Choral Performances Cover Beach Boys to Verdi

With a program covering music from the 18th to the 20th Centuries, Watchung Hills Regional High School's choral groups gave a fitting farewell to longtime director William Holmes, Friday.

The Performing Arts Center was near capacity for the event, which included performances by the full chorus, the Advanced Chorus, boys and girls ensembles, soloists Danielle Scolaro, Christine Jedra, Taryn Welt and Carly DaSilva, and the "Girls Quartet +1" and the boys quartet.

Holmes received a boisterous welcome from the crowd, as he walked onto the stage. The appreciation continued through the performances, which included tradional chorus staples, such as Handel's "Messiah" and "Sweet Adeline," as well as more contemporary tunes, including Brian Wilson's "Sloop John B." and the "Bohemian Rhapsody," recorded by Queen.

Holmes, who is retiring at the end of the school year, noted in the concert program that he "cannot imagine having spent my career doing anything else."

"My high school choir director, Robert R. Sine, looked like he was having so much fun teaching the chorus classes that I decided I wanted to the same thing for a living," he wrote about his introduction to high school chorus as a teenager at Hopewell Valley Central High School. 

The chorus, ensemble and solo performances were accompanied by pianists Nicole D'Angelo, Kevin Lee, Haley Shapiro, Evn Vitureira, Audrey Lo, Dee Nicholson and Angela DiIorio.