Making Spirits Bright Through Song

People love great Christmas music—and last weekend, our Saints delivered! Canterbury’s Contemporary Music and Rock Bands, Jazz Ensemble, and Varsity Voices lit up the stage for the Winter Concert, blending modern holiday hits with timeless classics.

Under the guidance of Director of Music Dave Overthrow, the students were Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree and doing the Jingle Bell Rock…sharing standards such as Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, O Holy Night, and Let It Snow…and getting people into the spirit of the season with Snowman, Hooked on the Holidays, and Christmas Time is Here. The audience members were having a blast singing loudly, clapping their hands, and moving to the beat—and that enthusiasm definitely gave our musicians and singers an extra boost during the show.

“Playing in Maguire Auditorium is always a pleasure, and this concert was no exception,” said guitarist Patrick Toon ’25. “I really appreciated how many people showed up to support their fellow Saints. It means the world to the performers.”

Vocalist Asher Hughes ’24 wholeheartedly agreed. “The winter concert is so festive with all the Christmas songs we play,” he said. “It is the best feeling to have everyone singing along to the well-known tunes!”

And it is the best feeling for Dave to direct such a talented group of Saints. “I am proud of how hard the students worked on preparing such a fantastic performance,” he shared. “Music plays such a strong role in their Canterbury lives, and it shows in the passion and commitment they demonstrate. I am so honored to be a part of their musical journey.”

Bravo to these musical virtuosos:

CONTEMPORARY MUSIC BAND

Morgan Lau ’24, Asher Hughes ’24, Kate “Kat” McDonough ’24—Vocals
Patrick Toon ’25, Ryan Oemcke ’24—Guitars
Nicholas Rafferty ’25—Electric Bass
Jose “Pepe” Hanze ’24—Drums
Jiarui “Jerry” Liu ’25—Piano

CONTEMPORARY MUSIC BAND: MINOR (2 GROUPS)

Ava Faruol ’24, Rahee “Ren” Kim ’25, Kaelyn Darrin ’26—Vocals
Junzhe “Michael” Zhao ’25, David Kim ’25—Piano

Zeba Ahmed ’26—Vocals
Yun “Angel” Lin ’26—Piano
Jiaqi “Jenny” Yu ’27—Guitar
Patryk Plata ’26—Drums

JAZZ ENSEMBLE

Gavin Winters ’25—Alto Saxophone
Patryk Plata ’26, Isabella Mavuli ’25—Trumpet
Miguel Garcia ’26, Stephen Hraska ’25—Trombone
Junzhe “Michael” Zhao ’25—Piano
Abdul-Qayyuum Olasewere ’25—Guitar
Jose “Pepe” Hanze ’24—Drums

ROCK BAND

Miguel Garcia ’26—Bass
Hayden Devorsetz ’24—Piano
Eliza Agredano ’24—Vocals
Hannah Soifersmith ’27—Drums
Chase Sukow ’27—Drums

VARSITY VOICES

Amelia Welsh ’26
Ava Faruol ’24
Gianna Martinez ’26
Sylvia Pinheiro ’24
Cora Brennan ’24
Bokyung “Victoria” Kim ’26
Yawen “Sophia” Zheng ’27

VIEW PHOTOS