Every year, the Esperanza Vocal Music program puts on a Choir Cabaret Night to highlight the talents of a good number of singers. This year it was split into two nights in order to double the amount of solos.

The choir director, Michael Fenton, said, “I am extremely pleased with the turnout and school support we received as well as the performances of the students themselves.”

Both nights were opened by a performance by Fenton. He performed a small medially of Tom Petty songs in honor of the recently deceased singer.

Vocal ensemble, concert choir, and vivace performed the same songs both nights. They were conducted by both Mr. Fenton and Ryan Koo, a student teacher.

A junior in concert choir, Seirra Thompson, said, “Practice can be a tedious process, but it’s always rewarding to see how far our work has come.”

The most notable part of the two nights was the individual performances. There was a total of 25 songs done by soloists and duets and one song done by a trio. Every single one of them sounded fantastic, but there was a few that really stood out from the bunch.

The few songs that stood out were because of the strength of the singers. Senior Samantha Zadah’s performance of “Better Man” and Junior Carissa Stewart’s performance of “Somewhere Only We Know” were great examples of this. They produced strong and beautiful songs that stood out from the rest.

There were a few songs that displayed more than just the singing talents of the ones performing. Both Senior Paloma Cervantes and Sophomore Justin Brower played the piano to accompany their singing of “Empire State of Mind” and “Lifeline,” respectively.

Some songs were great because of more than just the musical talent behind it, like “A Little Irony” performed by Senior Connor Clay and “I Really Really Love You” performed by Senior Aubrey Dickens. Clay was quirky and endearing throughout his song, while Dickens was engaging and hilarious with a great control of the stage.

“Honestly, it’s the best feeling in the world to be up there and get to fully invest yourself in a performance,” said Dickens. “For just a few minutes, there’s no stress over AP classes or college applications; it’s just me, the stage lights, and the performance itself. All my worries melt away, and I just get to sing.”