Last Friday night, the Lamont School of Music celebrated its 100th anniversary in style — just not the style you might be used to. 

The theme of the night was “The Roaring 20s.” Students dusted off their vintage suits, painted on red lips and broke out their pearls before they made their way to the Centennial dance at the Newman Performance Center.  

That night, Aleggra Kelly, a Lamont student pursuing her master’s in vocal performance, stood out from the rest. Silver sequins adorned her elegant black dress that fell just at the shin. With her pinned-back hair, opera gloves and rhinestone earrings, it appeared as if she stepped directly out of “The Great Gatsby.” 

Red, purple and green spots illuminated from a disco ball casting a glow on the wooden dance floor. Clicks of heels and the occasional scuff of a sneaker could be heard as students slowly trickled in, stopping in front of an ensemble of instruments.  

The End All band opened the night with David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.” Drew Tilbrooke, a 2026 graduate, added a flair of jazz to the disco-funk song through his saxophone. 

Tilbrooke stepped aside leaving the five members of Exhaler to play two originals before joining for the remainder of the set. 

The night took an unexpected turn when the distinguishable first notes of Pitbull’s “Fireball,” echoed from the speakers. The song was a drastic shift from the indie and jazz songs played prior, but it was a shift fans welcomed with open arms. 

The familiarity of those first couple of notes seemed to cut through an uncertainty that dominated the room. Soft smiles turned into bubbly laughs and the subtle taps of shoes into dramatic dance moves.

Trevor Briggs, vocalist and pianist, raised his mic to the crowd who shouted one last “Fireball.” Guitarist Grady Dionne raised a mallet, ending the set with the hit of a gong. 

Members of The End All band are all a part of Lamont, providing a unique perspective to the institution. 

“It’s a space for encouragement, [as] opposed to competition,” Briggs said. “It gives me a space to play the music I want to play.”

Following the set, alumni band Jewel House took the stage playing a series of original songs. 

The disco-pop instrumentals, perfectly executed riffs from vocalist Collin Holter and a drum solo from Christopher Panish set the performance above the rest.

Having spent some time away from the school, the band was filled with nostalgia as they looked at the crowd. 

“What amazing memories, I had such a great upbringing here,” Holter said. 

For graduates and students alike, Lamont is much more than just a school.  

“Lamont is a community of musicians that want each other to succeed,” Dionne said. 

With the 100th anniversary concert scheduled on Nov. 6, the celebration of the music school is far from over.