by Maddy Lingk | staff writer

The orchestra held its final concert on May 4, where they cleverly had a Star Wars style battle between geometry teacher Abigail Salas and English teacher Mark Cannon. In the meantime, the choir is preparing for their annual Pop Show.

“The battle between the teachers was cool, the light sabers,” sophomore Jaida Hill said. “I just liked the arrangements played, like La La Land was my favorite.”

Salas said that she was nominated by her students, meaning she didn’t volunteer because she was a Star Wars fan. Nonetheless, the end of the year concerts are usually different than the average.

“The biggest difference is that everyone plays the same music pretty much,” orchestra director Karen George said. “I mean, there’s a few instances where I have some of the freshmen groups playing parts that not everybody plays, but everybody’s learning the same music and we’re all playing together again.”

Typically, other concerts are separated into groups that each play three different pieces.

“There wasn’t really a theme, but it was the senior’s last concert,” Hill said. “So we played the senior songs. I think some of the seniors picked the music.”

At the end of the concert, a slideshow presenting the seniors was shown. 

“I think it was a really good final concert,” Hill said. 

In another part of the fine arts department, the choir classes are preparing for Pop Show, which will be held May 11 and 12. According to sophomore Isabella Moreno, she prefers this year’s concert over previous ones because of the song choices. 

“We’re going to be singing ‘We are Never Getting Back Together’ by Taylor Swift and ‘You Make my Dreams Come True’ by Hall & Oates,” sophomore Sophie Roth said.

As a Swiftie, Moreno prefers the former, whereas Roth favors the ladder. Nonetheless, with exams, prom, and summer break coming up, Pop Show comes during a busy time for students. 

“Yes, we’ve been able to prepare; we don’t have outside of school practices,” Roth said. “But we work really hard in the classroom.”

Even though Moreno has to perform for two nights in a row and study for her exams, she still enjoys the event.

“I like it- because it’s just fun. Being able to do familiar songs, like having all your friends and family come to support you,” Moreno said.