SU’s Choir sang their hearts out at their cabaret in Old Main Chapel (OMC) on Friday. Students sang a wide variety of genres, featuring everything from Broadway musicals to folk music. The cabaret served as the choir’s one and only fundraiser this year, so attendees had to pay a small fee of $5 to enjoy the exciting night of performances.
The SU Choir Cabaret has become a semi-annual tradition to showcase student talent. Choir Director Dr. Aragunde introduced the event by speaking on its unique importance.
“These are songs that the students chose themselves,” Aragunde said. “There isn’t another venue on campus that does that.”
OMC was the perfect location for this event because of the warm lighting and beautiful stained-glass windows that created a cozy and welcoming atmosphere for everyone to settle in and enjoy the music.
The first song was “White Horse,” by Taylor Swift, and was performed by twins Haylie and Rylie Kurilla. The mix of harmonizing vocals and acoustic guitar added to the singer-songwriter feel of the song and emphasized emotional impact.
“Foolish to Think” from “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” was performed by Skyler Warren. This song featured a dramatic backing track, bouncy piano melody and variations in dynamics. Olivia Harrison performed “I Dreamed A Dream” from “Les Misérables,” which expressed themes of nostalgia and longing, while featuring an impressive vocal range.
Another musical song featured was “Corner of the Sky” from “Pippin,” which was performed by Kaleb Smith, who had just previously wrapped up a production of “Pippin” in which Smith played Pippin himself. Smith’s performance was paired with piano accompaniment from Dr. Aragunde and enthusiastic applause from the audience.
“Come Fly With Me,” by Frank Sinatra, was sung by senior student Dawson Frederick, who incorporated a dance routine into the performance. Frederick was recognized for all of his dedication and hard work following the cabaret.
The final song was performed by the entire company, which was “I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together,” by Carol Burnett. Audience members got to hear the choir sing as an ensemble and celebrate everyone for their talent and drive as performers.
The SU Choir students will be back on Nov. 22 for their ensemble choir concert, which will be both held in-person and livestreamed.
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