Joining the CMS Choir on ”Adiemus” during their end-of-year concert are Creslane Choir members (from left, front) Regan Gwaltney and Daschel Stepp. CMS Choir members pictured are (from left, top) Gabby Halgren and Kira Miller; and middle: Lillie Stepp and Elliot Buehler. GINI DAVIS/THE CRESWELL CHRONICLE
One of the songs performed by the Creswell Middle School Choir during their end-of-year concert on May 22 – the challenging, enchanting ”Follow the Drinking Gourd” – had been postponed from the choir’s Spring Concert on March 20, and proved well worth the wait.
”It’s a really nice piece,” and to do it justice, ”we just wanted to spend more time on it,” Director Erik Telfer said of the number.
The Choir opened with ”The Star-Spangled Banner,” followed by ”Adiemus” – on which, at Telfer’s invitation, they were joined by two Creslane Choir students, who had performed the song at their own spring concert; ”Follow the Drinking Gourd,” featuring Sophia Janezic on violin; and ”Something Different,” featuring a duet by Danielle Burnette and Chalyn Michelson.
The remaining songs were from movies, including ”Will You Be Found,” from ”Dear Evan Hansen,” including solos by Michelson, Elliot Buehler and Kendyl Seiber; ”Never Enough,” from ”The Greatest Showman”; and ”Just the Way You Are”/”Just a Dream” (mashup), from ”Pitch Perfect,” with solos by Lily Lamm, Harmony Goodman and Janezic.
”It never ceases to amaze me what they can do; it was just last Friday they began to sing this a cappella,” Telfer noted.
The concert closed with ”From Now On,” from ”The Greatest Showman,” with a solo by Addie Garzanelli.
With practice time for several weeks leading up to the concert limited because of Outdoor School, standardized testing and the middle school state track competition, ”It’s amazing we even have a concert tonight,” Telfer said. ”But this is an amazing group of kids and they were able to put it all together.”
