Cal High’s choir will host their annual Pop Showcase this Monday at 7 P.M. P.T.. This year’s theme is “Broadway Blast,” featuring songs from many hit musicals.
Throughout the past school year, Cal High’s choir (directed by Mr. Hawkins) has sung a variety of music: classical, jazz, contemporary, etc. The Pop Showcase will serve as Choir’s grand finale; in Mr. Hawkins words: “Each year we do a final concert with music from a particular aspect of popular, or ‘pop,’ music. This year, our theme is ‘Broadway Blast!’ featuring music from many different Broadway musicals.”
One member of the choir, Rosa Holguin, added, “We’re going to sing all Broadway songs. It’s going to be amazing and it’s going to have a lot of movement.”
While many people have not seen Broadway musicals in person, Mr. Hawkins noted that “the movies have recently been bringing musicals to the big screen;” he added, “We are performing ‘Pure Imagination’ which was featured in the recent movie Wonka. We are doing a medley of songs from Wicked, which will get you ready for the upcoming release of this musical on film in November, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.”
“Broadway Blast” will also include songs from Rent, Dear Evan Hanson, Newsies, and other theater-to-film releases.
Cal High’s choir has been active all year, leading up to the Pop Showcase. Following their annual summer choir camp, they have participated in several festivals, seasonal showcases, school assemblies, and even performed at Angel Stadium during a baseball game.
Charlie Gonzales, a current choir member, was drawn to the program after witnessing Choir perform at a VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts) assembly; she says: “I was in the musical last year and I really enjoyed singing our songs with everyone so I thought ‘what could I lose?’ After the VAPA performance I knew I wanted to be in the choir.”
Other members of the choir had singing experience prior to high school. Holguin stated, “I have always liked to sing and I was in choir in elementary and middle school. When I saw that Cal had a choir I wanted to join immediately.”
Senior Choir member Roxie Navarro joined the choir for a similar interest; she said, “I joined choir because singing was something I liked and I wanted to learn more about music and try something new.”
Mr. Hawkins strongly believes in the benefits of singing: “When singing, your body releases endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine, which are the happy chemicals your body uses to boost your mood. Talk with any choir student, and they will tell you about feeling on an emotional ‘high’ after concerts and rehearsals.”
Hawkins also mentioned, “singing in a community, like choir, develops social bonds and decreases feelings of isolation, loneliness, and depression.” He encourages everyone to try singing.
This community aspect has impacted many, including Holguin; she shared: “Choir really helped me make friends at Cal. Being a freshman and coming from a different school district I didn’t know anyone at Cal. During choir camp in the summer I was able to meet people with similar interests and had friends at the beginning of the year.”
Charlie also said, “Choir’s helped me get to know more people and make new friends as well as become a better leader and person.”
Another choir member, Allison Orellana encourages others to join Choir: “I think people should join the choir because it’s just an amazing class, the bonds you can build are incredible and the music everyone can make is even better.”
Choir’s Pop Showcase will be unlike any other as “there will be many solo and small group performances as well as performances from all our choirs.” Hawkins also notes that the Pop Showcase is a great opportunity for students “to show all they have learned this year,” as it is the final concert.
