Lise's Lens: January 22, 2026

The Music Department’s annual Rock/Pop Ensemble concert is one of my favorite events of the year, and I was so excited when I found out this year’s featured artist would be The Beatles (if you missed it this week, be sure to stay tuned for the  zoom watch party in February)! Something you may not know, is that the Rock/Pop show used to be a part of a larger event known as Evening of the Arts, which sadly dissolved when the school moved to a six-module program . But since 2009, there has been some kind of mainstage, rock/pop ensemble performance. Artists covered include Sting, David Bowie, Prince, Radiohead, and Queen. There have also been shows highlighting an array of artists centered around a common genre or theme like “Funk and Groove,” or “Female Artists.” I personally love it when the ensemble takes on music that was very popular for its time but that this current generation might not be familiar with. 

But ultimately, what I like most are the students performing on stage as well as those behind the scenes working on the audio and the lighting.  Each year, this unique group of students comes together to create this experience for us and live this singular moment in time for them, never to be repeated in the same way.  But their memories of those five weeks together, and the impression their performance has on us, the audience, is invaluable and priceless. How lucky for all of us, their families, their peers, and our faculty and staff, that they work so hard to prepare such a special performance.