and in different rooms in Estherwood,” explained Curt Ebersole, concert director.

Orchestrated by Ebersole, 40 students comprising the String Ensemble, Chamber Music ensembles and the Middle School Orchestra will perform in Estherwood with its ornate architecture as a beautiful backdrop.

The concert starts in the library with two Chamber Ensembles and the Middle School Orchestra. The audience will follow a violin duo to the dining/music room to hear the String Ensemble and several more Chamber Ensembles. A solo flute will lead everyone back to the library for the final Chamber Ensemble, and a harp solo will lead the audience to the center foyer for the finale. The performers will be joined by student conductors Teddy Diamond ’22 and Ellanna Swope ‘22 and music teachers Barbara Ciannella and Olga Tymchenko.

Senior Sarah Wu ’22 has played the flute for 12 years and enjoys the opportunity to perform in a chamber music ensemble. “It is very different to play in a group than to play individually because it requires a lot of communication among the group members,” said Wu. “I enjoy the multiple layers of music that playing in an ensemble can bring.”

The collaborative spirit also appeals to clarinetist Mia Steinwurtzel ’26, who can’t wait “to perform with the older students and hear the pieces that they are playing.”

As a member of the Middle School Orchestra, violinist Phineas Savage ’27 is looking forward to performing “Subterranean” by Kathryn Griesinger. “I like it because of the way it conveys being in a dark, underground space really well with the notes and style of play.”

Other featured composers include Schubert, Reichert and Coleridge-Taylor. Wu said the variety of styles and pieces promises to showcase “a feast of music,” much like the Prism Concert during her freshman year that she fondly recalled to be “an eye-opening experience.”

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