Music Showcase of BHS talent

ByMeglin Bodner

This Fall Students in Music Makers participated in a Showcase, where they got to choose any piece of music and perform it. Music Makers is an auditioned singing group made up of students also in Concert Choir. Ms. Roding (the choir director) chooses students, after they audition in the spring, for Music Makers.

“It’s really a lot of fun for me,” said Ms. Roding during her opening to the Wednesday October 10^th, 2012 showcase. She said she likes to see the different personalities of people that show when they sing the songs they have chosen. This year, Ms. Roding and the choir department chose the showcase to be the first charity event of the year. They collected $5, or non-perishable food items along with $3, for admission to see the showcase. The food items were later brought to the Branford Food Pantry. The showcase started off around 7:30 pm with six sophomores singing. Tyler Evon sang “Living for the City” by Stevie Wonder. Ms. Roding accompanied Tyler on piano. Keegan Biancur sang “Something in the Way She Moves” by James Taylor or the Beatles with Ms. R playing guitar. Dan Lalor sang “Asleep” by The Smiths. Ms. R played the piano. Spencer Steinke sang “Nothing Man” by Pearl Jam with Sam Brookman on guitar. Dan Frye sang “I’m Alive” by Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews. He said he chose the song because “it has a message we can all appreciate”. Marissa Salazar sang “Who You Are” by Jessie J. Ms. R played piano and Spencer Steinke played the drums to go along with the song.

Next, one by one, eight juniors walked onto the stage and wowed the crowd. Emma Barringham sang “My Immortal” by Evanescence. Jason Pierre-Louis sang “The Penalty” by Beirut while playing the ukulele. He said before beginning, “[the song] is really sweet”. Allie Lemieux sang “One and Only” by Adele. Griffin Sandler sang “Wash Away” by Joe Purdy. Jason Pierre-Louis joined in with the ukulele, Sam Brookman joined in with a drum, and Ms. Roding joined in with a guitar. Keregan Schoenherr sang “Fresh” with Brookman on guitar. Anna Thompson sang “I Wouldn’t Mind” by He is We along with Rachel Hanchruck who was playing on guitar. Cameron Nicholas sang “O Danny Boy” by The Irish Tenors. Cameron dedicated the song to his grandpa who had passed away one week before the showcase. Rob Hardy sang and played on guitar the song “Hallelujah” by Jeff Buckley. And finally, eleven seniors went on stage and sang their hearts out. Sam Brookman sang “Demon Host” by Timber Timbre. His inspiration for singing the song came from when he saw the band in Montreal with his friends. Brookman simultaneously sang and played an electric guitar. At some parts of the song, he let a recording of himself playing the electric guitar play while he played an auto harp. Victoria Marsala sang “Two Way Street” by Kimbra. Carissa Kamin sang “Don’t Rain On My Parade” from the musical Funny Girl.  James Integlia sang “Call Me Irresponsible” by Frank Sinatra while Ms. R played piano. Brianna DeNegris sang “In the Ghetto” by Elvis Presley. Brianna dedicated the song to her mom who always puts others before herself. Lillian Brown sang “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry. Calla Cameron sang “Rockferry” by Duffy. Calla wanted to thank her siblings for introducing her to new songs. Ashley Murphy sang “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” by Roberta Flack. Rachel Hanchuruck played piano while singing “Goodnight Moon” by Go Radio. Rachel wrote her cousin Mallory Wood a poem and read it before her performance. Rachel also dedicated the song to her cousin. Jenny Flynn sang “I Am Changing” by Jennifer Holliday. And ending the showcase was a performance by Emma Corbett who sang “Listen” by Beyoncé. All the singers wanted to thank Ms. Roding and the students who played instruments while they were singing for taking their time to learn how to play the songs on piano, on guitar, and on the drums. And watching the showcase performances from Muhlenberg College, in Allentown, Pennsylvania, was 2012 BHS graduate Chris Marsala via Skype who cheered on his sister, Victoria Marsala, and fellow singers on.