The San Dimas annual fall choir concert took place on October 10 at 7 pm at the Bonita Center for the Arts, filling the music hall with music from San Dimas and Lone Hill. Each group brought its own style and story to the stage, creating an evening that highlighted both musical growth and community spirit.
In the weeks leading up to the concert, members of Chamber Choir, Bel Canto, and Chorale have practiced the complicated rhythms and harmonies diligently, in hopes to put on a performance that exhibits their hard work. Each ensemble dedicated countless hours to rehearsals, many students even balancing their demanding schedules to practice their pieces, and under the director Mr. Pugh’s guidance, worked on expressing the emotion and meaning of every piece.
The high school choir program has three groups, with the Chamber Choir performing four standout pieces. They opened with the energetic “Wild Forces,” full of complex rhythms that immediately drew in the audience. Next came “O Vos Omnes,” a slower, beautifully blended piece showing the choir’s expressive side. “Belonging,” a new work by Amy Gordon premiered by the ensemble, shared a powerful message about feeling isolated and yearning to fit in.
Abigail Lawrence, the choir president and a member of the Chamber Choir, remarked “that choir has grown a lot throughout the year,” and even with “a larger choir with a lot of new people”, the group made it “to where we needed to be, and it was a performance a lot of people enjoyed and the highlight of the concert.”
The set ended with “Lead with Love,” a moving finale that had the audience nodding along while reflecting on its deeper meaning. Bel Canto, the women’s ensemble, brought a softer, lighthearted set, that captivated the audience by its’ pleasantness. Their performance of “River Song” was memorable and bright, while “Riddle Song” had a charm that intrigued the audience. They finished with “Down in My Soul”, an upbeat, gospel-esque piece that filled the theater with joyful energy.
Chorale, the beginning ensemble, opened with “Set Me as a Seal,” a tender piece about love enduring through hardship. Their harmonies conveyed devotion and strength, setting a heartfelt tone. They followed with “Like a Mighty Stream,” a powerful song celebrating unity, justice, and the pursuit of noble dreams.
The soloists from San Dimas, Isabella Vargas and Leanne Flores, both from the Chamber Choir, performed a praiseworthy duet of “Juna” by Clairo. Their execution captured the song’s dreamy and intimate atmosphere with remarkable vocals that the audience is sure to remember.
As the curtains lowered and the audience rose in applause, it was clear that San Dimas High School choirs had once again delivered a successful fall concert, an outstanding sold-out show and a perfect start to a year of many more performances yet to come.
