Had you entered the CPAC theatre on the evening of May 4, you might have noticed a certain electricity in the air—a vibrant synergy generated from the animated murmurs in the audience, the shuffling of musicians onstage, and anticipation for vibrant performances. This was the energy that marked the beginning of the annual Spring Instrumental Concert, also known as Spring Jam. For two hours, the Chamber Orchestra, Select Chamber Music, the Maqupellas, and Soul Sauce performed selections from their repertoire, culminating in a display of each member’s hard work and dedication.
With the stage lights illuminating the strings, woodwinds, and brass, the Chamber Orchestra opened the Spring Jam, prompting thunderous applause as conductor Tim Terranella and concertmaster Eric Ge ’24 appeared on stage. After a vivacious and ardent performance of Overture to Barber of Seville by Rossini, the orchestra jumped into the eagerly awaited, nostalgic medley of the How To Train Your Dragon soundtrack, arranged by clarinetist Alexander Newman ’25 for the ensemble. When asked about his thoughts on the orchestra’s rendition of How To Train Your Dragon, he said: “I think it went really well and I’m really proud of the work we did. There was a moment when I didn’t know whether it would all come together, but ultimately on that stage, we showed the audience what the orchestra was made of.”
After the Chamber Orchestra came a riveting execution of two piano four-hands, pieces that are played by two pianists on one piano, and a clarinet quintet, offering a taste of their upcoming Select Chamber Music Concert. The Maqupellas then continued the momentum with “Forget You” by Ceelo Greene, featuring soloists Michelle Manza ’26, Chloe McCauliffe ’26 and Maqupellas heads Ebun Lawore ’24 and Afrika Gaye ’24. “I thought we did a really great job,” Afrika remarked. “We came together under a tight schedule, but everyone worked really hard to learn the music and brought a lot of energy to the performance, and it paid off in the end.”
Towards the end of the night, the Riverside Jazz Combo and Soul Sauce took the stage under the guidance of Kenji Kikuchi, who performed on the trumpet in a few pieces. As per the Jazz Ensemble tradition, each senior was highlighted in a piece: Tommy Zhang ’24 on the tenor saxophone in “Remember,” Luisa Garciarramos Petricioli ’24 on the bass in “After All,” Daniel Jamie ’24 and Jonathan Lai ’24 on the trombone in “John Brown’s Other Body,” and Grace Janusz ’24 on the baritone saxophone in “Moanin’.” The final act of the Spring Jam was none other than Groton alumnus and physics fellow Brian Xiao ’19, who played an applause-rousing rendition of “Round Midnight” on his saxophone.
Although the Spring Instrumental Concert may have come to an end, the activity in the music ensembles are far from over. In June 2024, the Chamber Orchestra will tour Europe—specifically Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Czech Republic, and Germany. Just as music brings the Groton community closer, so too will music around the nation and around the world.
