SOUNDS OF THE SEASON—Newbury Park students sing in the high school’s winter choir concert. Newbury Park High School’s winter concerts have always been highly anticipated events, and this year’s mid-December edition was no exception.

It’s been interesting comparing and contrasting the events the various local high schools put on.

Some focus on glitzy show choir numbers while others put on plays or cabaret shows, but Newbury Park and its musical director, John Sargent, are more serious about the quality of the music and performances as opposed to things like staging and choreography and always put most of their effort into the music itself.

As with other schools, NPHS divides its groups into different ensembles. The concert began with the Panther Chamber Singers, who performed a variety of mostly traditional holiday classics.

In “Carol of the Bells,” the sopranos had the hardest task—singing in sync with the rapid-fire lyrics— while the baritones and basses had an easier time with repeated rhythmic punctuations.

Herbert Fromm’s “Hanukkah Madrigal” is a nonliturgical piece, performed as a round, with each section trading phrases. Jay Livingston and Ray Evans’ “Silver Bells” was treated with an unusual slower arrangement by Mac Huff that brought out Livingston’s rich melody and lingering harmonies, performed a cappella by the group, making it sound almost like a spiritual. The rhythmless, rubato rendition was one of the most stirring moments of the concert.

The Chamber Singers’ portion concluded with Leroy Anderson’s always enjoyable “ Sleigh Ride,” complete with sleigh bells and slapstick to imitate the horse whip.

The Women’s Ensemble was the next to perform, with three obscure but beautifully sung numbers. The highlight from their set was “A La Nanita Nana,” an Ecuadorian lullaby translated into English by choirmaster Norman Luboff. This song proves that there is more to Spanish Christmas music than “Feliz Navidad.”

One of the highlights of NPHS concerts is the focus on individual performers and small ensembles. Clarissa Wentworth sang the rich and velvety “Mary Did You Know,” which has been recorded by country artists such as Reba McEntire and Kathy Mattea. Cassidy Abbitt did a fine job with Sarah McLachlan’s understated “Wintersong,” and Jessica Curtis performed John Jacob Niles’ haunting Appalachian carol, “I Wonder as I Wander.”

In the second half, the audience was treated to two of the more beautiful melodies in Christmas lore: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” sung by Elliott Bowles, and Gounod’s “Ave Maria,” in a sweet and delicate rendition by Nicole Escandon. This section concluded with two lighter numbers. Kevin Baldwin and Amanda Wanamaker, who teamed up recently as Sky Masterson and Miss Adelaide in NPHS’s production of “Guys and Dolls,” sang “I’m in Love at Christmas Time.” A quartet consisting of Savannah Fisch, Cara Blaxton, Anessa Buff and Adriana Audenino joined forces on an a cappella barbershop-style arrangement of the 1950s novelty “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.”

The entire choir concluded the concert with a variety of songs, old and new, familiar and obscure, that delighted the packed theater.

Two flutes and a snare drum punctuated a tasteful version of “Pat-a-Pan.” Paige Sentianin soloed on the Hanukkah song “Beams of Gentle Light.” The crowd-pleasing “The Twelve Days After Christmas” turned the venerable (and often monotonous) “Twelve Days of Christmas” into a romp, as we find out that the pear tree got chopped down, the turtle doves got strangled and the French hens were made into chicken soup.

As a grand finale, the choir, guest alumni and the audience sang along on Handel’s “Hallelujah” chorus from “The Messiah,” with good tidings enjoyed by one and all.