Every fall, many parents visit the lovely and colorful Groton campus for Parents’ Weekend. And each year, a music concert that features many talented student musicians is held. This annual event is thought of to be one of the most enjoyable events that happen during Parents Weekend. In just one performance, parents, teachers, and students are able to watch and enjoy the product of the hard work that the Groton musicians put in.

This year, the Parents’ Weekend concert will take place on Saturday, October 22nd at 7:30 p.m. in the Campbell Performing Arts Center. The groups that will be performing include the Second Form Steel Drums Ensemble, Chamber Choir, Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, Dance, Gospel Choir, Grotones, and Maqupellas. Dance will be performing a piece from last spring’s recital, and the Chamber Orchestra and Jazz Band will each play two and three tunes from this fall.

This is the only concert each year that features so many of Groton’s music groups in one performance and attracts a large and enthusiastic audience. As a result, it inspires all the performers to play with great energy and soul. Ms. Lanier, head of the music department, says, “I love to see Second Form Steel Drums make everyone smile and hear them play what they’ve worked so hard on. I also love to hear the beautiful blend of young voices from Chamber Choir. I am always amazed that our Jazz Ensemble “Soul Sauce” and Chamber Orchestra can be ready to play so early in the school year. I think that it’s a great accomplishment for the student-run groups to prepare on their own and perform. It’s a lot of fun to hear such variety of styles in one evening!” Moreover, the addition of Dance last year and the Gospel Choir this year will add to the diversity of the performing groups.

The concert will be hosted by music prefects Phoebe Fry, Matthew Higgins-Iati, Piper Higgins, Christine Bernard, Christopher Ye, Ivana Primero, and Eddie Uong. Christine Bernard ’17, who is hosting the Jazz Band and Gospel Choir, says, “I am looking forward to Dance, Steel Drums, Grotones, and Maqupellas because these groups aren’t represented on campus as much as the others, so it’s nice to see them perform onstage.”

The Parents’ Weekend concert is a great way to show what Groton has to offer musically to family, friends, and the community while also giving the students an opportunity to perform in front of a passionate audience.