Viewpoint’s Music Department marked the month of March with two Middle and Upper School concerts, bringing student musicians from the band and choral programs to the Carlson Family Theater.

On March 16, the Spring Band Concert featured a wide range of ensembles, including the Combined Beginning Middle School and Sixth Grade Band, Middle School Concert Winds, Upper School Wind Ensemble, The Four and a Half, and Middle and Upper School Jazz ensembles. 

The program opened with selections such as “Golondrina” by Jorge Vargas and “Red Comet” by Michael Oare. The Middle School Concert Winds performed “Ijó Ajoyo” by Duroje Gwamna and “Pastel Sunset” by Heather Hoefle, along with “The Throne Room” from Star Wars, arranged by Johnnie Vinson. The Upper School Wind Ensemble presented works including “Baba Yetu” and “Sir Duke,” arranged by Jay Bocook, with additional selections conducted by seniors Noah Fournier ’26 and Romy Harari ’26. The program also featured a flute duet by Ellen Su ’28 and Colin Brun ’26, as well as student-arranged works. The concert concluded with performances by the Middle School Jazz Lab and Upper School Jazz Ensemble, featuring selections such as “Basically Basie,” “Black Orpheus,” and “I Love You More Today Than Yesterday.”

The concert series continued on March 18 with the Sixth through Twelfth Grade Choral Concert. The program featured performances by Voices Now, Viewpoint’s unique performance group of Upper School singers, Sixth Grade Choir, Middle School Vocal Ensemble, Upper School Concert Choir, and Combined Choirs. 

Voices Now opened the evening with “It’s Your Thing” by The Isley Brothers, arranged by Voices Now director Bill Brendle, followed by “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell. The Sixth Grade Choir performed “Bhombela,” a traditional Zulu piece with student rhythm leaders, and “Sing to Me.” The Middle School Vocal Ensemble performed “The Old Mill” and “I Sing Because I’m Happy,” while the Upper School Concert Choir presented selections including “Lacrimosa” from Mozart’s Requiem and “Fire (from Elements)” by Katerina Gimon. The concert concluded with a combined choir performance of “Happy Together,” bringing all vocalists together for the finale.

As the spring semester continues, our musicians will take part in Arts Fest on Saturday, May 30, a culminating celebration of the arts at Viewpoint. The event will feature student work from across all divisions, including visual art, film, theatre, dance, and musical performances.

Viewpoint’s dancers took the stage on Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14 for the annual Spring Dance Concert, delivering an evening of performances that showcased both range and artistry in the Carlson Family Theater.

Celebrating connection and the power of storytelling through dance, the concert highlighted the growth and accomplishments of students across Lower, Middle, and Upper School. The program featured a wide range of styles, including Ballet, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Jazz, and Ballroom, offering something for every audience member.

Co-artistic directors Gabrielle Brown and Justine Fink led the production, which reflected months of collaboration, creativity and dedication. Across two acts, audiences experienced a diverse lineup of works, from high-energy pieces like “1999” and “Let’s Go” to more introspective performances such as “Only Human,” “Real” and “Home.” The program also featured standout student choreography and solo performances, highlighting the individuality and artistic voice of each dancer.

“Although our dancers bring varying levels of experience, they are united in their passion and work ethic,” Brown said. “It has been inspiring to watch their growth and confidence throughout the process.”

“This concert celebrates both the grit and passion poured into every routine,” Fink added. “Behind each performance are countless hours of work, trust and collaboration.”

The concert also featured costume and lighting design that enhanced each performance. Dance ensembles included Viewpoint Dance Company, Upper School Ballet, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Middle School Dance Company, and Lower and Middle School dancers.

The house just up the road from Viewpoint is more than a classroom for Bill Brendle, Middle and Upper School Music Teacher. The Castle Oaks recording studio, once a hub for Grammy-winning artists and film composers, helped shape his career as a professional musician. Today, it introduces Viewpoint students to the same creative process that once brought world-class artists through its doors.

That connection was on display last month when Brendle’s Voices Now students, a select group of Upper School vocalists, took the stage at Catalina Jazz Club. The annual performance gives students the opportunity to experience what it feels like to perform in a professional venue.

“The goal of this concert is for students to have a spotlight, either as a soloist or as a duet,” Brendle said. “Their job is to choose their own song and find something that connects with them somehow. From the beginning, I treat them as if I were working with professional vocalists.”

That philosophy reflects Brendle’s own background as a professional musician, arranger and musical director. He collaborated with Brazilian music legend Sergio Mendes on two Grammy-nominated albums recorded at Castle Oaks, including one that won.

Brendle first connected with Viewpoint in 2001 when he was hired to play keyboard for a Middle School production of “Annie Get Your Gun.” Soon after, he began accompanying a vocal jazz ensemble at the school, which evolved into what is now Voices Now.

His role eventually expanded to include directing the ensemble, composing music for theater productions, and launching Viewpoint’s Digital Music program. Today, he teaches multiple levels of the course, where students learn songwriting, music production and recording technology while creating their own music.

Many of those classes take place inside the Castle Oaks studio. Now part of the Viewpoint campus, the space gives students the chance to step into a professional recording environment once used by artists including Destiny’s Child and Lisa Marie Presley.

“I love seeing their reaction the first time they walk in,” Brendle said. “They realize they’re in a place where real records were made.”

The same space where Brendle once worked alongside professional artists has become a place where Viewpoint students can discover their own artistic path, whether they are performing at Catalina Jazz Club or producing music in the studio just up the hill.

In honor of Black History Month, Viewpoint School welcomed Emmy and Gracie Award-winning executive producer Nzinga Christine Blake to campus on Wednesday, February 25. She spoke at two assemblies in the Carlson Family Theater and engaged Middle and Upper School students through storytelling and conversation.

Blake, Special Projects Executive Producer for ABC Owned Television Stations, shared insights from her career and introduced students to ABC On the Red Carpet Storytellers Spotlight, a series she created to highlight underrepresented voices across The Walt Disney Company.

During each assembly, students watched Storytellers Spotlight: Hoops, Hopes & Dreams, which offers a powerful behind-the-scenes look at how basketball became a tool for connection and change, tracing its impact from the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to President Barack Obama through the lens of Emmy-nominated director Glenn Kaino. The episode features producers Jesse Williams and Alexys Feaster alongside Executive Producer Dr. Bernice King in a rare and deeply personal appearance. Together, they reflect on leadership, visibility, and unity while honoring their late producing partner Michael Latt, whose work was inspired by Dr. King’s call to build the Beloved Community and lead with love. 

Following the screening, Blake joined student panelists for a Q&A conversation, discussing the power of storytelling, the importance of representation in media, and how sports can bring people together across communities.

Storytellers Spotlight: Hoops, Hopes & Dreams is now streaming on Hulu.