By Bianca Ruiz
The Choir Winter Concert is an opportunity for the school’s many choir groups to showcase their hard work and talent in the Visual and Performing Arts program (VAPA). The concert took place in Highlander Hall on Friday November 30 at 7:00 p.m.
The concert included performances from all choir groups, including the Honors choir, Here Comes Treble, G-Notes, Women’s Concert, Happily Ever After, Once Upon a Time, Acafellas, and Syncopella. Each group performed three to four songs, some of which were new and unexpected.
This year, choir teacher Katie Vincent focused on teaching students songs that varied in language and background.
Some songs featured in the show were in Latin, while others were energetic African songs.
The inclusion of different languages provided a challenge for the students but also opened them up to new possibilities in the musical world.
“I think that even though the songs in other languages are a little more challenging than other songs, they’re a great way of branching out and learning about different types of music from different cultures and eras. They give students the opportunity to recreate and take in the messages from each song,” senior Lia Laughlin said.
The preparation for the songs required a lot of commitment, time, and concentration, as many of the students were not accustomed to these genres. Most of the students were given their sheet music in the beginning of November, and some songs were added during rehearsals, keeping the performers on their toes but also allowing them time to polish their presentation of the songs.
This concert did not showcase as much choreography as seen in many of the routines the choir groups perform separately. This allows the singers to focus all of their attention on the overall performance of the songs.
“I do think that since it is a winter concert and we are singing holiday music, some choreography should have been incorporated to make the atmosphere more lively and joyful. However, the lack of choreography made sure that we perfected the songs,” said senior Jessica Gullette.
In Highlander Hall, parents and friends cheered the singers on stage. At the end, audiences awarded the singers a standing ovation in appreciation for their hard work.
The Plaid Press 