Sometimes serendipity reigns. I had learned about the Brunswick High School Winter Choral Concert on the morning of the performance, thanks to a post by a Facebook friend. “This might be a good way to get into the Christmas spirit,” I said to Tina. We arrived 45 minutes early to get good seats (my typical modus operandi), only to discover a long line already waiting for the doors to open. Hmm…maybe they knew something we didn’t know. Turns out they did.

The 115 student singers got me right into the spirit during the Processional with a breathtakingly stunning rendition of Silent Night. This would be a night to remember, I sensed. And it was.

The 600-seat Crooker Theater was filled with people eager to savor the multiple chorale offerings: two auditioned choirs (the BHS Treble Choir and the BHS Chamber Choir); three a cappella groups (Vice Verse, Spice Guys and Aca-petal) and the BHS Concert Choir.

I was struck by the diversity of the musical selections as well as the quality of the singing. From “This Little Babe,” a Christmas carol by Benjamin Britten to Bend, a symbol of hope by Kyle Peterson to rousing spirituals during which students rocked and swayed to the rhythmic music.

You could sense the joy of the 115 student singers as they performed in public for the first time in nearly two years. And the members of the audience were equally joyous, rewarding each song with loud applause and a sustained standing ovation at the end.

The concert evoked memories of some of my own past experiences. Singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone” with my high school choir in 1960 in Delaware and, a year later, singing “Glorious Appollo” with the Bowdoin College Glee Club at Town Hall in New York City and also with the Boston Pops Orchestra under the colorful direction of the inimitable Frederic (“Tilly”) Tillotson.

It takes a superb director to create such a wonderful evening of music, so I

decided to have a conversation with Ashley Albert, Director of Choral Music at Brunswick High School. Happily, she agreed to a phone interview.

Because of the influence of her music teachers at York High School, Ashley knew that she wanted to teach music in Maine. She earned a bachelor’s degree in music education at the University of Maine and landed the coveted position at Brunswick High School 11 years ago, when she was only 22.

The choral program has steadily grown under Ashley’s enthusiastic leadership. She uses her current singers to recruit new singers. She’s expanded the size of the auctioned groups to give more students the opportunity to challenge themselves. BHS choral music students have consistently performed well by earning state, regional and national honors. Ashley currently manages the All State Choir.

Most important, Ashley truly cares about every student; they reward her by giving their all. For example, they were willing to practice outside in the cold, if necessary, because of rules established during the pandemic.

Ashley demonstrated her genuine compassion for her students at the concert by inviting BHS alumni to join the singers on stage for a number, a wonderful gesture since there was no winter choral concert a year earlier because of the pandemic.

“I try to create a space where students can feel proud of what they have accomplished. During a concert, I’ll try to make a connection with every student by looking into their eyes.

“Students gain confidence by being willing to take brazen risks. They know the satisfaction of working hard along with others to achieve a goal. What they learn will stay with them the rest of their lives.”

Thank you, Ashley Albert and BHS singers, for the extraordinary talent and joyous spirit you demonstrated at the Winter Choral Concert. Believe me, my wife Tina and I will try to be there whenever and wherever your musical groups perform in the future.

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary and suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns. dtreadw575@aol.com

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