Update: Due to Hurricane Ian, the concert has been postponed. It will now be on Tuesday, October 4 in the Blackbox at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The chorus program is coming together for the first choral performance of the year, which will feature upper school and middle school students, and center around music from the highly acclaimed film, “Coco.” The concert will take place on September 30 and will have two performances at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the Black Box, followed by a screening of the movie where concertgoers may snack on popcorn and sing along to the soundtrack.

The performance will not only include Spanglish music from “Coco,” but also some songs from the film “Encanto,” as well as some Brazilian and Portuguese pieces. Chorus director Andrew Hoy ultimately decided to perform this music not only to improve students’ ability to sing a variety of music, but also to bring awareness to Hispanic Heritage month.

“I thought that it would be cool to do something that was culturally educational, so I like that “Coco” centers around “El Día de los Muertos,” the Day of the Dead, since it’s celebrated by Mexico and other Latin-American cultures,” Hoy said.

Of course, singing in a different language and to different beats typically does not come easily, and is a challenge that many choral students worked to overcome.

“I think that there is a value in singing the music from other cultures and learning about that, too,” Hoy said. “Once they get [the lyrics] and once they know what they’re singing about, they’re more on board.”

Students have been hard at work learning the music during and after school, and as the end of the month draws nearer, they are getting closer and closer to the moment that their hard work pays off. Junior Lev Leclair is feels that the chorus has gotten closer throughout their rehearsals and is excited to perform. He even has a favorite song.

“I really like singing the [music]— there’s one song, “Remember Me…” It’s my favorite because it makes me feel emotional,” Leclair said.

This concert is only the beginning of a series of incredible performances held by the choruses, and serves as an excellent opportunity to support the arts department as a whole.

“People should come out not only to support the chorus and the arts, but also to support their friends and peers,” Junior Gaby Richter said. “You see a lot of people at basketball and volleyball games, so it’d be really nice to show support for people in chorus.”