West Liberty Middle School and High School parents were treated to an evening of entertainment on Tuesday, Feb. 27, at the All-District Choir Concert.
The audience had the opportunity to see the Voices Unlimited Show Choir, the 7th and 8th grade choirs, and the high school choir. At the end, all the choirs joined together for one last song.
The high school auditorium was filled with friends and family who came out to see what these hardworking students have been preparing. They did not disappoint.
The show choir opened the night with a rousing rendition of “Heartbreaker,” Pat Benatar’s classic 80s hit.
Voices Unlimited Show Choir received a Division 1 Superior rating at IHSMA Show Choir Festival in Keota in January, and they’ve only gotten better since then.
Voices Unlimited is made up mostly of high school students and a few eighth-grade students. These talented teens sang and danced while the crowd went wild.
Every performer gave 110 percent, and every soloist was a rock star, which comes as no surprise to their director, Jack Simpson.
“This group just wrapped up their competition season this Saturday in Central Lee,” Simpson said, “where they made it all the way to finals despite some very, very stiff competition.”
Clearly, Voices Unlimited got to finals with hard work.
“It takes a lot,” Simpson said. “Many of you would not believe the sheer volume of work and dedication and effort and tenacity it takes to put on the show that you’re about to see.”
There were eight soloists, including a dance solo by Bella Lugo and a sousaphone dance by Wesley Heath.
Voices Unlimited made it look easy, but anyone who has tried knows that it takes a special kind of energy to sing and dance at the same time, not to mention the extra effort of carrying along your sousaphone.
After Voices Unlimited wowed the crowd, the middle school took the stage to give everyone a sample of their growing talents.
The 7th and 8th grade choirs performed together, led by Director Becca Swanson. The choirs included short skits between songs, and several soloists took the stage with flower garlands in their hair.
“These are two groups that actually rehearse separately,” Swanson said, “but today they are coming together to perform a medley of songs from the movie ‘Moana’.”
The students introduced the songs themselves, explaining a bit about the plot in both English and Spanish.
This is one way that the middle school choir can get a glimpse of what it might be like to rehearse for a play or musical when they get to high school.
These talented kids did their job beautifully and will clearly have a lot to offer as they hone their musical skills.
The high school choir came next, to show us all what it looks like when we hone those musical skills, and their spot-on harmonies engaged the audience and then carried us away.
They stuck to music that was a bit more classical, which brought the whole show together with a good sample of the variety of performances that these students are capable of offering.
They know their Latin classics as well as their Billy Idol, as any well-rounded music student should.
To finish the evening, all the choirs joined together to sing “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” The combined choir just barely squeezed onto the stage as over 100 young singers gathered on the risers.
Parents, friends, and teachers beamed with obvious pride for all that these kids have accomplished so far this year.
And they’re not done yet! On Monday, March 4, the All-District Band Concert takes place, featuring the various bands from the Middle School and High School.
Thursday, March 7th brings “A Night of Nites,” a dinner theater event featuring the High School Jazz Band, the Part Time Simpletons Improv Comedy Troupe, and Voices Unlimited Show Choir. The Simpletons will be back for another show on March 29.
And right now, they’re beginning to get ready for the musical, “Once Upon a Mattress.”
Somehow, these talented students manage to do all this while keeping their grades up.
The Fine Arts Boosters are always looking for assistance and funding, so don’t forget to send a check and keep these programs moving upward.