A Slight Change of Plan

25 September 2014Jaclyn C, Alex ‘16

A perfected piano melody flies through the air. My vision, impaired by the dim backstage lighting, allows me only to see dark figures instead of my classmates. Shifting restlessly in my high heels, I take deep breaths and smooth my dress for the ninth time. I mentally review the opening bars of our first number and clench my cordless microphone in a death grip. Applause rings through the air and I know it’s almost time. Quite literally shaking, I take a hopefully confident looking step on to the darkened stage. My mind is blanking but I know by know not to panic. As the lights come up and illuminate our Vocal Jazz Quintet, everything I need to know flies back to my brain like metal to a high powered magnet. I smile easily. This is what I live for. Above is one of my experiences right before performing with Vocal Jazz Choir last year. All of our performances were an incredible joy and privilege to be part of. From Concert for a Winter’s Eve, to winning the Gold rating at the West Coast Jazz Festival that qualified us for MusicFest Canada: The Nationals 2015, and all the festivals, concerts and variety shows in between, Vocal Jazz was an amazing experience. I loved it so much that I decided to sign up for it again this year, but when I went to register for arts, something rather peculiar had happened. Vocal Jazz Choir was no more. In its place, a bizarre and alien arts option had appeared: A Capella Show Choir. Puzzled, I looked to Vocal Jazz Choir instructor Mr. Phil Newns for an explanation. It turns out that orange is to A Capella Show Choir as black is to Vocal Jazz. In other words, Vocal Jazz had been replaced. I signed up. Come September, I discovered just what exactly had changed. Previously, the Vocal Jazz Choir has sung primarily, you guessed it: Jazz. The A Capella Show Choir however, sings pop. For example, the first two songs in our repertoire are “Royals” by indie-pop songstress Lorde, and Pharrell Williams’ “Happy”. In addition to the genre switch, as can be deduced from the name, A Capella Show Choir will be completely a Capella, as opposed to Vocal Jazz, which went back and forth between having accompaniment and not. Judging by the fact that the choir numbers for this group have doubled since last year, it should be a fun year. There are some new faces, which means new talent, as well as some experienced returning students such as Emily B, Mackenzie ‘15. We invite you to check out the newly formed A Capella Show Choir at the Concert for a Winter’s Eve, if not sooner. Other performance dates can be found on the school calendar. You won’t be disappointed! Jaclyn C, Alex ‘16

Where Students Choose To Be