Awty’s H-Town Holiday Harmonies

The Awty International School’s Music for Service club decked Houston’s halls this past week through a spree of caroling events. Performing classic hits like “Jingle Bells,” “Frosty the Snowman,” and “Feliz Navidad,” they traveled from Bellaire to Memorial sharing the holiday spirit one step at a time.

This initiative was spearheaded by club member Anna Yi. She began to ideate this project in October, having always wanted to “do something bigger” than the club’s routine performances. Moreover, it has been a long-time dream of hers to spend a day caroling with friends, a vision partly influenced by the nostalgic charm of the Peanuts cartoons. Although she is not a singer, Yi, a pianist and saxophonist, gave the tradition a unique twist by organizing a group to play holiday tunes on their instruments.

So, the Music for Service club took to the streets on December 22nd. They played classic Christmas hits like “Jingle Bells,” “Frosty the Snowman,” and “Feliz Navidad” arranged by Yi and fellow students Emiliano del Valle and Stephen Liu to capture the warmth of the season.

Throughout the afternoon, the musicians made their way from Evelyn’s Park Conservancy to Memorial Park Conservancy to the culminating performance at Buffalo Bayou Park, making impromptu stops in nearby neighborhoods. Their lively tunes drew smiles from passersby and created moments of connection

Reflecting on the experience, Yi says her favorite part was seeing everyone’s reactions. “I don’t think [caroling] is a common thing anymore, so I loved seeing everyone really excited that we were playing carols for them,” she remarked. For her, the project was about rekindling a sense of joy and togetherness throughout the Houston community.

As a senior, Yi will be graduating high school this year. However, she is excited to come back to Houston over the holidays to continue the tradition with younger students and fellow alumni at Awty, ensuring that the spirit of service and music lives on.