“True music must repeat the thought and inspirations of the people and the time. My people are Americans and my time is today” –George Gershwin

Music is a language that we all understand. In good times and bad times, music is the common thread that connects us to one another. Truly good music has a way of sweeping you up and carrying you along with it. Even if the words are in a different language it is easy to pick up on the underlying emotions conveyed throughout a song.

On Tuesday, October 9th, the choir put on an amazing concert that truly swept us all up and took us on a journey. The concert opened with a patriotic rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner. Following that, the Concert Men and Varsity Men came together to sing Promised Land, a tribute to America. The two songs were a great way to open the concert.

Bel Canto, Concert Women and Concert Men each sang wonderfully. Varsity Women and Men were both excellent as well. Ave Maria, an impressive arrangement of the ancient Latin prayer, was sung beautifully by the Varsity Mixed Choir. The song was intense, the crescendos stunning. Another notable song was You Are the Music. All the choirs came together to sing this song, and it was one that will surely be remembered.

Seniors Madison McInnis and Alex Adkins both had outstanding solos in A Cappella’s number, In My Life, originally performed by the Beatles. Both senior Erin Shafranek and junior Rebecca Bradley showed off their powerful voices with their solos in the song Falstaff and the Fairies, adapted from a British opera. Junior Shelby Johnson’s solo in You Are the Music was simply beautiful.

The choir department has been very busy this year preparing for the Texas Music Educators Association convention in February. Every year, schools from all around the state send in recordings of their choirs singing. A committee of conductors selects the best choirs to perform a 25 minute concert in front of most of the choral directors in the state of Texas, and this year the Varsity Women’s choir was selected to perform.

“It is a huge honor for our choral and music programs because we basically won state in choir,” junior Rebecca Bradley said.

After watching the concert, it is not hard to believe that the choir was selected. All of the students and the directors put a lot of time and hard work into everything that they do. Well, hard work definitely pays off. The concert was phenomenal. To all involved in choir: job well done!