Director Cynthia Bush Conducts Fall Concert. (Julia Gurevitz’19)

Columbus Academy’s Upper School contemporary and chamber ensembles played a polished  Fall Concert on Thursday, November 9, under director Cynthia Bush. Sequined fabric draped on the music stands reflected the bright stage lights and the event’s joyful atmosphere. 

The Middle School’s sixth grade began the concert, followed by a combined seventh and eighth-grade group. 

Next, the two Upper School ensembles had their turn.

Each group had a set of three thematic pieces. The contemporary ensemble played three “Sequoia” by Brian Holmes, “Handelian” by Shirl Jae Atwell, and an arrangement from La La Land by Justin Hurwitz. Sophomore Emma Smith in an upbeat solo was a special feature. 

The chamber ensemble celebrated a diversified set: Brahms’s “Hungarian Dance No. 2,” “Fandango” by Luigi Boccherini, and “Symphonie Espagnole” by Edouardo Lalo. All chamber members performed short solos during “Fandango,” with junior Ginnie Ma beginning a longer solo in “Symphonie Espagnole.”