If there’s one thing that can bring joy and happiness in times of difficulty and uncertainty, it’s music.

On Wednesday, December 15th, the Wilton High School choir, orchestra, and band performed in their annual winter show, which was also their first formal performance since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March of 2020.

Despite the half-capacity audience, the socially-distanced performers, and the mask requirements, everyone in attendance enjoyed the concert and deemed it a huge success.

“The concert went really well,” Wilton High School sophomore and band clarinetist Abby Schwartz said.

Kevin Cotellese, Wilton High School’s head choir director, agrees.

“I think the students did a remarkable job,” Cotellese said. “We’ve received numerous compliments from community members, family members, and administration.”

This message is echoed by the resiliency shown by the student-musicians and the Wilton High School music program as a whole.

“We had to be flexible,” Schwartz said. “Going with the flow is how we’ve been doing it.”

Natalie Schlesinger, a junior and member of the Chamber Singers choir, emphasized the musicians’ ability to perform at their best despite limitations.

“I think we did a good job adjusting to COVID guidelines,” Schlesinger said. “We did the absolute best that we could do with the conditions we’re in with the pandemic.”

Cotellese praised the student-musicians and their ability to execute a high-quality show even though they were not allowed to perform or even sing for much of last year.

“Going from a situation where they literally could not sing to singing publicly within a year is a testament to the students’ talent and fortitude,” Cotellese said.

The idea of overcoming hardships and troubles to find beauty was a common theme throughout the concert.

The Madrigals Choir’s performance of Pentatonix’s arrangement of Hallelujah was especially appropriate for the season, a message of the value of trust, hope, and gratitude in a situation where positivity and joy can be difficult to find. 

The performers also mixed in some upbeat, festive tunes, such as the band and orchestra’s performance of a Polar Express mashup accompanied by the combined choirs.

Overall, the concert was enjoyed by all who attended. Besides being a beloved yearly tradition in Wilton, the winter concert proved the ability of members of the community to come together and support each other in the face of all the adversity and confusion occurring in the world. It proved that no matter what happens, the tightly-knit Wilton community can come together – masks and all – to savor the happy moments that life provides.

The Wilton High School winter concert can be viewed on Wilton High School TV’s YouTube Channel here.