February 17, 2025 Article submitted by the Hingham Singers
On Saturday, January 25, 2025, the Hingham Singers, accompanied by a talented live band featuring rock stars from Hingham High School (HHS), HHS alumni, and friends, delivered an unforgettable “Rock for All Ages” concert at Sanborn Auditorium in Hingham Town Hall. The audience was energized, clapping, singing along, and dancing throughout the performance as the Hingham Singers brought iconic songs from the 1960s to today to life. [See program here]
The concert kicked off with an energetic performance of Van Halen’s 1984 hit “Jump,” featuring the full choir and live band. Special standout moments came from Hingham High School students Casey Salerno (HHS Class of 2027) on alto saxophone, Anthony Ricci (HHS Class of 2026) on tenor saxophone, and Jakob Lewack (HHS Class of 2027) on keyboards. Their remarkable talent shined alongside a group of seasoned musicians: Steve Waynan (HHS Class of 1966) on guitar and vocals, Scott Bressler on bass, Blair Bailey (HHS Class of 2008) on vocals, Bobby O’Donnell on guitar and vocals, Jim McGathey (HHS Class of 1987) on drums, and Michael Jordan (HHS Class of 1987) on guitar and vocals. [See Video here]
The program continued with selections from the 1960s and 1970s, beginning with the Hingham Singers’ a cappella rendition of The Beatles’ Penny Lane featuring Jeff Mailhot on clarinet. This was followed by Van Morrison’s Moondance, featuring Steve Waynan and the band. Hingham Singers tenor Jeff Maihot delivered a moving rendition of Bridge Over Troubled Water, accompanied by Richard Hagborg on piano, Scott Bressler on bass, and Jim McGathey on drums, bringing this section of the program to a close.
Next came a selection of songs from the 1980s, including an a cappella performance of Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror, featuring soloist Ryan McLean, along with Todd Merritt, Patty Gilbert McDonald, Lakshmi Hobson, and Nicole Gudmand. Ryan McLean reflected on the Rock for All Ages program: “This fall term, we’ve expanded not only with new members, but also by reaching new heights. I feel incredibly fortunate to sing with such a talented group and share my love of music and singing with them,” McLean shared.
The joy of singing was evident as the choir performed an ambitious 8-part a cappella version of Toto’s Africa, with the singers tackling challenging parts to represent the melody, harmonies, instruments, and percussion. Bob O’Donnell and the Hingham Singers band had the crowd on their feet with his rendition of Sweet Home Chicago followed by Michael Jordan’s performance of What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding, which he introduced as “particularly appropriate during these uncertain times.”
The Hingham Singers’ Chamber Singers—Todd Merritt, Jeff Maihot, Patty Gilbert McDonald, and Julie Rohlfing—performed a beautiful barbershop quartet arrangement of Aerosmith’s I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing. Their rendition highlighted the intricate and rich harmonies that define the barbershop style.
One of the evening’s highlights was the debut of the a cappella rendition of Fall Out Boy’s hit My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark, which was expertly arranged by Hingham Singers’ Director, David Wanner. David initially arranged the 2013 hit shortly after its release during his undergraduate studies for his men’s a cappella group. He composed a new arrangement for SATB for The Hingham Singers this year. In his own words, “Growing up, punk rock was a huge deal for me. Bands like Fallout Boy and Green Day have been on my guilty pleasures playlist for ages. My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark is an epic punk anthem that gets my heart racing and my blood pumping. Singing punk rock a cappella is no easy feat, but The Hingham Singers have really stepped up their game since last fall. I thought it would be a fun challenge for us to perform this arrangement.”
Blair Bailey then brought the performance into the present day, channeling both Chappell Roan and 4 Non Blondes in a mashup of two beloved songs: Red Wine Supernova and What’s Up.
Before the concert finale, Patty Gilbert McDonald, president of the Hingham Singers, took a moment to thank the Hingham Singers’ board members, assistant music director Jeff Mailhot, accompanist Richard Hagborg, and director David Wanner for their leadership in creating such an ambitious program. She also acknowledged the support of Executive Sponsor Leon Merion and other local businesses and organizations, without which the concert wouldn’t have been possible. Most importantly, McDonald expressed gratitude to all the musicians and singers of all ages who contributed to the evening’s performance.
She went on to explain that incorporating both current and former Hingham High School musicians was a meaningful aspect of the evening for the Hingham Singers, with about one-third of the members being HHS alumni who participated in Hingham Public Schools’ music programs in their youth. Many of these alumni are now parents of current Hingham music students and artists. McDonald (HHS Class of 1991) spoke passionately about the importance of supporting organizations like the Hingham Music Parents Association and the Hingham Arts Alliance. She emphasized, “Public school music and arts programs are vital to our education and a personal part of our experience. As you can see by the many alumni and parents on this stage, investing in public school music programs is a lifelong investment that builds generations of musicians and artists.”
The evening concluded with Queen’s rock anthem Somebody to Love, featuring a duet between Cassandra Cellucci and Tyler Cavanagh, backed once again by the full band and choir. The powerful performance brought the audience to its feet, resulting in a well-deserved standing ovation. Steve Waynan reflected on the experience, saying, “As a performer, it’s always a delight to see a full house of smiling, enthusiastic folks singing along and enjoying the music we made. The appreciative applause after each song energized us for the next showpiece. And the standing ovation at the end showed us how music can lift an audience to a place like no other. We are so grateful to our fans and look forward to lifting you all again at our next concert.”
Please see photos from the memorable evening from the very talented Ned Whitman (HHS Class of 2028): https://nedwpics.smugmug.com/Hingham-Singers-Rock-of-All-Ages
THANK YOU FROM THE HINGHAM SINGERS
From the bottom of our heart we thank each and every one of you who came out to see us perform or tuned in to our live stream. This couldn’t have happened without the generosity of some very special people, companies, and organizations who believe in arts.
Leon Merian, our Executive Producer for the 2024-2025 season.
Our Sponsors:
Dr. James and Mary Ann Gilbert, Yvette and Jon Kanter, Deirdre and Brad Merritt, Mary Ann and Bob Macleod, Service for Seniors, Collaborative Parishes of Resurrection and St. Paul, Darleen Lannon Real Estate, Boathouse Bistro, Effective Effort Consulting, Hingham Civic Music Theatre, Norwell Athletic Club, Orangetheory Fitness Hingham, The Company Theatre Center for the Arts, The Hingham Anchor, The Hingham Arts Alliance, The Hingham Music Parents Association, SEI Consulting, South Shore Playhouse Associates, Whitney Gordon Jewelers, Thrive Senior Homecare, Unicorn Realty, William Zukas Accounting,
The team behind the scenes
Special thank you Patrick Dzierzak of Dramatic Sounds for running sound for us, Nick Whitman for photography and Hingham Singer’s head of AV – Jon Michaels – for capturing our performances which can be streamed from the Hingham Singer’s YouTube Channel here