Around the World: the Fall Choir Concert
October 17, 2018
Beautiful voices projected out to the audience, as the spotlight brightly shined on the singers’ faces at the Fall Choir Concert. Having performances from all the choir ensembles as well as three soloists made the concert a delightful spectacle. Since this year’s theme was Around the World, the concert included a list from all over the world, ranging from France, America and India. In addition to the theme, the choir executive board put together a raffle drawing that included baskets full of international snacks and goodies.
Both the performers and Mr.Justin Olvey, the choir director, viewed the preparation for the fall concert as a struggle. However, even with the limited time they were given, the students in choir were able to learn and perform their pieces.
“It felt a little frantic and hectic at times, but we work[ed] hard and pulled through,” Olvey said.
Being the first concert of the year, a slight bit of fear and excitement of the unknown was present in the classroom, as some of the performers had never sang in front of a crowd in a concert setting. Although the stage lights may have been cause for anxiety, performers pulled through.
“The thought of those lights being shined on you and those faces watching you can be frightening,” Olvey said.
Persevering through rough spots in rehearsal was a crucial aspect of the choirs’ preparation for the concert, as everyone has to work together to harmonize their pitches to create a beautiful song.
“It was hard at times, and we definitely hit some rough patches. But, in the end, it turned out okay and we sounded pretty good on the stage,” sophomore Nidhi Desu said.
Complementing the hard work put into the concert, the performers enjoyed most of the moments of being in choir. The group collaboration and enjoyable songs made choir a favorite class for most students.
“[Choir] is very fun and very different from all the other classes because it really is a group effort,” sophomore Justin Kim said.
In addition to the group performances, three soloists sang performed by themselves on stage. Soloists, sophomore Nikki Ghaemi, freshmen Baharnaz Alimohammadi and Vidya Sundaram, all performed well. With much preparation and practice, these solos turned out well, even with the pressure and anxiety.
“I had no idea whether or not I would hit all the notes, but I just went for it… Honestly, the only preparation I really had was singing in my bathroom,” Alimohammadi said.
The Fall Choir Concert was an overall enjoyable experience with specific highlights on the teamwork of the groups. Many students, such as soloist Alimohammadi, believe that choir would not be as special without the unity.
“I love being in choir because I feel like I’m part of a team,” Alimohammadi said.
