The FC band and choral groups will be traveling to the Los Angeles area to participate in the Worldstrides Heritage Festival program, March 5-8.

The choral groups sing and play prepared repertoire for three judges, or adjudicators. These professional musicians and college professors grade each group based on a series of various factors such as tone, balance, diction and musicality.

Another reason to sing and play at festivals is to hear other groups perform. This gives students a chance to listen to other music, and inspire them to become better musicians. The highest score is usually 100 points, with 90-100 being “Superior.”

This festival hands out rankings as well, with trophies awarded in several categories. If a group is particularly advanced, the adjudicators can invite them to a “Gold” festival, which is usually held at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

The FC women’s ensemble has been invited to the Gold Festival before, but has not attended. All the choral groups are working diligently on festival repertoire. Each song must have a high level of difficulty, and cross over different eras and styles of music. For example, the HS choir will sing a Latin piece called “Jubilate Deo,” performed acapella.

They will also sing a Canadian folk song entitled “Rattle on the Stovepipe.” Lastly, they are singing a spiritual melody, “1 Peter 3:15”, which features soloists Andrew Guthrie, Elise Winegarden and Ivette Ibarra will be presenting to the judges. This year, ladies ensemble will attend Heritage as well as the junior high choir, high school band and choir. The groups will depart from school at lunch on Thursday, March 5, and will be traveling to their hotel in Irvine. Dinner will be provided at Medieval Times, and Friday will be spent at Disneyland.

Newly appointed high school choir director Susan Ainley, talks about the Heritage Festival.

With this being my second year on the Heritage trip, I’m really looking forward to Disneyland which is gonna be a lot of fun especially with friends. I’m also really excited to stay at the hotel because the previous year we had a really great time watching movies and hanging out. I am very confident in our ability to execute our performance perfectly and with no setbacks. We have really go soloists that really set us apart from other choral groups. –Junior Andrew Moore

“I am especially looking forward to the day at Disneyland, since my daughter, Bree Ainley, works there,” Ainley said. “Saturday will be spent at the Rose Center Theatre in Westminster, performing the set of songs prepared. Once the festival has finished, the students will eat dinner, then head back to Disneyland for the awards ceremony. The long weekend will likely finish in the early hours of Sunday morning, as the bus rolls back into the FC parking lot.”

Andrew Moore, ’16, talks about his experience and thoughts on the Heritage Festival.

“With this being my second year on the Heritage trip I’m really looking forward to Disneyland which is gonna be a lot of fun especially with friends,” Moore said. “I’m also really excited to stay at the hotel because the previous year we had a really great time watching movies and hanging out. I am very confident in our ability to execute our performance perfectly and with no setbacks. We have really go soloists that really set us apart from other choral groups.”

While singing is the reason to head south, Hannah Nale, ’17, has another reason to travel.

“I’m super stoked for going to Disneyland with all of my friends and just having a bunch of fun,” Nale said. “We have super cool songs and a super cool conductor and we have a super cool group of people. With this being my first time on the trip, it would be an amazing experience to get the gold and hopefully we as a family will be able to come together and accomplish that.”

While freshman Celeste Counts is excited about Disneyland, she is concerned about her role in the festival.

“I am most looking forward to hanging out with my friends at Disneyland,” Counts said. “I’m not exactly sure how I’ll stand out from the competition, but I hope that my good vowel shape and discipline will help me with that. This is my second year going to the Festival trip and it seems to get more and more fun every year.”

These writers can be reached via Twitter: @_jadenventura03 and @Devin_pits1735.

For more news, read the March 3 article, Student leadership: FCS 32nd annual auction is March 14.