Parker’s Advanced Choral Ensemble (ACE) has been getting into the holiday spirit. On November 14, ACE performed for the NEWCITY Tree Lighting, kicking off a month of caroling and spreading holiday cheer. The ensemble sang “Carol of the Bells,” “Auld Lang Syne,” and “Still, Still, Still,” a traditional Austrian carol. Upper School math teacher Wendy Olt was able to connect ACE to NEWCITY, where the group sang with fellow choirs following the annual tree lighting. “One cool thing about being part of ACE is we get to do a lot more outside of Parker, and we get to connect with the community and be part of something bigger,” sophomore Nikita Mallik said. Fellow ACE member Anna Chandler also attended the Tree Lighting event. “It was a great experience to perform for people who weren’t in other choirs or people at school,” Chandler said.
On December 6, ACE also sang carols throughout Chicago. They began by performing in a live-stream for the critical care hospital Ascension St. Joseph as a part of their collaboration with Sharing Notes, a non-profit organization that connects Chicago hospitals with musicians. From there, they caroled for the public around Oak Street. ACE has participated in caroling events for many years. “ACE’s presence in the Lincoln Park community during the holidays has only grown since my time at Parker,” Upper School choir teacher and ACE director Christian Jackson said. “These types of events are critical ways for us to give back to the community and also share our talents. It helps us get our name out there and connect with our community in a relevant way.”
Members of ACE find caroling a fun way to feel festive. “It was really fun to share our voice for people who stopped by to listen to us on the streets,” ACE member and sophomore Uriel Castaneda said. ACE prepares for such events by using carols as warm-ups during rehearsals .“We try our hardest to know our caroling repertoire well enough to pull it out at any given moment,” Jackson said. For example, ACE performed some of their carols as interludes during the Winter Choir MX on December 5. The choir has a large collection of carols that have been acquired and used for over a decade, ranging from American classics to popular Christmas songs across the world.
December 6 was the first opportunity ACE had under Jackson’s direction to combine singing with civic engagement by caroling for hospital patients. Upper, Lower, and Middle School music teacher Alec Synakowski suggested this event to ACE as an opportunity for student musicians. “The whole vibe was very peaceful because it was live-streamed, but hearing about the reaction from the patients made it feel so worthwhile. It was really heartwarming,” ACE member and sophomore Avi Grossman said. ACE has long been spreading holiday cheer with their voice, and this month, they’ve had the opportunity to embody the true meaning of the holidays and sing for people who may need a little more joy in their lives.
