For centuries, inspiration has sparked creativity in unexpected ways. For today’s Blair musicians, there is no telling when or where inspiration will strike, but one thing is for sure. Come this year’s Fall Concert on Friday, the performers will be ready.

For the Blair Academy Singers, inspiration came in the form of Head of School Peter G. Curran P’27 ’27’s opening remarks at Convocation—be curious and suspend judgment—one of the Five Fundamentals of the School. Director of Vocal Music Ryan Manni-Brennan explained that the choir used Mr. Curran’s advice to pick the fall and spring concert themes, selecting “Be curious” up first. Musical selections from all over the globe, from Norway to Indonesia, will demonstrate the Singers’ curiosity throughout the concert.

“This concert will have pieces that make you think about the dialect and emotional journey of the song, even if it isn’t in English,” senior singer Cheyenne Joachim ’25 shared. “If I were to give this concert an emotion, it would be anticipation because it will have people on the edge of their seats.”

Anticipation for this fall’s concert is also building for cellist and composer Ben Lo ’25, who will premiere his “Symphony in C Minor.” Drawing inspiration from favorite composers like Tchaikovsky and John Williams, Ben crafted an ambitious orchestral work with the help of Director of Instrumental Music Jennifer Pagotto. 

“This experience means a lot to me, not only as a student but also as a musician,” Ben noted. “Being able to perform my own piece in front of hundreds of my peers is a very rare experience, and I am grateful for Mrs. Pagotto, who has guided me along the way. This is also a major step in my musical journey, and I have experienced tremendous growth working with the orchestra.” 

Mrs. Pagotto is equally excited to debut Ben’s piece, along with other music with gravitas the orchestra has been exploring this year. Additionally, this is the first year the Advanced Jazz Combo collaborated—in addition to their work with the Jazz Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra—to explore several jazz standards that are quintessential to the genre and perform “All Blues” by Miles Davis at the concert.

The DuBois Theatre will come alive with the melodies of Blair musicians on Friday, November 22, at 7 p.m. Families unable to attend in person can view the livestream here.