On a cold night before the long-anticipated winter weekend, Berkshire students gathered in the Berkshire Hall Atrium to enjoy the ambience of Jazz Cafe—an annual tradition showcasing the diverse musical talent of the school community. Before the event, the students took time out of their busy lives to practice their pieces, dedicating hours to rehearsals to perfect their songs and showcase their passion for music.
Chloe Howard ‘26 and Chidera Okeke ‘26 served as MCs, bringing humor and energy to the evening. The Jazz Ensemble opened the night with a lively “Cantaloupe Island” by Herbie Hancock, with solos from Gordon Shi ‘29, Oscar Maso ‘28, and Michael Spaulding ‘26. The group carried the energy through to their next performance, “Estate” by Bruno Martini. In this piece, Huxley Eaton ‘29 provided a strong foundation while the rest of the band performed solos.
From there, the setlist expanded to include a wide variety of music, ranging from jazz and country to mainstream pop, contrasting with previous years. Welles Sharp ‘29 brought a classic to the atrium with “The House of the Rising Sun,” singing and playing the piano simultaneously. A quartet consisting of Will Mugler ‘26, Will Mulder ‘26, Jack Mugler ‘26, and Ridgley Dunne ‘26 added to the night by performing “Thought You Should Know” on under an impressive 24 hours’ notice. Guitar Ensemble played a heartfelt “Hallelujah,” with Luka Wu-Davis ‘26 as their vocalist, and Sunny Li ‘29 played Passacaglia, showcasing his admirable ability to memorize and play confidently.
Several vocal features became highlights as the night continued. Lily Royce ‘27 delivered a wonderful performance of Amy Winehouse’s “Tears Dry On Their Own,” and later returned to the stage for Jess Sonner ‘27’s “So Easy to Fall In Love.” Allan Qi accompanied each piece on the drums. Katie Bancks ‘27, Charlee Cate Cardot ‘27, Jasmine Shen ‘27, and Isabel Shen ‘27 smoothly executed Sade’s “Smooth Operator,” and Molly Caesar-Kim ‘26 and Caroline Christu ‘26 performed a lovely “Maybe” from the musical Annie. Sophie Benjamin ‘26 and Chloe Howard ‘26 went on to sing an iconic “Circle Game,” while Michael Spaulding ‘26, Katie Bancks ‘27, and Kyle Chung ‘28 took on the groove of “Take Five.” Gemma Fox ‘26 brought a big emotional finish alongside Jess Sonner ‘27 and Kyle Cheung ‘28 with Adele’s “When We Were Young.”
This showcase concluded with the Guitar Ensemble’s sing-along to Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me,” bringing the audience together with a lively performance that filled the room with energy. Voices rose from every corner, the atrium shifting from an audience and performers to one big chorus. As the song came to an end, the jazz cafe left the audience with a sense of connection and reminded them once again that music can bring the school community together. Overall, the performances showcased the range of talents within the school. Good job, Bears!
