Glittering tinsel adorns the chestnut brown piano. Warm light falls on the bell of a horn. Somewhere behind this snowy forest, a light tapping of the foot grows louder and louder until it becomes the click of drumsticks. And 5, 6, 7, 8…
On Friday, Dec. 8, Music Makes Miracles (M3) held its annual Winter Charity Concert in the Choir Room, a familiar space fitted with a festive glow-up. From heavy rock to a “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” piano duet, the intimate, welcoming atmosphere was undeniable. Senior President Aruna Ananthanaryanan and junior Vice President Gavin Ngo emceed the concert, sparking laughter between the musical numbers.
“There’s just one thing I can’t stop thinking about,” said Ananthanaryanan after the supposed final set, a brass quintet rendition of “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen. “‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ has been stuck in my head since the beginning of this concert! Do you think we have time to listen to it again?”
The audience chuckled in agreement with her statement.
“Since it’s not 9 p.m. yet, we can have our brass quintet perform it one last time,” responded Ngo. “But if Ms. Tu [the choir director] gets mad at us, I’m blaming you.”
So, the night proved memorable, beginning (and ending) with Mariah Carey’s ineradicable earworm, the truest hallmark of the holidays.
In total, the club raised $260 from ticket sales and donations, pledging the proceeds toward UNICEF, a humanitarian aid organization. Club officers thanked Tri-M Music Honor Society’s many volunteers and ushers for assisting with stage set-up and calling performers up to stage. And thanked 40 audience members in attendance, who added to the warm, fuzzy “vibes” of the entire event. Near the end, the audience even transformed into a choir, serenading Ngo’s father, who was in attendance, with a belated birthday song.
And no festive event could be complete without sugary goods; concert attendees were treated to chocolate chip cookies and chilled lemonade by the door, As a club, M3 has much more in store for the next semester. The club has announced a possible collaboration for Wellness Week, many more in-club concerts (every Thursday during lunch in the Band Room!), and a Spring Charity Concert.
Photos courtesy of Music Makes Miracles
