From Jackson 5 to Tina Turner, members of the Rancho Cucamonga High School choir took the stage for their renditions of famous Motown hits. On Tuesday, Sept. 30, the choir held its first concert of the year, “The Music of Motown.”
The music inspiration, Motown, was founded during the 1950s as a combination of many other genres, such as soul and pop. This sparked the rise of Motown music and became a gateway for African Americans to become more mainstream in the music industry. It also gave birth to many influential and successful artists, including Diana Ross, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, and even Michael Jackson.
This concert played as a revival show for Motown music. Currently, the RCHS choir has three ensembles that all performed for the night: Chambers, Bella Voce, and Cougar Chorus.
As performers were warming up their voices, they were able to reflect and offer personal insights before they began their show. Senior Scarlet Shampine shared her excitement and high hopes for the first concert of the year.
“I thought it was so fun. So, I ended up doing it in my first-year as a student,” Shampine said. “I love Motown, and it’s like the music that I’ve always loved since I was really little. I love Jackson 5 and all those songs. They’re so fun and I love pop. I grew up with all that.”
Shampine has been in the choir program for all four years and is currently the secretary for the RCHS Choir Club.
Junior Sage Alauddin also shared her personal feelings about choir and the concert.
“I’ve always loved singing and music in general. And I think it’s given me a really nice group of friends,” Alauddin said. “I really like it, especially because it’s not as formal as our future concerts will be. It’s a lot looser. We have a lot of choreography and all that.”
Additionally, senior Maia Gierzcak shared her thoughts about the show.
“I love all the movements that we’re adding to them because it’s not just going to be singing on stage,” Gierzack said. “Definitely a lot of dancing, a lot of good vibes, and a lot of fun. Yeah, it’s definitely going to knock your socks off.”
While the students were working hard, they weren’t the only ones who put in the work and produced a great performance. Their director, Dr. Joel Wilson, worked to help make the performance a success.
“I think we’ve made some big strides from last year,” Wilson said. “The program is building, I think our musicianship’s building, and I’m looking forward to a fantastic year. Looking forward to continued growth and just being able to continue to grow the program and have more kids being involved.”
