Rancho’s choral class performs at annual Disneyland Candlelight Processional

Members+from+the+RCHS+choir+perform+at+Disneyland+for+the+annual+Candlelight+Processional.+

Photo courtesy: Kelley Squires

Members from the RCHS choir perform at Disneyland for the annual Candlelight Processional.

Members from Rancho Cucamonga High School’s choir performed at the Disneyland Candlelight Processional on December 3 and 4, 2022 at 5:30 p.m.

The Candlelight Processional is an annual winter performance that has started since Disneyland opened in 1958. Walt Disney started this event because he wanted there to be music playing in the park during the holiday season.

This year, the Rancho Cucamonga High School choir was selected to perform at the annual event. They were one of 12 schools in the country that got accepted to attend the Candlelight Processional.

“I am really proud of them,” Ms. Kelley Squires, the RCHS Choir Director, said. “It took a lot of hard work to get accepted. It was a really really great weekend.”

According to Squires, there were 350 students in total who performed at the event.

The students in the choral class were delighted to attend the annual Candlelight Processional at Disneyland. They sang 19 different songs such as “A Boy is Born,” “Joy to the World,” a Spanish version of “Silent Night.” and French Christmas carols as well.

“For them to be able to collaborate with professional artists as well as other school artists and put together that kind of sound, I thought it was phenomenal,” said Principal Kirk, who attended the event. “The marching in and the finale at the end as far as the performance was great.”

According to Squires, RCHS Choir performed in front of 60,000 people. They were able to perform with the Disney Orchestra, Nancy Sulahian, the choir director at CalTech, and Academy Award Winner Viola Davis, who made a special appearance as the Narrator of the event.

“For them to be able to collaborate with professional artists as well as other school artists and put together that kind of sound, I thought it was phenomenal.” said Principal Kirk, who attended the event. “The marching in and the finale at the end as far as the performance was great.”

“It was the perfect celebration of holiday spirit no matter what holiday you celebrate,” said Squires.