Dos Pueblos High School’s two current choirs sang with each other one last time for the final concert of the year. A Capella and Jazz Choir performed together and as individual groups for this concert, with additional solos from chosen students.
The concert, which took place on Friday, was described by DPHS Choir Director Courtney Anderson as the “final hurrah” of choir’s year and featured music with themes of “connection and growth and looking towards the future.”
“Each concert has gotten better and better as the students have gelled more as a team and built on all of their musicianship skills,” Anderson said. “And this one truly is like a culmination of everything.”
Before the concert, choir student Jake Betancourt (11), who has been in choir since his freshman year, said that it would be engaging due to the different themes and genres that were going to be sung.
“As we listened to the songs, we realized that we kind of had themes of hope and connection, and … just good, positive messages,” Betancourt said. “And I also like that our concert is showcasing a lot of different genres. There’s some gospel, there’s definitely some jazz, but also some classical.”
This concert featured DPHS senior choir students, who had been in choir for years, as discussed by Choir President Janette Prythikto (12).
“It’s bittersweet because all the seniors are sort of leaving, and it’s the last concert, and choir kind of means a lot to a lot of the students here,” Prythikto said. “So, everyone’s super excited for the concert, but I think when we’re actually at the concert, a lot of people will get emotional, but it’s really rewarding.”
Students worked together on the songs for this concert ever since finishing their Sacramento competition in April, according to Betancourt. He said that working together is enjoyable due to the potential successful outcome.
“It’s fun to practice with friends because you’re working towards a common goal, [and a] common performance,” Betancourt said. “Then, you get to show your family and all your friends who show up at the concert your hard work.”
Anderson said that the choir community is a “safe space” and that students interested in signing should join.
“If you love to sing, and you love to connect with others, there’s nothing quite as cool as being in choir,” Anderson said. “It’s so different [from] singing a solo … something inside you is different when you get to sing with other people. And everyone … who comes into choir, they are all super fun people that love to sing, love to do silly things together, and it’s definitely a very safe space for people to build community.”
At DPHS, there are many different choirs students can get involved in, and Anderson said that she encourages students to take advantage of the opportunities they have in high school before they’re gone.
“One of the things that I hear most often from people who join late is that they wish they had joined sooner and that they had been a part of it for longer,” Anderson said. “As soon as you graduate, you know, once you’re over 18, [these opportunities] don’t exist anymore. So, I just encourage everyone to do … everything.”
