-By, Teresa Lawlor

     The girls of the 2016-2017 Small Chorus weren’t able to linger over summer for very long this year. On September 8th, a mere nine days after the fall semester began, Small Chorus performed “Blessing,” the perennial favorite sung at Winsor’s Commencement every year, to welcome our new Head of School, Dr. Sarah Pelmas. Twelve days later, the group was lucky enough to sing “The Star Spangled Banner” in honor of Gevvie Stone ’03, who recently won a silver medal in the Rio Olympics. On October 11, Small Chorus graced the Winsor stage once again for the annual Fall Concert alongside Senior Small, the Upper School Percussion Ensemble, and the Class I and II Chorus. To top off their list of fall performances, Small Chorus sang at the end of the Under the Lights pep rally on October 21st.

     To start off their winter concert schedule, Small Chorus will perform in the All School Holiday Concert on December 9th. This concert features the entire Winsor music program, including both choral and instrumental ensembles. Throughout the winter, Winsor singers will collaborate with other musicians; first with parents, faculty/staff singers and musicians, and the Winsor Orchestra for the Annual Holiday Concert on December 11th and, in March, with the Roxbury Latin School choral program for their annual joint concert, this year at Roxbury Latin. The Spring Concert will take place in April shortly after the Winsor community returns from March Break, and then the year will end as it began: with a moving performance of “Blessing,” this time at the graduation of the Class of 2017.

     Furthermore, the chorus eagerly awaits the return of the Jackson Jills from Tufts University for an a cappella workshop. “I’m looking forward to the Jackson Jills coming because I’m really interested in a capella and excited to see it at a college level,” says Lia K., Class VI. “It’s great that Small Chorus has the opportunity to see and learn from them.” Even more exciting is that they also plan to expand their audience beyond Winsor: throughout the year, Small Chorus hopes to sing at a few outside choral events such as the Providence College High School Invitational Choral Festival, a community service event, and perhaps even at Fenway Park, as they have done for many years.

      Ultimately, the main focus of the class is to help each girl grow as a musician. “My goal is to encourage each and every student to be the best that they can be at whatever stage of their development while traveling along the path of their musical journey,” says Ms. Taillacq, the group’s director, “and to help inspire them to find joy and passion in doing the thing they love to do- singing and making music with others!”