Agnes Irwin’s acapella group The Bel Cantos is gearing up for an exciting season of singing and community service, culminating with the beloved school-wide Holiday Concert on December 16. As a Bel, I have the inside scoop on our holiday repertoire and recent performances at Agnes Irwin and Haverford. Read more to find out what you can expect from your favorite choir this season.
The Bel Cantos began the year with a performance at Agnes Irwin’s Open House on October 19. This was a casual concert which we performed three different times for three different audiences, each composed of current and prospective students and families. We sang classic hits such as Billy Joel’s For The Longest Time, in which each Bel sang a verse while the rest of the choir provided backing vocals, and Jon Augustine’s uplifting worship song Encourage My Soul.
On November 6, the Bels performed with the Baldwin B Flats and the Haverford Notables at Haverford’s outdoor amphitheatre. The Bels sang first, kicking off the concert with a festive acapella rendition of Justin Bieber’s Mistletoe featuring soloists Leila Rodriguez and Sophie St. Amand. We wrapped up the program with the Irish folk song The Parting Glass and What I Did for Love from the musical A Chorus Line.
December is an eventful month for the Bels. In addition to our Holiday Concert, we plan to get together for caroling in the city. The two dates we’ve set aside are December 11 and December 18, and we look forward to taking to the streets of Philly to spread some holiday cheer. Songs we’ll potentially perform include The Twelve Days of Christmas, O Holy Night, and Mistletoe, a vibrant contemporary piece which Mr. Savar added to our repertoire this year at the suggestion of senior Maeve Roarty.
The highlight of the holiday assembly, the Bels’ Holiday Concert is a cherished Agnes Irwin tradition that invites the whole school community to join in a boisterous musical celebration. This year, the Bels will be singing annual favorites but with new choreography and stunning solo performances by Brooklyn McDonald, Maeve Roarty, Marston Mankovich, Leila Rodriguez, Meredith DeCarlo, and Chloe Parayre. We are especially excited to sing our spoof on The Twelve Days of Christmas, which involves an intense vocal battle between the voice parts. White Winter Hymnal and O Holy Night are other performances to look forward to, as they respectively feature impressive hand choreography and a possible instrumental accompaniment.
Special thanks go out to Meredith DeCarlo, the president of Bels, and our director Mr. Savar for organizing so many opportunities for us to perform and serve Agnes Irwin and the broader community. The Bel Cantos can’t wait to lead the school in song this December, for there’s no better way to celebrate the holiday season than to make music together.
