The concert choir performed the National Anthem at an Oakland Athletics home game on April 21.
This was the 2nd time that the concert choir has performed the National Anthem at an A’s game. The choir previously sang at an A’s game in 2012. Choir teacher Mark Roberts selected the concert choir for the task because of its size.
According to Roberts, the process of performing at the games starts when “they reach out to schools and [Campo] sends demos of the group singing and then they choose groups that do a good job.”
“It started out two years ago with them reaching out to a bunch of schools and getting recordings and then they have contacted me every subsequent year wanting us to do it again,” said Roberts.
The concert choir has practiced the National Anthem since the start of the 4th quarter.
“I am really excited because I have never done the A’s performance or anything like this before,” said junior Kelly Evans, who performed. Evans was also nervous because it was the largest audience she for which she has ever performed.
According to Evans, the performance was optional, so not all members of the choir participated. The performance featured different harmonies and a slightly different rhythm. The students were split into the sopranos, basses, altos, and tenors and the sopranos sang the melodies and the tenors sang the harmonies, according to sophomore Derek Ludwig.
After their performance the singers stayed to watch the game. “We had to buy tickets to the game through the school. Because of that, we got a discount and Campolindo got money,” said Evans.
Ludwig, who had never done anything like this before, thought the performance was successful. “Mr. Roberts was smiling and the crowd was cheering,” she said.
Upcoming events for the choir include spring concerts at the end of May as well as “performances here and there like graduation,” said Roberts.
