The 2018-2019 school year has been a banner one for Visions, the Buckeye Valley High School show choir, which will be on full display for one final time this weekend.
“It’s the last chance to see Visions perform this school year,” said BVHS Choral Director Pam Lyons. “Visions has had a record-setting year this competition season. They’ve earned grand champion at two competitions this year, which is a first in school history.”
The show choir will perform in its annual fundraising cabaret on Saturday, April 6. The event will begin with a silent auction at 6 p.m., and Visions will hit the stage at 7 p.m. to perform its repertoire of award-winning songs and choreography.
The fundraising event will take place in the Buckeye Valley High School auditorium, 901 Coover Road, Delaware.
The price of admission is $12, and proceeds benefit the school’s vocal music department.
Lyons said besides winning two grand champion titles, the group has also won several “caption awards,” including Best Vocals, Best Choreography, Best Costumes, and the People’s Choice Award. She said the cabaret will feature various soloists, duets and small groups, along with each of the high school choral groups: Chorale, Baronettes, Barontonix, a pop a cappella group, and Visions.
Jenna Johnson, a senior, said the small group has worked “very hard this year.”
“Our season started in July,” she said.
In the first competition of the season, the group won the first of its two grand champion awards.
“I cried a lot,” she said.
Johnson said having more students involved in show choir this year then in previous years has really helped the group during competitions. She said the small group of 28 performers has gone up against groups that have had 60-70 people.
She added there is a lot 0f musical talent at school, but the athletes get most of the attention, most of the time. She said the vocal competitions and cabaret “is a way to show the school’s hidden talent.”
Johnson said she has learned some life lessons participating in the vocal competitions.
“Like dealing with trash talk and not letting stuff get to me,” she said. “I’ve learned to let it motivate me.”
Kenzie Prickett, a junior who has performed with the group for three years, said she thinks “it’s amazing being in a small group” like Visions. She said now that the group has won a couple of grand champion titles, the success is starting to rub off on other groups at Buckeye Valley.
“We’re trying to encourage other small groups that they can do it also,” she said.
Prickett said she has also learned a couple of important life lessons.
“In life, you won’t always win,” she said. “You have to work hard and harder to win.”