By Carly Shaw, staff writer
Groups of Concert Choir members have spent countless hours preparing to serenade students for Valentine grams on Friday, February 13. The groups will perform in classrooms, singing specially prepared medleys of love songs and passing out flowers to each of those who have received a gram.
“All of us came together and chose three songs to put together (we chose Style, XO, and Thinking Out Loud) and arranged a medley,” said Kat Foster (‘17), a Concert Choir member.
The groups spent a month brainstorming, composing, and practicing their medley during and after school hours. Countless hours of work go into these performances that students seem to love.
Michelle Tran (‘16 ), a member of Concert Choir, said, “To prepare for the performances you first have to figure out the songs you’re using, then begin arranging the music, assign parts and practice practice practice.”
One of the most important aspects of the preparation that goes into Valentine grams is actually picking the songs to be performed.
“Of course, the songs we choose have to be love songs but honestly, it’s any song that the whole group agrees on,” said Amy Tran (’15), a member of the same group as Foster and Tran.
The night of Thursday, February 12, the groups will put their preparation to the test in a showcase for the parents of FVHS. All groups will perform their medleys to further prepare for their audience the next day.
“Singing for the parents definitely [makes] me nervous, but there isn’t as much pressure singing for them as there is singing for the kids at school. Our parents will like it no matter how bad we sound, but kids are not as forgiving,” said Kortnie Shaw (‘17), a member of concert choir.
On the day of the performances, the concert choir members have mixed emotion. Some find themselves nervous, while others tend to feel confidence in their preparation. Even with long hours and countless rehearsals, the singers find the end result rewarding.
“My favorite part of Valentine Grams is the final product of what my group and I have spent hours preparing and practicing for. It’s nice to know that our efforts pay off when performing a self-composed a capella piece to other students who are hopefully feeling special,” said Foster.
