Students in Cantabile choir stepped onto the stage for the last time this year on Wednesday, May 11, at 7 p.m. in preparation for their Disneyland tour. Cori VanderLey stood in front of the parents and introduced the students, and then the music began. Starting with “Turn the World Around,” which featured sophomore James Gauntt and seniors Cam Oakes and Jaina Chaston on percussion instruments, the piece was lighthearted, with the choir singing about going back to their roots. Next was an a capella version of “Rather Be,” a pop song by Clean Bandit with senior Danielle Moran and junior Giuliana Castranova as soloists. Freshman Burke Wood and junior Ross Wilson beatboxed along, which added a unique aspect of the song. After that piece, the choir sang a song from Disney’s “Toy Story” – “You’ve Got a Friend In Me.” There was some movement in the students to this song, and the students sang the song without a hitch.

The last pieces maintained a more romantic angle, starting with “Sh-Boom.” Unlike most choir music, here the boys played a significant role in singing the lyrics, while the girls “oo-ed” in the background. The choir reunited during the chorus, however, and that blend kept the audience engaged. Then, Chaston picked up the microphone with “You’ll Be in My Heart,” from Disney’s “Tarzan.” This song was positive, about never letting the person you love being alone. Oakes finished the song with another small solo.

Next up was another Disney favorite – “Kiss the Girl,” from “The Little Mermaid.” The joking lyrics matched with the students’ ability created a great atmosphere in the room. Second-to-last, the song “Time After Time” came up next, with a sort of round quality to it. The piece about wishing for a lover far away was both elegant and sweet.

Before the final piece, VanderLey gave out Letter Awards to students for encouraging community service with a musical touch. Many students got this award, and a loud round of applause came from the audience. Then, the Leadership and Musicianship Award – both student-chosen. The students who got the awards were junior Macy Danner and Oakes, respectively. Then, the seniors received a gift, and the students returned the favor by giving their teacher a scrapbook of all the memories she’s made since she first started working at the school a decade ago.

Finally, the choir performed “Build Me Up Buttercup,” with the seniors remaining in the front of the stage with their younger classmen stood behind them. This song was happy, except the lyrics were more bittersweet than anything. They received a hearty round of applause, and then they were off to new heights.

Senior Zoie Ypsilanti later stated that leaving the choir she performed in for three years was somewhat bittersweet. “I feel as if being in her class has helped me to grow as both a musician and a person. Knowing that my high school music career is now over makes me a tad bit sad, but I know that I will be able to take the experiences that I learned from my high school choir and apply it to choir in college,” she said.

Cantabile Honors Chorale finished their year with a bang, and we can’t wait to see what they do next year.