As opening time approached, the students could feel the anxiety of the night. Even after warming up their voices, there were still those who couldn’t quench the spreading excitement in their stomachs. Yet as the time came, they were ready to perform and amuse the crowd in order to benefit the choir.

Bella Voce and Vocal Ensemble held their first fundraising concert Oct. 6 to raise money for their end of the year trip to Branson, Missouri. The theme was a dessert theater called “A Night at the Movies,” which featured songs from various movies and a dessert buffet during intermission.

“At first I was really nervous,” senior Samantha King said. “But tonight’s success was mainly everybody just cheering their friends, their comrades and their teammates here to just do their best.”

The success of the concert meant a contribution not only to the funds required for the trip, but also provided practice and a confidence boost for the students who performed for a crowd of 151 who gave good reviews.

“Honestly, it was really good. I thought it was impressive for people this age,” sophomore Kaden Lloyd said. “I don’t think it’s something a lot of people do often enough.”

To the performers made up of all grade levels, while there were different reasons of why this event mattered to them, like being the last year for seniors or simply just to like doing solos, it was universally agreed that it was for the betterment of the choir.

“I think it kind of brings us out of the shadows [even though choir] is seen as unpopular,” junior Andrea Munoz said, “but the concert used more modern songs, and it shows that we do have talent and that it’s not unimportant.”

Sophomore Caleb Dell looks forward to a year of accomplishments.

“Performances like this is a challenge and performing a challenge and doing it well makes you feel good,” Dell said. “All of the choir kids are hardworking and have done everything they can to do some of the most amazing things for the choir.”