MLHS Choral Pops Concert explores history of rock-n-roll
The annual Mountain Lake Public High School (MLHS) Choirs pops concert, held Monday evening, May 11, in the school’s auditorium was (r)evolutionary, exploring music history of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s 1990s – on up to today – with “The Evolution of Rock-n-Roll,”
Featured groups were the junior high show choir, junior high concert choir, senior high show choir and senior high concert choir.
Andrea Brinkman is the school’s Director of Choirs, Grades 6-12. Choreographer was Kelli Tucholke, kindergarten grader teacher at Mountain Lake Public Elementary School.
The concert featured the following numbers:
Junior High Show Choir –
* “Dance Evolution,” arranged by Mark Brymer.
* “Black or White,” by Michael Jackson; arranged by Kirby Shaw.
* “Shake It Off,” by Taylor Swift; arranged by Roger Emerson.
Junior High Choir
* “Hello, Goodbye,” by The Beatles; arranged by Mac Huff.
* “Blame It on the Boogie,” by The Jackson 5; arranged by Mac Huff.
* “A-B-C,” by The Jackson 5, arranged by Roger Emerson.
* “The Safety Dance,” by Men Without Hats; arranged by Mary Brymer.
Senior High Show Choir –
* “Blue Suede Shoes,” by Carl Lee Perkins/Elvis Presley; arranged by Jeff Funk.
* “Love Potion #9,” by The Searchers; arranged by Mac Huff.
* “Unchained Melody,” by The Righteous Brothers; arranged by Mark Brymer.
* “Rock Around the Clock,” by Bill Haley and His Comets; arranged by Roger Emerson.
Senior High Choir –
* “The Beat Goes On,” by Sonny and Cher; arranged by Mac Huff.
* “R-E-S-P-E-C-T,” by Aretha Franklin; arranged by Roger Emerson.
* “In My Life,” by The Beatles; arranged by Greg Jasperse.
* “Wagon Wheel,” by Bob Dylan/Darius Rucker; arranged by Roger Emerson.
* “Any Way You Want It” (Journey’s Greatest Hits), by Journey; arranged by Alan Billingsley.
TAYLOR SWIFT’S HIT, “Shake It Off,” was one of the songs featured by the Junior High Show Choir at the Spring Choirs Pops Concert on Monday night. Singing and moving to the music were, front, from left, Sophie Carrison, Regan Syverson and Jon Faber and back, from left, Janessa Johnson, Destiny Sybounheuan, Noah Rempel and Noah Curry.
SHAKING IT OFF are, from left, Amy Bartsch, Kyla Perkins, Kayla Vonk and Taylor Naas.
GOING THROUGH THEIR “ABCs,” by The Jackson 5, was this pair of Junior High Choir members, Joel Salgado, left and Fletcher Hanson, right.
ANOTHER JUNIOR HIGH trio belting out songs highlighting the work of The Jackson 5. From left, Janessa Johnson, Taylor Naas and Saige Wall.
APPEARING IN AN encore performance was the 2015 MLHS Talent Show winner, Levi Jahnke, presenting “In Color,” by Jamey Johnson.
THE JUNIOR HIGH Choir – accented by appliqued glow sticks – provided an interesting twist – and look – to the words of “The Safety Dance,” by Men With Hats.
THE BEAT GOES on – – and on, and on and on – courtesy of the Senior High Choir. Front, from left, Kris Menken, Kassandra Tellez, A. J. Vongsy, Lydia Hildebrandt, Chris Boyd and Karen Soutthivong. Back, from left, Meredith Suess, Jenneel Rodney, Jae Faber, Reynaldo Capetillo and Madison Schroeder.
DOIN’ A LITTLE surfing are, from left, Austin Rogers, Kaylee Wolle, Sam Grev, Brook Sunderman, Andrew Fast and Carmen Syverson.
SOLOIST SIGNEY STOESZ, right, gives voice to the thought, “Where the Boys Are,” by Connie Francis. One of those boys, Ben Grev, left, has been found. Liana Blomgren was also a soloist on the Senior High Choir medley selection.
EVEN PAUL STANLEY AND Gene Simmons of the American hard rock band, KISS, were on hand to perform onstage. Behind the unique black-and-white face paint are Alexia Jellema-Baerg, left and Alexa Heffele, right.
PERFORMING BOBBY DARIN’S hit about whether or not stay in the bathtub – ‘Splish Splash” – are, from left, Austin Rogers, Ryan McCue and Ethan Karschnik.
JENNEEL RODNEY CHANNELED Aretha Franklin to solo on Aretha’s hit song, “R-E-S-P-E-C-T.”
BACKING UP THE MLHS answer to Aretha are, from left, Deanna Nunthavong, Jorja Lep, and Brittney Fredericksen.
SENIORS IN THE Senior High Choir were in the spotlight during the singing of “In My Life,” by The Beatles. Six of the seniors are pictured above. From left, Austin Rogers, Kaylee Wolle, Jennifer Wright, Eric Wenner, Olivia Hopwood and Callie Jackson.
THE REMAINING SENIORS in the Senior High Choir from the Class of 2015 include, from left, Caleb Rempel, Deaunna Carter-Finne, Lydia Hildebrandt, Ben Grev and Madelyn Regier.
MUSIC FROM MINNESOTA’S own Bob Dylan, as well as the Old Crow Medicine Show and Darious Rucker – the song, “Wagon Wheel” – made it into the Senior Choir’s story of the timeline of rock-n-roll. Above is soloist for the number, David Hall. Other soloists on the song were Meredith Suess and Kenna Gardiner.
THE POLKA DOT skirt works for Liana Blomgren as the Senior High Show Choir brings to the stage a song from the ’50s – “Blue Suede Shoes” – by Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley.
“DO ANYTHING THA you want to do, but uh-uh, Honey, lay off of my shoes. Don’t you step on my blue suede shoes. You can do anything – but lay off of my blue suede shoes.” Senior High Show Choir members Ruben Fentanez and Rebekah Klassen bring the song to its dance conclusion. Check out Rebekah’s poodle skirt.
SENIOR HIGH SHOW Choir members Ruben Fentanez, left and Meredith Suess, right, face off on the song, “Love Potion Number 9,” by The Searchers.
THAT SPECIAL LOVE potion had quite the effect! It even knocked Senior High Show Choir’s Carmen Syverson, right, off her feet – into the arms of Ryan McCue, left. Behind is Kalley Rempel – experiencing the same reaction.
ROCKIN’ ROUND THE clock with Bill Haley and His Comets are Lexia Peters, left and Caleb Rempel, right, Senior High Show Choir members.
SWINGING TO THE music are Meredith Suess, left and Sam Grev, right. The Senior High Show Choir incorporated original dance moves from the era of the music into their numbers.
JAE FABER, LEFT and David Hall, right, show off the popular dance moves from the ’50s.
JUNIOR LOUANGSAPHAKDY, LEFT, sweeps Kassandra Tellez, right – right off her feet. Poodle skirt for Kassandra, too.
AMETHYST HOPKINS IS working the flared bell bottoms and psychedelic head scarf that were popular in the ’70s.
MCKENLEY BRYAN SEES the world through rose-colored glasses – another fad of the 1970s (along with the paisley shirt.)
LOOKING GREAT WITH the “big hair” is Taylor Hudson, left, with Jewel Soutthivong, right, your typical barefoot flower power “Flower Child” from the 1970s.
AT FRONT, A “Greaser” from the ’50s (Ben Grev, left) comes together with a ’60s Go-Go Girl (Lydia Hildebrandt, right) – and the beat still goes on – “Any Way You Want It!” Behind is a broad kaleidoscope of fashion from a span of past decades – and with them – as much a variety of rock-n-roll music. From left, Austin Rogers, Kaylee Wolle, Sam Grev, Brook Sunderman, Andrew Fast, Carmen Syverson and Kris Menken.
LEADING THE ROCK-N-ROll (r)evolution was Director of Choirs, Grades 6-12, Andrea Brinkman.
IN REHEARSAL IS choreographer Kelli Tuckholke, who is also a kindergarten teacher at Mountain Lake Public Elementary School.
