A Night of Nostalgia and Crescendos at MUSSOC’s Choir Chamber Music Orchestra

Hayatun Syamilah
3 days ago
4 min read

Our Music editor, Syamilah, attended the annual CCMO by Music Society UNM. Here is her take on the emotional rollercoaster that the two-night event delivered.

We hold so many songs and melodies to our heart and are memorable, every note or lyric memorised to a tee. To celebrate such music, the Music Society in UNM held a two-night event where the orchestra and choir performed their own renditions of classical and modern pieces. It is safe to say the annual CCMO left everyone, including myself, stunned with their melodious tunes.

The First Half…

The emcee gives an opening that settles you right in and welcomes the first number of the night. The night opens with the orchestra’s rendition of ‘Wish Upon A Star’, a brilliant opener that brings back memories of childhood, of watching a Disney movie as the castle magically appeared before our eyes. Timeless, lullaby-like and aspirational, it is a ballad many of us have unconsciously memorised. The voices of the choir carrying the recognisable lyrics, and the orchestra filling in with their string and air instruments.

It then transitions to another timeless piece of ‘Beauty and the Beast’, where the choir takes you to that very ballroom in the movies. It is the kind of performance that makes your feet unconsciously move to the music under your chair. Their beautiful voices remind us of the fairytale we love and what led to that number, as the light and airy harmonies lead us to a different mood…

‘Northern Lights’ shifts from light nostalgia to something more powerful and impactful. The serene and ethereal quality of the lingers in your chest as the layered voices create an almost cinematic soundscape, leaving you calm yet inspired. This is followed by ‘Waltz of the Flowers’, a timeless piece performed by the orchestra that makes you feel like you're on your tippy toes. This classic from The Nutcracker takes you from your seat into its fairytale world.

Moving away from the classics, the orchestra and TAD brings in some 70s rock with ‘Across the Universe’ by The Beatles. The song carries a slow, intimate and spiritual quality. creating an overall melancholic mood yet very comforting. It offers a change of pace from classical arrangement to a more modern sound, especially with the next performance…

‘Unravel’, famously from the anime Tokyo Ghoul, takes the audience to a darker place. This orchestra’s powerful crescendo rendition emulates the emotional highs and lows of the piece through the violins and brass, capturing the intensity and melancholy the song always portrayed.

The ballads proceed to make a comeback with MUSSOC’s rendition of ‘Part of Your World + A Whole New World’. Opening with soulful solos from Part of Your World, the performance carries a bright warmth that fills the hall before building into the crescendo of A Whole New World. The violins and woodwinds paired with the voices of the choir bring the song to its full potential, as it slowly gives way into a reign of jazz. TAD returns to deliver a rendition of ‘City of Stars’ with the choir and orchestra. This gentle performance settles you further into your seat, with its bouncy and romantic quality making it feel as though the stars are quietly shining overhead.

The Second Half…

The show does not lose its momentum after its intermission, opening its second half with ‘Arabian Nights’. A bellowing solo leads into the mystical sounds of Aladdin, instantly transporting the audience to bustling streets and vast deserts in the Middle East before shifting to the upbeat ‘Kiss the Girl’.

Photo Credits: Haikal

‘The Brightest Star in the Night Sky’, also known as ‘夜空中最亮的’ in Mandarin follow as a hopeful ballad that encourages the listener. The choir beautifully channels that notion of hope, chasing dreams, and loneliness. Even for those who don’t understand the language, the emotion and coming-of-age spirit emanated from the ensemble was deeply felt.

The night moves through another emotional turn with the funky summer energy of Tokyo Reggae, where TAD’s breezy rhythm adds a playful contrast to the earlier emotional atmosphere. Guitars and drums blend with cellos and violins to create a smooth jazz feel that captures the fleeting warmth of summer, before easing into the slower romance of ‘I Need To Be in Love’. Here, TAD and orchestra, especially the trumpet and saxophone, take the centre stage, delivering the same desperate and intense longing as the piece portrays.

The symphonic rhythm of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ comes next with its notable heavy percussion in the rock sections and orchestral swells of the ballad sections. Even when it is just the orchestra playing, you can almost hear the complicated and operatic vocals of the original. Even without the vocals, the dramatic flair is portrayed well in the way the swells of strings and then the power of the percussion. Nearing the end, the iconic call in the beginning of ‘Into The Unknown’ is replicated exquisitely with powerful vocals. The rapid pacing and powerful yet haunting sound sends a chill down your spine, yet gets you on the edge of your seat.

Unexpectedly, the night closes with an euphoric finale: ‘A Sky Full of Stars’. Its awestriking and wondrous sound overwhelms the senses, creating the feeling of drifting closer to the vast cosmos. The song starts softly before bursting into colours through the strength of the choir’s vocals, TAD’s electric energy, and the richness of the orchestra. This anthem is the perfect closing for CCMO, ending the night on a high.

The After, When the Moon is Most Bright…

With the lifted note the event ended on, I walked home with adrenaline still coursing through me. The Choir Chamber Music Orchestra proves that music does not stay in one place, it travels in ways and to places you never expected. Throughout the whole event, each song shifts the narrative and changes in style, switching up the vibe in every performance. Despite that, the cohesion of the event was brilliant, the shifts in tone felt needed and real, bringing from the highs to the lows, then back to the highs. It has only been the first quarter of the year, but MUSSOC’s CCMO event is truly the top event to remember from 2026.