Disney…desserts…New York?
For the Traverse City Central High School Choral-Aires, the connection is obvious. The 20-member elite vocal ensemble is raising funds for a weekend trip to New York City just before spring break. In addition to raising money on their own, the students have tapped their talent to offer up what they do best to the community: sing. The group will also offer their annual Valentine's Day singing quartets February 9-12 and 14 to the community as another fundraiser.
This Thursday and Friday evening, the group will present a Disney and Desserts program at the Faith Reformed Church, where for $7 attendees can nourish their souls and bodies at the same time. The program includes pieces by the whole ensemble as well as numerous solos and duets, followed by a reception featuring dessert and coffee.
Presenting 27 tunes from Disney classic films represents many of the songs this generation grew up with.
"Our whole era was brought up with these shows so we get to sing the songs we wanted to sing as kids,” said Jessie Elliott, a junior.
"It's a lot of fun, I mean, who doesn't love Disney music?” added Amanda Geha, a senior.
Just because they knew most of the songs by heart and they are relatively simple tunes compared to other literature the ensemble studies does not mean they will rest on their laurels. Intense rehearsals all week will polish the program to their usual standards.
"The music is considerably easier, some is challenging from a harmonic standpoint,” said Karl Bastian, a junior. "We can't let the easiness fool us, we need to still keep that edge.”
Choral director Tami Grove noted that the students came up with the fundraiser on their own (she added the dessert concept) and are mostly managing the event. They chose the songs and helped arrange the order while parent volunteers are chipping in with costumes, desserts and other logistics.
"We talked about using their talents to raise money because singing is their passion,” she said, adding of the adult volunteers pitching in: "I have great parents.”
Kayla Hoyt, a senior, has been hoping to present a Disney concert since ninth grade and is thrilled that her dream is becoming a reality this week. The students have been shoehorning in rehearsals for the concert around their many other commitments.
"They always thought it would be fun but there was never time,” she said. "Now was a good time to do it to raise money for our trip.”
The students will be in New York City from March 23-26. While there, Grove will direct them in performances in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the largest cathedral in the world, and in St. Paul's Chapel, a hub of rescue support after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The students will also see an opera and a Broadway musical, making it a trip of both business and pleasure.
"The two concerts will feature a lot of a cappella music, mostly the stuff from this year: classical, Renaissance, contemporary and Eric Whitaker,” Grove said, adding that the group would also present a piece composed by one of its members: senior Adam Begley.
Disney and Desserts will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 1, and Friday, February 2, at the Faith Reformed Church. Tickets are $7 each; for more information, call 933-3573.
Quartets for the singing Valentines will be available during the day on the February 9 and 14, the day and evening on the February 10 and 11 plus after school on February 12. Call Larry Sommerville at 223-9340 for more information or to schedule a singing Valentine. Quartets will travel within a 15-mile radius from the center of town and the $50 fee includes two songs, rose with a vase and chocolates.