In the choir room, under purple-tinted light, 16 talented students performed at Rancho Cucamonga High School Choir program’s annual Cabaret Night. On Nov 4, the event showcased RCHS students’ varying music abilities. Allowing its performers to choose their songs and perform what they wanted, Cabaret Night was an evening of self-expression that many appreciated.
“There were so many different styles of music that people performed and it was just really cool to see,” senior Trinity Hicks said.
That night, the doors opened at 7:00 p.m., and to enter, tickets cost $5 per person, proceeds directly going to funding for the choir program. With everyone seated, Dr. Joel Wilson began the show with an introduction, describing how he got the idea of Cabaret night for his students while seated in a small Chicago jazz bar and inspired by the different kinds of musicians.
Afterwards, he let the kids take the wheel. The first performer of the night was junior Grace Jourieh singing “Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight” by The Beatles.
“That was actually my first time performing a solo song before. So I was really, really nervous having to go first. But, I got up there,” Jourieh said.
Prior to the event, auditions were held to find any student who wanted to participate. After receiving clarification they were on for the night, students practiced their performances individually.
Although Jourieh had some nerves, her performance was successful, setting the stage for the rest of the evening. With the event taking place in the choir room, it allowed for performers to get closer with the crowd, creating an enjoyable and intimate environment.
“I really liked how intimate it felt because usually performers, they’re up all the way on the stage and it feels like there’s a dynamic between the performers and audience. The dynamic was closer and it felt like you could feel the crowd,” one of the performers, junior Jochebed Lindarto said.
Following the first performance, the night continued with 14 more, a mix of solo performances, duets, and instrumentals. Other than the feeling, the music that night was also an overwhelming highlight for attendees. Some shared highlights of the night were “All by myself” performed by sophmore Jeremiah Johnson and the ending performance, “The Climb”, sung by senior Maia Gierczak.
As the event concluded, leaving, numerous viewers recommended this Cabaret night and that others go to Cabaret nights in the future, to not only enjoy music, but to learn.
“I think people should have came to watch Cabaret night, and future Cabaret nights, because it truly is a learning experience,” Jourieh said.
