Women’s march pg. 5
Pirates of Penzance pg. 8
Donald Trump Inauguration pg. 5
Choir students sing and dance through annual Pop Show By Kendall Eley Reporter
On January 27 and 28, the Clear Creek Choir performed their annual Pop Show in the auditorium for the first time in two years. Construction that the school was under caused the past few Pop Shows to be held in different locations. Now, their grand reopening was high energy and a quality that Creek’s choral program has flaunted for years. Pop Show is a choreographed performance from all of the choirs. They sing diverse songs and provide opening and closing performances for the two acts. This year’s selections were all exciting. Popular songs with well constructed c h o r e o g r a p h y. Just as years past, a tribute to one special artist that has passed or has once made an iconic slower ballad. The show also features a multitude of soloists between the group numbers. Songs chosen for the Pop Show are pieces ranging from enthusiastic 80’s songs, to well-known classics. The songs this year fit that mold extremely well, each catering to a specific era and musical style. Group songs for the show feature all of the choirs combined for the songs. The opening number was one of the Pointer Sister’s hits from the 80’s, I’m So Excited, which follows the bombastic openings that the show has been known to do for years. James Park, head choir director, said “We like to open our show with exciting songs to set the scene for the audience to get them hooked and show how the pace and character of the show will go the rest of the evening.” In the second half of the show, Stray Cat Strut, a soundtrack number from Built For Speed feature the Symphonic mean and Concordia men’s choir. The second group song performed was Careless Whisper, a tribute to George Michael’s passing. The group’s staple ballad is never choreographed, and is
always set in small groups across the stage in several different minor poses, usually completely still except for the occasional head movement. Before the first act closer, all of the seniors packed onto the stage on either side of a large screen to sing Seasons of Love from the musical Rent while a
to always contain and suave mens’ piece and an empowering women’s piece. Each of the individual songs have a different overarching mood to them, showing the same diversity that the program has. Bel Canto, the new freshman girl’s choir, dressed up as homeless people and
slideshow plays Asiel Velasco and peers perform a song and dance number to Stray performed Cat Strut. Photo by Emily Ruthven If I Had of each senior’s a Million baby picture, kid picture, and a senior photo. It’s usually Dollars by the Barenaked Ladies. The the most emotional piece of the show performance was an instant hit, and for the audience, and all of the seniors Park even explained at the end of the tend to become teary-eyed themselves. show that he kept getting compliments By a huge contrast, the ending from other directors that had come, all number for the first half of the show saying “it was so cute,” or “I’ve never was Friend Like Me from the well- seen a performance be this adorable.” Advanced women’s chorale and known Disney movie, Aladdin. The group songs are always huge cantabile, junior varsity women’s choirs successes, but the individual numbers performed Umbrella, by Rihanna, separated by each class are almost always all of them sliding around with black the performances that steal the show. and navy umbrellas, used as part For example, the men’s chorus, of the choreography and for props. Chamber, the varsity acapella small consisting of both Symphonic men and Concordia together, performed a group, performed one of their pop pieces soundtrack number called Stray Cat from Homecoming Carnival, Firework Strut from the production Built For by Katy Perry, with soloist Jhanvi Patel. Speed about a group of men with style. The song was done without a conductor In a huge contrast, Symphonic women and had a small amount of upper body performed the song No by Meghan improv choreography, and was proven to Trainor, which was choreographed by be impressive and beloved by the crowd. The final group song, Can’t Stop students Lauren Radcliffe and Miranda Hixson. It’s one of the show’s traditions the Feeling, was the closing group
number for the show, following the exciting energy of the opening song, and was a perfect show closer. Although the second and final show usually includes the choir’s official song Where No One Stands Alone Arranged by Milton Pullen, the choir’s founder of its continued success, and returning alumni to join members on the stage, Park explained that the tradition of the song is performed at the end of the year. Since Pop Show was so early in the year, the tradition was not performed, especially since most alumni were still in school. Mr. Sean Stultz explained that the success of Pop Show was an “incredible achievement,” considering they condensed rehearsals into four weeks instead of the normal five of preparation. Symphonic Chorale had even less time after participating in the masterworks concert. They had three weeks to prepare, or, to put those numbers into perspective, they had only fifteen rehearsals. Despite the stress, Stultz praised the students in all of the choirs, saying that “all of the kids truly stepped it up and gave a great show, despite all of the setbacks.” As usual, the opening night of Pop Show ran incredibly smoothly, however, the opening show is usually the hardest, since an eight hour school day before a show can make for some of the energetic songs to not reach their fullest potential. All of the logistics behind the scenes went perfectly, and the only solo change was Zach Hoover, who couldn’t sing either night due to pharyngitis. On Saturday evening, the performance was incredibly successful as well, with many cheers from current students and a small handful of alumni still taking classes in the Houston area. Each of the group songs expanded their expectations, and Creek Choir’s grand opening show back in their auditorium was a huge success, making this one of the best Pop Shows the school has seen in years.