The Storm King School’s Winter Music Recital warmed up the Mountain recently, celebrating the talent and hard work students have dedicated to their music studies throughout the fall semester. Families, friends, faculty, and staff gathered in the Walter Reade Jr. Theatre for an evening filled with artistry, energy, and the community spirit SKS is known for.

The program opened with the Performance Lab, where three soloists set an impressive tone for the night. Jialin W. ’28 delivered an expressive piano interpretation of “Kamado Tanjiro no Uta,” followed by an outstanding performance of “My Dearest” by Andy C. ’26. Closing the segment, Otis B. ’28 brought the room to life with an upbeat electric bass performance of “Sir Duke,” which captured the groove of Stevie Wonder’s original.

The Storm King Bands continued the momentum with two vibrant ensemble pieces. The group—Brandon M. ’29 on drums, Otis on bass, Andy on keyboards, Yasha K. ’28 on guitar, and Santiago S. ’26 on vocals—first launched into Mac DeMarco’s “Freaking Out the Neighborhood,” filling the space with energy and tight collaboration. With Lambert L. ‘28 on drums, the group followed with their take on Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So,” capturing the song’s distinctive alternative rock edge.

A diverse lineup of Chorus Vocal Solos brought a mix of vocal styles and voices. Kaitlyn M. ’27 offered a clear and expressive performance of “Green Finch and Linnet Bird,” accompanied by Jialin and Andy on synthesizers. Evie T. ‘29 followed with a lofty rendition of “Walking In The Air.” The show of talent continued as Rebecca H. ’28 charmed the audience with “The Girl In 14B,” and Elijah F. ’27 delivered the introspective “Pilate’s Dream.” Santiago added melancholy with “Snow Angel,” while Brandon brought warmth to “Stay Gold,” and Kira S. ’28 ended the set with the smiles and humor of “Stupid With Love.”

The evening concluded with the full Chorus Ensemble performing “Die With a Smile.” With singers Johnny C. ‘29, Juliana D. ‘26, Milana R. ‘28, Selina Z. ‘28, Elijah, Rebecca, Kaitlyn, Brandon, Kira, Santiago, and Evie, the ensemble filled the auditorium with rich harmony and captured the spirit of the night perfectly

Many thanks go out to the student performers, whose hard work and talent brought this wonderful show to life. Their efforts were supported by the guidance of Music Director Paul Connors, Voice and Choir Instructor Gabriela Mikova-Johnson, Guitar Instructor Dave Kain, and Drum Instructor Jon Doty. Behind the scenes, Theater Technical Director Eliza Brown and her dedicated production crew ensured that sound, lighting, and staging all worked seamlessly.

As winter settles in and the holidays draw near, the recital offered a moment of warmth and togetherness. Through every song and performer, the music illuminated the season and brought the SKS community even closer together.