The Spring Choral Concert that took place on Thursday, May 8 at 7:00 p.m. was a great opportunity for the middle school and high school choirs to join together and perform.

The concert started with an opening song from the middle school choir called “Allelu, Sing

Prases” by M. Jothen, “Always look on the Bright Side of Life” by M. Huff and “All Ye Who Music Love” by L. Spevacek-Avory. Following that the high school elite Chanticleer group performed “Poor Man Lazarus” by J. Hairston, “If Music Be the Food of Love” by D. Dickau and “To Music” by D.S. York.

For seniors this will be their last choral concert and for some this will be the last time they are involved in a choir. Senior and Chanticleer member Brenna McKinney was pleased with how her last concert went.

“This concert was a great way to end on a good note,” said McKinney. “I was happy with how everything went, and I don’t think I could have asked for a better last concert.”

The two choirs also performed in a combined all men’s choir and a combined all women’s choir. The high school and middle school men sang “Rest Not” by L. Farnell. The women’s choir sang “N’Kho Sikele li Afrika” by E.M. Sontonga which was a tribute to Nelson Mandela.

Senior Bryna Mullins found this song while performing with a children’s choir and recommended the song to director Jay Althouse.

“I heard the song and thought it would be great to perform in our concert, so I introduced Mr. Althouse to it,” said Mullins. “He thought it was a perfect song for our combined women’s choir to sing, and I think it sounded pretty good.”

The high school choir then sang “Carmina Burana”by C. Orff which was a very difficult song that had five different movements. Junior Tre Smelgus explains why this was a challenge for the choir.

“I think Althouse picked this because we have seen district choirs and more advanced choirs sing it,” said Smelgus. “He thought if they could sing it, so could we. I think we did a good job.”

During the concert, the seniors were recognized for their musical achievements and rewarded with their varsity letters. Senior James Sergent was given the choir award for the year.

As a finale to the concert the two choirs joined together as one to sing the well known song “Home” by Philip Philips and composed by G.Gilpin and “Why We Sing” by G. Gilpin.