Each year, choir teacher Ali Stachowicz–nicknamed Ms. Stacks–prepares for and hosts the Pop Concert, a concert completely dedicated to honoring pop music. The theme of the concert changes annually, and this year, the theme was time.
“We were all just up there having fun together,” Stacks said. Leading up to the concert, Stacks’ favorite moment was when she was able to watch each ensemble fall in love with their pieces more and more with each rehearsal.
Pop music is very different from the typical music that the choirs sing. Throughout the year, the choirs perform traditional to modern choral music, the only exception being the after-school contemporary pop acapella group, Overboard, which has a set of primarily pop music, with madrigals and Christmas carols when seasonally appropriate.
“There is something magical about making music with your friends,” sophomore Paisley Smith said. Smith also explains that the Pop Concert is a celebration of the dedication and hard work put into the concert.
Among the students, this concert is a popular favorite. In a poll, more choir students said that Pop Concert is their favorite concert of the year than those who said otherwise.
The setlist this year is more versatile than ever. Choreographed songs are usually the common favorites, and for this year, many are excited to perform “Time Warp” from “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” “I was really happy when I got the solo because I felt like I was perfect for the role,” said senior Avery Lemes.
Alongside “Time Warp,” there are also many who favor another choreographed song, “Song of Purple Summer.” Stacks incorporated an experimental choreography of sign language into the performance. “My favorite song is ‘Song of Purple Summer’ because I am really having fun with the sign language and learning something new,” sophomore Maggie Wiegman said.
The ASL enhances the emotional impact of the song, which was already enhanced by the song’s first verse, being sung by Sadie Johnson and followed by her fellow seniors.
This was Stacks’ fourth-year hosting, and her fourth year at our school, which means that her first group of freshmen are graduating this year. So obviously, the senior awards were tear-filled, but nonetheless a beautiful moment.
For the awards, Molly Ewen won the “Oryon” award, Evvie Jeppson won the “Mark Wiebe” scholarship and Lindsey Fabris and Mia Misener won the “Directors choice” award.
