Kingswood Oxford's Candlelight Concert Lights the Heart

In a beloved tradition that started in 1983, Kingswood Oxford musicians performed a Candlelight Concert on Sunday, December 8 to ring in the holiday season. Staged in a warmly lit Alumni Hall festooned with poinsettias and a projected stained glass image on the back wall, the musicians treated the crowd goers to a beautiful repertoire comprised of a traditional 16th-century Spanish carol, pieces by Bach, Mahler and perennial favorite from Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker,” and contemporary gems like “Somewhere over the Rainbow” and “All I want for Christmas is You.”

The evening began with four pieces by select ensemble Outlook including a magnificent intertwining of the voices of Maggie Eberle ’20 and Molly Jones ’20 in “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.’ Matthew Marotollo ’20 soloed in the spirited 16th-century Spanish carol “Riu, Riu Chiu.” Outlook ended their performance in a moving and quiet “Dirait-On” by Lauridsen.

Voce Novissima, the all-female choir, followed with a joyful “Sound of the Trumpet” by Purcell and an exquisite “Ose Shalom” that stirred the spirit. Serafina Squatrito ’22 performed a rousing solo in the holiday favorite “All I Want for Christmas.”

The Middle School String Orchestra played with great maturity “Trepak” from Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker,” a favorite of all the movements and an enduring soundtrack for every holiday movie. The group performed a lively “Chrous of the Huntsman” from the opera “Der Freischutz” by Carl Maria von Weber.

The Upper School String Orchestra performed an elegant interpretation of Mahler’s “Symphony No. 1, Second Movement.” “Oblivion” by Piazzolla with soloist Marwyn Somridhivej ’20 was at once sorrowful and sublime. The evening ended with one of the most timeless Baroque masterpieces by Bach, “Concerto in D Minor for Two Violins” with soloists Somridhivej and Rohan Naik ’20. The precise interplay of the violins illustrated two instruments engaging in a back and forth conversation.

The Candlelight Concert revealed the universality of music that lights the heart. Truly, a breathtaking evening.

Kingswood Oxford is the preeminent co-ed college preparatory day school in West Hartford. It serves 515 students from over 62 towns in Connecticut, western Massachusetts, China, South Korea, and Spain. A KO education fosters ethical leaders, innovative problem solvers, and confident communicators