Carmel High School senior Kayla Phillips is glad to make one last appearance with Select Sound’s pop a cappella ensemble.
Select Sound will present an “Ear Candy” concert at 7 p.m. April 22 in the CHS Auditorium.
“I’m really excited to share the stage with this amazing group of people,” said Phillips, a member of Select Sound for three years and the Ambassadors show choir for two years. “I’m most excited for the senior small-group number we’re performing. After all of the craziness COVID has brought, especially to this senior class, I am really looking forward to singing my heart out with my fellow seniors.
“There is a wide range of repertoire you will hear at this concert, going all the way from pop hits, classical pieces, mashups and even a sea shanty.”
Phillips said her favorite numbers in the set are “Light In The Hallway” by Pentatonix, performed by the seniors, and “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield, performed by the entire group.
“While Select Sound is not a competitive choir like Accents or Ambassadors, the cohort schedule has really impacted our rehearsals,” Phillips said. “This group consists of 18 people, and lots of our music splits into many parts. With the cohorts, one class has seven people and the other has 11, which makes our typical rehearsals more challenging. We have had to do a lot of after school and evening rehearsals to make up for this setback, but I am very grateful for all of the time I get to spend with the entire group.
“Being in this group has been such a gift for the past three years, and it has given me some of my best high school memories and I can’t wait to perform in my final ‘Ear Candy’ concert.”
Senior Mollie Mathison is eager to perform for a live audience for the first time in more than a year.
“The audience can expect to hear a variety of repertoire,” Mathison said. “A few of the numbers include ‘Higher Ground’ by Stevie Wonder, a beautiful arrangement of ‘Blackbird’ by The Beatles, ‘That Lonesome Road’ by James Taylor, and so many more.”
About 500 tickets are available for socially distant seating in the auditorium for the Select Sound.
For more, visit secure.payk12.com/school/Carmel—Performing-Arts/671/item/195424.
In addition to Select Sound, Mathison is in the all-girls show choir, the Accents.
“It was initially very tough to accept that we weren’t going to have a normal competition experience this year,” Mathison said. “But as the year went on, I realized that we have a unique opportunity to impact our community.”
In addition to Select Sound, Mathison is a member of Accents.
In conjunction with the Great American Songbook Foundation, the Accents will perform at 3 p.m. April 25 at the Center Green in front of the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts. Alumni of the Great American Songbook Academy Competition will perform music by some of America’s iconic composers, including Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin and Irving Berlin.
“I am hopeful that we are able to reach people with our music that usually don’t get to hear and see us,” Mathison said.
Senior Yumi Colombo said “the best part of any concert is sharing our love and appreciation of music with the audience, and we get to do it this year with more citizens of Carmel.”
Colombo said the songs she enjoys the most are “Let Yourself Go” and “Love is Here to Stay.”
“Their overall messages about living life to the fullest and the power of love really resonated with me,” she said. “Now more than ever, it is really important to spread joy and love, and I think this show really embodies that. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to perform for the community and I really hope it brings people joy and gives them a reason to sing and dance along with us on April 25th.”
