To kickoff the school year for choir, they will be singing in their first performance, FCHS Choral Department Fall Concert at Riverpark Bible Church starting at 7 p.m., Oct 18. The choir consists of 80 students who will participate in the evening’s event.

Music Director Michael Ogdon is excited to bring the choir out to perform for the first time as a group in front of a real audience. He has high hopes for his choir and what they will gain from the experience. Ogdon has prepared the choir immensely, changing up the songs a bit.

“This is our first concert of the year,” Ogdon said. “We finally get to pull the big choir out of the garage for their first ride of the season. People should expect a lot of variety and to be touched emotionally and spiritually. I hope the choir comes to understand that they are both performers and worship leaders.”

Senior choir member Jenna Orcutt is excited for the first concert of the year, being able to perform in front of a real audience.

“I really am excited,” Orcutt said. “It is our first concert, performing in front of other people so it will be a good experience. We also enjoy the songs, so that makes it fun.”

Not only will the choir be singing a variety of different songs but there will also be a variety of different singers in groups.

“Technically there are two groups performing,” Ogdon said. “The Celebration Choir of 78 voices will sing and also the Adoration Ensemble of 11 women will sing. In the concert, we will also have the choir split into two separate groups to feature them as well as have soloists.”

Soloist will include seniors Lynn Kim, Bri Walker, Abbey Cowan, Jenna Orcutt, Katie Baker-Pauls, Taylor Neufeld, juniors Robbie Hill, Amanda Menes, Alec Culver, John Dooman, Kaitlyn King, Joshua Thao, Ileana See, sophomores Elise Winegarden, Summer Villanueba, and freshmen Julianna Rosik, Kiaya Hargis, Dawson Oquist, Macy Mascarenas, Gillian Rea, Skyler Lee, Dalton Cowin, Maddie Luginbill.

Hill enjoys singing for choir and being able to perform in front of crowds. He looks forward to the upcoming performance because of the new material choir has prepared.

“I love choir and singing in general, so I get excited over any performance we have,” Hill said. “We had a concert similar to this one last year at around the same time and at the same venue. The difference is that our music this year is very different from last year. We focus on joy and praising God unlike last year where we sang about the holocaust.”

Orcutt looks forward to the performance. Being Orcutts last year she hopes the outcome will go as planned for one of her last concerts in choir.

“I’m hoping that it will go well,” Orcutt said. “We have been working on it since the beginning of the school year so I am confident that it will be good. This is my second time in the beginning of the year concert. So, yes it is sad to think that next year at this time, I won’t be at FC at all. So this is my last first concert, if that makes sense.”

Hill embraces the size of the choir, feeling it will give an overwhelming pressence and great sound. Hill is excited to see what the choirs first performance will be like.

“I think it is going to be a cool performance this year,” Hill said. “We have never had such a large choir in the history of the school. I’m not sure if it will be perfect on some songs, but we will do our best and hopefully give the crowd a good show.”

Choir’s next concert will be held Dec. 13, 14 for the anual Round the Table Carol Sing. Tickets are not currently on sale, but will be priced and sold soon.

For more news, read the Oct. 16 article, BRIEF: Civics to visit Fresno Courthouse.