For their last choir contest of the season, Rhapsody in Blue participated in the Oceanside Sound-Off competition on April 18 and placed fifth overall in the advanced division.
Despite competing in intermediate for the majority of the season, students competed in the Tier One Advanced Division for the first time against four other high schools because of scheduling conflicts. The event was held at Oceanside High School in San Diego and was one of the biggest choir tournaments in Southern California, featuring approximately 25 high schools. It was held from April 16 to April 18, with each day focused on a different skill level.
Although this shift comes with higher expectations in areas such as staging and lighting, choir director Andrew Perez believes that the students were ready for the transition in terms of vocal and dancing ability and skill.
“We felt comfortable that they could handle the advanced [division],” Perez said. “They were up for the challenge and we want them to succeed.”
The performance was inspired by the movie “Mean Girls” and the TV show “Gossip Girl.” Students started with “Circus” by Britney Spears as the new girl and main lead, played by junior Serena Chiu, is introduced after moving to New York City. It was then followed by a mash-up of “Rumor Has It” by Adele and “Telephone” by Lady Gaga and Beyoncé as the second lead and the mean girl, senior Venny Xie, spread rumors about Chiu. The students then sang “jealousy, jealousy” by Olivia Rodrigo and an acapella version of “Million Years Ago” by Adele. “Mean Girl” by KATSEYE concluded the performance by communicating the idea that every girl deserves love.
“The theme is pretty good. I’ve been working on my character [and] thinking about what I would do facial-wise for each song,” senior Happy Gao said. “We [were] all working towards the same goal and getting the [final] placements that we wanted.”
Students started learning the show last November to ensure that they had adequate time to memorize the entire performance. The students prepared through rehearsals after school and on Saturdays. However, the group has encountered challenges in preparing for the new division.
“If a choir doubts itself, you can hear it in the sound. The biggest struggle has been getting the group to believe that they can be successful and own every moment,” Perez said. “Being scared and anxious is a good thing [for the] performance because it means you want to do well and have a good shot at it.”
To support the group, Perez encouraged the students to direct their anxiety into a positive outlet. He also regularly reminded the students to believe in their abilities when they felt unmotivated.
“We try to tell them [to] take that fear and channel it into positivity because at the advanced level, there’s no [other] choice,” Perez said. “You have to own it, want it [and] love it. It’s so intense that there’s no room to doubt yourself.”
Before they went on stage, students stood in a circle and sang the song “Confidence,” a Rhapsody tradition that has been passed down. Students sang this five times in a row, chanting louder each time before linking pinkies to wish one another good luck.
“It was easy to doubt whether we were good enough, but we reminded ourselves that we had worked hard,” sophomore Grace Hsu said. “[During the competition], I tried to stay focused and not overthink. I told myself to trust all the practice we had done and enjoy the moment on stage.”
Despite this new change, Rhapsody in Blue will return to competing in the intermediate division in the future. However, this experience remains representative of the group’s dedication and hard work.
“Choir was a place where I could show more of my personality and a place where I can rest,” Gao said. “I have grown so much as a performer and as a person, and I have made a lot of memories with friends. I will always remember the experience and everything [that] choir has taught me.”
