Last week the Marlboro Music Department presented their annual Winter Concert that included performances by the Concert Band, the Treble Voice Ensemble, the Wind Ensemble and the Chamber Choir, under the direction of Choral Director Katie Budryk and guest Instrumental Director Matthew Gallagher.

The Concert Band opened the concert with highlights from the ‘Game of Thrones’ by Jay Bocook, followed by ‘Winter Holiday’ arranged by James Swearingen and concluded their segment with ‘Runaway Sleigh; by Robert W. Smith.

The Treble Voice Ensemble kicked off their songs with ‘Carol of the Bells’ by Mykola Leontovych and Peter J. Wilhousky. ‘Once Upon a December’ followed by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens from the animation film ‘Anastasia.’ The songs ‘Believe’ by Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri and ‘Touch the Sky’ by Alex Mandel and Mark Andrews brought their section to a close.

The Wind Ensemble opened with the challenging ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’ by Hans Zimmer and concluded with the holiday favorite, ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ arranged by Robert W. Smith.

The Chamber Choir concluded the concert with members lined up in the two main aisles to sing ‘Hiohonolofatsa’ a South African Greeting Song, eventually moving up to the front stage area. The choir sang the traditional British folk ballad ‘The Holly and the Ivy’ and the ‘Winter White Hymnal’ by Robin Pecknold and concluded their set with ‘Do You Hear What I Hear’ by Gloria Shayne Baker and Noel Regney, written as a plea for peace during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

Katie Budryk said her students did a great job, adding, “they were awesome.” She chooses new material each year and her students, ‘go with the flow and they will pretty much sing whatever I give them and they’re really gracious about it...For the most part I know their voices and they go along with it and they do a great job. I’m super proud of them.”

Budryk is grateful for the support of her students and the community.

“The last few years have been tough, especially for the arts. We weren’t able to sing together for almost a year and a half straight because of covid,” she said. “The fact is that these kids are coming out and they’re still doing the ensembles and they’re still singing with us; it warms my heart.”

Matthew Gallagher received a call to fill in less than a week before the concert. The musical selections were new to him and he came in for a few rehearsals.

“I came on Friday and observed the Wind Ensemble a little bit. On Monday and Tuesday I came in to do the band rehearsals. I worked with those kids for two days and they really pulled it out. It’s amazing what those kids could do.”