When your parents and grandparents, teachers and directors and other supporters stand to cheer your performance, that’s pretty cool.
When your high school peers and even visiting middle school students stand and cheer, that’s next level.
The Harker Heights High School Master Singers have been next level a while and more and more local residents are finding that out as the school’s top choir prepares to perform next week at the Texas Music Educators Association convention in San Antonio.
The choir performed Thursday during the school day in front of mostly students, including some visiting from other campuses.
Last week, on Thursday, they gave their first preparation concert, an evening event at First United Methodist Church.
Prior to taking the stage, Director Spencer Wiley asked them what they were most excited about going into the concert.
Most of the answers had to do with the finale of their program, a full-body, spirit-filled Gospel number called “Maybe God is Tryin’ to Tell You Somethin,’” known by many from “The Color Purple.”
There are six songs in the group’s repertoire that range a gamut of centuries and styles.
One, “Neckereien,” translates “flirtation,” a 19th century Johannes Brahms piece.
The Master Singers’ version includes some fun back and forth response from the girls on one side and guys on the other.
The second-to-last piece, called “City Called Heaven,” features a soulful solo from Mattais Fragoso that speaks longingly of “trying to make it, make heaven my home.”
That leads to the specially commissioned gospel song that highlights soprano junior Cesily McNutt and includes a four-piece band.
“It’s such an amazing honor to experience as a high school student,” said McNutt of the journey the choir is on enroute to San Antonio.
“It’s all heartfelt,” she said, explaining the commitment of the directors and her peers in preparing for the big stage.
“It is going to be one of the biggest and best experiences of my life and hopefully the start to my music career.”
When she’s belting out the high notes, the soloist said she gets into the moment and senses something beyond.
“I forget I’m on stage, and get into God,” she said. “The live band makes it even more heartfelt.”
The Master Singers are one of two high school mixed choirs set to perform at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio during the final two days of the gathering of Texas music educators Feb. 7 to 10.
They have another local preparation concert set for 8 p.m. Feb. 6 at the Harker Heights High School auditorium.
The big event is 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Stars at Night Ballroom in San Antonio.
“One hundred percent we’re improving,” said McNutt. “We keep learning, our directors keep learning. It’s a good, joyful, positive environment.”
