On Oct. 17, 2023, the Bonita Vista High (BVH) Vocal Music Department (VMD) hosted a preview showcase for their upcoming Halloween performance, SCREAM. The showcase was held during lunch in the Bolles theater, open to all students. According to Assistant Director, Baritone Section leader and senior Trevor Braaten, the showcase introduced the VMD’s annual Halloween performance and set expectations for what students at BVH could look forward to.
“The showcase was a way to get [students] interested in [VMD’s] showcase that is on Oct. 20 and 21. [It helps] get more students to come to the shows and get more involved with the campus,” Braaten said.
Braaten has participated in VMD since his freshman year and has completed the first VMD showcase of the 2023-2024 school year. Moreover, senior Sydney Arias describes the preparation process for the showcase, explaining that students prepared since the beginning of the year and worked to develop as well as improve ideas overtime.
“The showcase was not much [last minute work] because the VMD already learned it [overtime]. In the showcase we brought our outfits and we performed ‘Levitating’ by Dua Lipa which is the third song we are going to perform at SCREAM,” Arias said.
According to VMD students the fall semester is the most challenging as they prepare for the SCREAM seasonal performance; biggest performance of the year. Including a showcase into the plans builds excitement among students and gives insight on what the VMD has prepared for their anticipated performance.
“I think that [ VMD] decided to have the showcase because it is important to show [BVH] what [VMD] has to offer. It is also important to get the student body involved with live performances and what [the VMD] does. It gets students excited to watch us perform and continue to watch,” Braaten said.
The BVH music department looks forward to improving and continuing to advance in the halloween performance over the years. According to VMD director Michael Atwood, great things are expected for the program as he continues to set goals for students and build a community within the department.
“The motto of the year is to build a house for the fall and live in it in the spring. SCREAM [is the big] show and then once it is over the year gets rolling. [Also the department is able to] learn the choreography faster and I can say less [in rehearsals]. Once we get all the kinks out, the rest of the year helps itself. Less mechanics and more interpretation and [the department] knows it,” Atwood states.
Therefore, Atwood explains that as the year progresses there will be less orders and structure from the director as responsibilities will be handed to the students to work together on to fulfill. Through opportunities like the showcase, the music department looks to provide BVH students with a better understanding of what VMD hopes to capture in their artwork.
“[The VMD] wants BVH students to be able to see what [VMD does]. If students are interested in what we do, then they should be able to join and have the fun that we have,” Arias states.
Atwood motivates VMD students to show their hard work within their artwork, to inspire other BVH students. From this, the department hopes to bring more attention to their work and encourage a greater audience.
“I am always in favor [of encouraging the] students to perform something and I hope students come to see the trophies and what we do a lot here on campus. It has a history, so any excuse to get students in this room, I will do it,” Atwood said.
