Accent! perseveres, performs annual spring concerts

By TOM LAVENTURE

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Ironwood - Luther L. Wright High School students described the Accent! spring choir performances this past weekend as a welcomed opportunity to get out in front of an audience.

It was a special performance in many ways, said the eight students who comprised the show on the theme, "The Genius of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul," with songs including "Rewrite The Stars," from the musical "The Greatest Showman." 

After the cancellation of the 2020 spring concert because of social distancing concerns, this year's performance, although scaled down, was special, according to junior Melissa Charles, alto.

"We're small this year but we're mighty," Charles said. "It (the performance) means a lot, especially with COVID."

Other members of the group included senior Iain Agee, juniors Leilah Anderson and Faith Grewe, sophomore Haley Agee, freshmen Anneka Anderson and Aidan Bach, and seventh grader Noah Hofstede.

The group was under the direction of music teacher Darin Schmidt.

Having the opportunity to perform the spring concert was also a fitting way to bid farewell to Agee, the group's only departing senior.

"I was very glad that we were able to put together a spring show, especially with this being Ian's last show, he's been in it for three years," Bach said. "Even though it got shortened a lot because of COVID and people dropping out I feel like we're still going pretty strong."

Agee was presented with departing gifts including a school choir pin and a school choral national community award from Instrumentalist magazine. After the show he said he hopes to continue singing in some capacity whether for his church or other opportunities.

"Music has always been in my family with band and choir," Agee said. "Accent! has really helped boost my confidence in myself in general and has been very enjoyable. I've never been good in front of crowds and so it really helped me face that fear."

In addition to full group numbers, there were solo and small group selections that highlighted the versatility and deeper interests of each student. Schmidt said the students selected what they wanted to sing and who they were going to sing with.

"They do the preparation basically by themselves with a little coaching from me," Schmidt said. "This allows creativity beyond the curriculum and an opportunity to be independent and have some fun."

This was a challenging year for a show choir, he said. Under COVID-19 restrictions, any concerts at all were not possible until fairly recently with limitations and masking. The singers wore masks as they performed this weekend.

He said the students persevered at a time when taking part required additional work and sacrifice with no knowledge early on that they would be able to perform at all. The students rehearsed on their own and through virtual technology until late February.

"That is a lot of lost rehearsal time," Schmidt said.