Both Fidelio and Chorus have been preparing since the beginning of the school year for this performance.
Standing in a circular formation around the audience, the powerful voices of Andover’s Academy Chorus and Fidelio Chamber Society resonated throughout the Cochran Chapel. On Saturday, the choral concert brought together the sounds of snaps, violin, organ, and vocals for a lively Family Weekend performance. Sarah Samoluk ’26, a new member of the chorus, described her experience at their first concert of the year.
“It’s been great. Everyone’s super nice and it’s very welcoming. As someone who has not been part of a lot of choruses, it was very helpful to be taken under the wing of those who have been doing it for a while… I was really proud of how we all did, and I think that we overcame the hard parts… I liked that we sang around [the pews], and I enjoyed being able to see each other and fill such a big space with our voices,” said Samoluk.
Given the large scale of the performance, both Chorus and Fidelio members have been practicing since the beginning of the school year. Featuring a blend of vocals with instrumentals, the performance required a thorough preparation process. Izzy Park ’26 commented on the practices.
“I think one of the challenges was getting the timings because a lot of our music has different parts that have to go on very specific, sometimes very challenging, timings. So getting all that to sync up and get everyone on the right beat was something that took some practice… [It was overcome by] practicing just your part, by yourself, so you know your part well before getting confused with the other parts,” said Park.
The Chorus and Fidelio singers performed a diverse repertoire, from traditional choral pieces to contemporary songs, keeping the audience engaged throughout. “Identities,” a modern piece written by high school students in the 21st century, resonated with audience member Magnus Julin ’25.
“[Identities] was really good. I mean, not really sure if I can pinpoint one thing, but it just really came together well… I really think that [Identities] showed a lot, and I really like how it came together… [It was] thoughtful, a bit reflective, but overall, really happy,” said Julin.
Looking ahead, Chorus is open for any students to join year-round, providing an accessible and welcoming environment. The song selections further echoed this broader theme of inclusivity and diversity with the openness to genre experimentation. Audience member Cristina Donovan synthesized their thoughts on the overall performance.
“[The songs evoked] a lot of togetherness and belonging, also pride in oneself… [It was] transcendent,” said Donovan.
