NFM Chorus celebrates a ‘Knight with the Stars’
Whether you’re a fan of Mozart, musicals or the rock band Queen, there was something for everyone as the North Fort Myers High School Choral Department presented “A Knight with the Stars” Thursday night at the auditorium.
The theme of the evening was basically songs and performers that have stood the test of time, along with newer songs that should do the same, according to Gwen Gregg, choral director.
“Bridge Over Troubled Water” has been sung by so many different people, and Adele’s songs will last into the future,” Gregg said.
The show started with a medley of songs from Queen, and finished with current and past members of the chorus filling the stage to sing the traditional show-closer “Old Irish Blessing.”
In between were medleys of classics from Adele and Whitney Houston from “Les Belles Filles,” the Men’s Chorus singing Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror, and a stirring solo from Noelle Aparte, who sang Aretha Franklin’s “Respect.”
“It was one of the most joyous performances I’ve done in my four years here, so I appreciated every moment of it,” said Aparte, who had recently starred in “Shrek: The Musical.”
“I have anxiety attacks before every performance, especially before this one because Aretha Franklin is a goddess. Once the music started I had a lot of fun,” Aparte said.
There also was an audience participation portion led by Carlos Torres where he had them do the pentatonic scale to his jumps. The idea worked, to the relief of Gregg, who was worried the idea would no work.
It was a particularly emotional night for the seniors who, after working on the show since January, were performing for the final time in front of the local crowd. They compete Friday at Universal in Orlando in the Music USA Festival.
Especially emotional was Amber DeWitt, who was supposed to do a solo, but was sick and couldn’t perform, telling the nearly full house at the end of the show how much of a parent figure Gregg had been before giving her a bouquet and a teary hug.
“I’m going to miss being in the choir because Miss Gregg is probably the most amazing choir teacher you’ll ever see,” DeWitt said. “It’s like having a family away from family, and Miss Gregg has been a mother to everyone and has helped me get into college and brought out the best in me.”
For the younger members of the chorus, who dressed in polo shirts as non-soloists, it was a night of fun, hopeful that someday they will get to wear that black dress or tux and perform as a soloist.
“This is the first time I’ve performed and I thought it was gorgeous. Everything went real well,” said sophomore David Luciemable. “Next year, I’ll be in the mixed choir and hope to make the high level by senior year.”
Gregg said the singing was great, and the chorus did things well that most people don’t see.
“Getting on and off stage has been something we’ve worked on and it went real well, and Noelle singing “‘Respect’ was a show-stopper,” Gregg said.