Pop Concert: The Chorus Bunch!

The annual pop concert, the final hurrah of both mixed and concert choirs alike, and the honored send off for choir’s seniors, whether it be their first year in the class, or their fourth.  It acts as the final project for these classes, and for some seniors their last chance to stand on stage before a crowd while they can still call themselves a high school student.  It is the moment one realizes they’re leaving that part of their lives behind…

At the end of every school year both halves of the choir classes come together for the culmination of all their practice and effort over the course of the preceding few months.  With a lot of say in the matter from the seniors, themes, songs, and choreography are chosen by the students, medleys, dances, and solos practiced for weeks on end, and the seniors put together videos that will be shown to the crowd in the intermission on concert itself.

Sitcoms was the chosen theme this time around, and choir put together a show to match!  Elements were taken from popular sitcoms—such as Friends, The Brady Bunch, and Big Bang Theory—to create various medleys and parodies.  Soloists got their performances ready, shirt designs were made by senior student Atira Williams, and all of the choir’s seniors put together a collection of video parodies.

Concert began at 7 p.m., May 21, the seniors returning a week after their own graduation for a last high school project.  The beginning of concert was announced by Sierra Moyers (11), and the night was kicked off with a The Brady Bunch parody they called “The Chorus Bunch,” a theme for the year’s seniors performed by choir at large, promptly followed by “Hometown Medley,” a collection of songs from throughout various sitcoms.

The students then retreated from the stage to make way for the senior videos, a series of sitcom parodies that were unfortunately plagued with technical malfunctions, a grave disappointment considering the obvious effort put into filming and editing them.  But they lead into the beginning of the solo acts, kicked off strong by junior Alyssa Sample’s angelic performance of “Stone Cold” by Demi Lovato, and strongly followed by Alex Harris (11) singing “That Thing You Do” by The Wonders.  The whole of mixed choir then returned to the stage for a rendition of “Get The Party Started” by P!nk, and while allergies prevented Hallie Sutton (12) from doing her own solo, they were followed up with a beautifully solemn performance by senior Ryleigh Long of “Creep” by Radiohead.  Concert choir then got their own spotlight with “God Blessed the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts.

Next Mario Gómez (12) went for a last hurrah with his famous guitar skills, only to be hit with similar sound problems to the senior videos earlier in the night when his guitar’s amp malfunctioned.  Yet despite this he powered through regardless, making a show of “Sweet Dreams” by Marilyn Manson even if the sound didn’t carry as it should.  He was followed by Atira Williams’  beautiful rendition of “Blinding Lights” by The Weekend, and finally the full cast returned for the “Friends Forever Medley.”

With everyone on stage, Mrs. Lewis and Sierra Moyers announced the seniors, giving special thanks to some, such as Atira Williams for her help with artwork and decorations, and some for their presence in choir for all four of their years in high school.  Once all seniors had been given their spotlight, Sierra called for last year’s seniors, the ones COVID-19 had cheated from their own pop concert, to join them in “For When We Walk Away,” better known in choir simply as “The Song.”  Not many of last year’s seniors were present, but even so Craigory Crome and Angel Hedgcoth found their way to the stage.  The usual emotional goodbye that is “The Song” sung with feeling, the seniors saying their goodbyes even as the words were spoken.

And with that, concert broke up.  As some people chatted with teachers or friends or family over the performances and accomplishments, others went home, or many of the seniors to never set foot in the school again.  Technical problems aside, Pop Concert proved itself as great as ever.  Proved itself not only a class final, but a chance for expression and fun before the school year ended.  Music will always prove itself such, one of the few things from which it is nearly impossible to drag the creative spirit.