By Aubrey Daniels
Photos by Carlos Lopez

On December 13th, 2018, the Vocal Department of the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush performed at the Winter Vocal Showcase, directed by Ms. Suzanne Spencer. Performers showed off their talents for family and friends, after months of practice that built their connections with their peers and improved their musical ability.

We conducted an interview with one of the freshmen that participated in the concert, Emma Sonneborn. Emma is a part of the Vocal Department, with this being her first show at the school. When asked about her experience in being a part of the Vocal Winter Concert, Emma expressed her appreciation for her classmate’s artistic abilities.  “My favorite part about being in the show was seeing all of the talents that everyone had,” she said. “I enjoyed every aspect of the show.”

However, the show isn’t just about what occurs onstage. Much of the work goes on behind the scenes. Emma spoke of the number of rehearsals the students participated in, as well as the importance placed on practice and consistency. “Sometimes, we practice our songs during our class time. Before the show, we had an accompanist rehearsal in addition to our dress rehearsal.” she explained. “We were supposed to rehearse at home at least once a day.” The amount of preparation that goes into the production of the show is what results in a seamless and proficient performance.

Another feature of the show is just how much variety there is. “There were seven choirs, and then solos.” Emma said. “There was Vocal 1 & 2, Vocal 3 & 4, Chambers, Choir 3 & 4, and then the solo acts.” When asked about how students could have solo acts in the show, Emma explained. “The auditions were after school, in November,” she elaborated. “Freshmen don’t normally get solo acts. However, they can get solos in songs performed by Vocal 1 & 2.”

The show certainly had no shortage of acts, as there were over twenty songs performed. “The entire concert was about 2 hours long, and there was a fifteen-minute intermission.” Emma said. “My favorite act from it was Creep by Radiohead, as performed by the Chambers.” Other performances from the concert include:

• Teenage Fantasy by Jorja Smith; featuring Chamber Singers
• We Will Rock You by Brian May; featuring Vocal 1 & 2
• Africa by Toto; featuring Vocal 3 & 4

Emma’s overall experience in her first vocal show was a memorable and educational one. “It was a lot of fun to hang out with my friends during rehearsals. I got to get to know everybody and see all of their talents,” she expressed. “I loved hearing everybody’s voices blend together, beautifully.”