Concerts, Band Battle drives music in Dec.

Listening to good music and watching friends perform is one exciting way to spend the holidays. Many students of all grades perform holiday tunes and a large variety of songs in concert and battle form this holiday season.

The four choirs performed their winter concert on Dec. 10.

Freshman Alex Berkenbosch was eager to perform at the winter choir concert to show parents and friends just how far the choir has come and how much they have improved in the first half of the year. Berkenbosch, a bass in the Chorale, has been singing his whole life, and he comes from a musical home.

“I was looking forward to hearing the harmony in the songs and hearing it come together at the end,” Berkenbosch said.

Berkenbosch looked forward to the concert because it put him in the Christmas spirit. He was eager to sing a variety of songs at the concert.

“I liked the Pentatonix arrangement that we did because it has a cool solo, and we get to do a cappella. We performed a song in Spanish, and it is cool for me because I am taking Spanish right now so I understand what we are singing. I like the variety of songs that we performed, like the humorous song ‘I Want to Stare at my Phone with You,’” Berkenbosch said.

Kamber Schmidt, sophomore, is an alto in the Women’s Chorale. She likes these concerts to showcase all of the different groups’ work and talent. Schmidt loves the songs that were performed because of the body percussion and a cappella that are in the songs.

“My favorite part of singing is probably allowing me to express myself. It brings a bunch of people together who have the same hobbies as me,” Schmidt said.

Sophomore Rainee Hansen, an alto in the Chorale, looked forward to performing at the winter choir concert so that students could showcase their talents and hard work.

Students also prepared for a winter band and orchestra concert on Dec. 4.

Trumpet player Sylvia Otero enjoys sharing her love for music by performing in front of family and friends.

“I like these concerts, but I am always nervous beforehand because there are so many people watching, but it was easy to do since there were a lot of other people performing,” Otero said. Sophomore Emily Waggoner played the oboe in the winter concert.

“I like playing oboe because I am the whole section, so I am automatically first chair,” Waggoner. Waggoner believes that this concert was even better than last year’s winter concert. She also enjoyed performing “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” because it was performed with all of the members of the concert.

Violinist Emmersen Haugland has been playing violin since fourth grade. “I liked the Christmas songs that we performed at the concert,” Haugland said.

Ethan Shepherd plays bass in the String Orchestra. “My favorite song to perform was ‘Wizards in Winter,’” Shepherd said.

On Dec. 1, eight students competed at Stardust Event Center for Battle of the Bands. Students in the bands, Egomaniacs, Been There Done That, Hum Hum & the Crash, and Gas Station Sushi, all performed with great ability and passion.

Riley Kelly, Signey Bowling, and Mason Collins are part of the band Hum Hum & the Crash. Bowling, the lead singer, performed at her last Battle of the Bands.

“I liked getting to transfer my emotions to songs on stage while doing what I love,” Bowling said. Singing comes naturally to Bowling. She has competed in two Battle of the Bands before with her closest friends.

Sophomore and guitarist Mason Collins has also competed twice. “Seeing all of my friends in the crowd was really cool, and hearing people sing along to the songs was my favorite part of performing,” Collins said.

Junior Riley Kelly, bassist of Hum Hum & the Crash, has been playing bass for two years. “Battle of the Bands is definitely the most fun show we perform all year,” Kelly said. Freshman Ava Rowland is the lead singer of Been There Done That.

“I loved performing because I got to do what I love in front of people that support me and next to my bandmates who are now my lifelong friends,” Rowland said.

MaKenna Willette and Aiden Broderick, both sophomores, are a part of Gas Station Sushi. Broderick, the drummer, enjoyed performing “Scenario” by A Tribe Called Quest because the roles were reversed, and he did vocals instead of drumming.

“I have never done vocals before so it was really cool to be at the front because the drummer is underrated,” Broderick said.

Willette enjoyed watching her band have a lot of fun on stage and have that rush of adrenaline from performing.

Katie Lampe sang before all of the bands competed.

“I liked getting the crowd pumped up and ready for the rest of the acts,” Lampe said.

Hum Hum and the Crash performing in the Battle of the Bands .