On Friday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m., Emerson’s Chorale and A Capella choir students will perform a concert with Frisco Chorale at First Frisco Global Methodist Church. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance at friscochorale.net.
The concert will feature several songs by the Emerson choir. The first song called ‘I’m Gonna Sing ‘til the Spirit Moves in My Heart’ will be sung by Maverick Chorale and A Capella choir along with Frisco’s city choir. Following that song, A Capella will then perform ‘Flanders Fields,’ ‘Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit’ and ‘At the Round Earth’s Imagined Corners.’
“[Mr. Orr] showed them to us, and we all really fell in love with them,” Jaxon Cox, 11, said. “They are all so exciting, so emotional and something that we can really block well.”
The song ‘I’m Gonna Sing ‘til the Spirit Moves in My Heart’ features a very upbeat vibe that is enjoyable for both the singers and the audience, bringing lots of energy to the performance.
“I think that each song we are going to be performing this year has its own characteristics to it that is unlike anything we’ve done before,” Maya Richa, 11, said.
Since choir students will not rehearse with Frisco’s choir until the day of the concert, they have been practicing the songs to know the pieces to the fullest prior to the day of the concert.
“For our preparation, we have been working in class, [but] sometimes we have sectionals outside of class during lunch,” Richa said.
This marks the Emerson choir’s first time getting the opportunity to put on a show with a professional choir, making it a unique experience for each choir member.
“Most of us think it’s really exciting,” Cox said. “It’s such a fun opportunity just to get to know people … and get an outside perspective on something that we all do.”
Getting to work with professionals while in high school is a valuable experience for the choir. Through this concert, students get introduced to a larger choir organization and have the opportunity to grow their skills.
“You can learn how to adapt to different voices around you that maybe you’ve never sung with before and hear someone’s outlook on music that you didn’t see,” Richa said.
Working with Frisco Chorale, however, poses extra challenges. Besides having limited rehearsal time together, students must also adapt to an unfamiliar setting and a professional environment.
“You have to make sure everyone is giving it 100 percent because we are getting this opportunity to work with a choir that is professional, and when doing that, you want to make sure that everyone is really actively listening and trying to learn,” Richa said.
Despite these challenges, after weeks of rehearsals, both A Capella and Chorale are excited and optimistic regarding their ability to put on a successful show.
“It is coming along really well,” Cox said. “All of our sections have done really well, and they’ve worked really hard.”