Flint Hill Shows Off Performing Arts Groups at Concert

As Nikki Dutta took the stage with the Flint Hill School Concert Choir, her father Ajit waved at her proudly while she smiled and rolled her eyes.

"She hates when I do this," he laughed, continuing to wave at his junior daughter.

The Spring Music and Dance Concert, hosted for the first time in George Mason University's Concert Hall, featured about 120 students. The concert is part of the 25th annual Arts Jam, a monthlong celebration of the school's arts programs.

Ajit Dutta loved seeing the grand display of performing arts, and appreciates Flint Hill's dedication to celebrating the diverse programs offered at the school.

"I was just thinking the whole high school only has about 400 students, so this is very impressive," Dutta said. "To find this talent and develop them on top of a very demanding and rigorous course of schooling, and also sports requirements and everything else, it's fantastic."

Nikki Dutta's choral group sang the National Anthem, accompanied by the percussion ensemble, to kick off the concert. Then the percussion ensemble remained on stage to take the audience on a "Rainforest Journey," a composition from Charlie Sivils. They would later explore two other parts of the world, performing "Valley of Nepal" by Chris Brooks and "Sketches of the Orient" by Brian Mason.

The audience would also get to see performances from the orchestra, symphonic and jazz bands, dance ensembles, and more from the concert choir. A few times, members of more than one group would join forces, as the dance ensembles, concert choir and jazz band did for the closing performance of "70s Dance Party." The number featured a medley of songs from the 1970s, such as the Jackson 5's "ABC," ABBA's "Dancing Queen" and Three Dog Night's "Joy to the World."

Though the concert drew the largest audience for an arts event in the school's history, Flint Hill is looking for ways to continue to grow Arts Jam and the spring concert. While the concert hall's main lobby had student artwork on display and the Major Minors a cappella group performing, a reception had attendees — which included alumni, faculty, Board of Trustees members and parents — brainstorming ideas.

"We wanted people to come together and look out at what was going on and say, 'This is great. How do we make it better?'" said John Thomas, Flint Hill's headmaster.