The Gumption Courtyard has been filled with the tune of the Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Band and Urban Singers practicing rehearsing for their Winter Show pieces for the Dec. 16 event at Herbst Theater in downtown San Francisco.

“It’s going to be a great evening, with talented students from all three ensembles,” said Kim Davidson (’14). He added that he looks forward to a piece composed by Mozart called Dies Irie because the Jazz Band has “been working hard on this particular piece.”,

“It’s energy and fast tempo will ‘wow’ the audience,” he said.

Hannah Cook (’14), a member of the chorus for three years, said that she is “looking forward to preforming a more fresh and exciting concert than most years.” The audience can expect to hear the “talented freshman voices.” According to Cook, the newest members of the school and chorus  “have been working very hard to perfect their already impressive voices.”

Max Goldberg (’13), a student who has been a member of the chamber orchestra for four years, said that the audience can look forward to a “big diversity of composers this year and lots of Holiday Music”.

Ted Olney-Bell (’14) claimed that even though “both Chamber and Chorus will play Carol of the Bells separately. It shouldn’t be too repetitive…since Chamber is playing a rearranged version”.

Andrew Nayman (’12), the jazz pianist and Jacob Regenstein (’13), who plays the piano and trombone in the Jazz Band, are looking forward to hearing their fellow student Will Rothman (’13) sing during the jazz band portion of the concert.

Many music students explained their favorite aspects of the groups at Urban. Davidson said that his favorite aspect of Urban Singers “is how students from all different grades and musical backgrounds collaborate to achiever something they could not accomplish on their own” and that “it’s a team effort; everyone brings something to the table.”

Ted Olney-Bell said, “it’s certainly fun and empowering to contribute to a multilayered piece of music”.

Lillian Chou (’13) mentioned that many of the Chamber Orchestra members “are very committed and patient” and even “those with higher skills often give pointers to those with fewer experiences.”

Nayman said his favorite aspect is that “over years (the jazz band has) compiled many funny stories,” while Miller Klitsner (’14) says that having Jazz Band “a break from school.”

To find out more information about the Urban Winter Concert, follow this link to the event page: http://www.urbanschool.org/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid=279