Continuing the tradition, choral students at Traverse City Central High School are winding up the school year with their annual celebration of talent: Rendezvous at the Jazz Club.
The tenth annual showcase of all things musical at the school will take to the stage for three shows this Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening. The usually sold-out event is a much-anticipated pageant that this year features 50 solos, duets and pieces by both large and small ensembles. The school's Choral-Airs, Vocal Majority, Bel Cantos, Men of Note, Concert Choir and Chorale groups well as the Rendezvous Big Band and the Rendezvous Strings will perform. Professional musician David Chown will anchor the band at the grand piano on stage.
"I love it, it's awesome,” enthused Gabee Benjamin, a senior at the school, who will sing a solo, sing back up and is in a Chorale number. "Rendezvous is more like the individual things we get to do; the rest of the year, we do things as a group.”
Pleased to continue the tradition launched by her predecessor, choral director Tami Grove held auditions around Spring break. She had 60 individual and small group acts try out and winnowed their number down to 33 to leave room for ensembles. Grove also auditioned band members for the Rendezvous in March, even before the singers tried out.
"Obviously we wanted to keep the tradition going and it's a great fund-raiser,” said Grove, noting the proceeds benefit the school's choral program. "It's a great time of year to do this, it keeps the kids dedicated and focused because they're doing what they want to do.”
"I have been so impressed by the talent,” she added.
Bass player Nick Aja, a junior at the school, is performing in his first Rendezvous and noted the large number of songs the musicians have to learn. The repertoire ranges from pop to rock to country during the high-energy line up.
"We're learning over 40 songs,” he said. "It's a lot of stage learning, too, you have to be on stage the whole time and playing in front of a lot of people.”
Rendezvous has built such a reputation over the years for both fun and excellence that some students join choir just to get a chance to participate, noted Kristen Vermetten.
"You don't do this at other schools,” said the junior who is a member of Bel Cantos and Vocal Majority. "Here it's all about the students.”
Passionate about singing, Vermetten has been involved with choir since the seventh grade. In this year's Rendezvous, her second, she is singing a solo as well as lending her belting voice as back up to another half dozen students. Terming the short, intense weeks preceding Rendezvous a "bonding experience” for everyone, second only to the annual musical, Vermetten enjoys seeing different facets of her fellow vocalists.
"You get to know each person's voice better because in choir we try to blend together and in Rendezvous everyone's personality comes out in their voices and the songs they choose,” Vermetten said. "It's just amazing when you listen to some of these people, like you sit next to someone in math class and they're falling asleep and here they just have this amazing voice.”
The 10th Annual Rendezvous at the Jazz Club will be held in the Central High School auditorium starting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 17, Friday, May 18, and Saturday, May 19. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students; they are available at the Central High School box office or by calling 933-3573.