On March 8, the JP Stevens Choir had its annual Cafe Night in the cafeteria. It lasted from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and treated audience members to delightful performances and cookies to share. Cafe Night was a concert to raise funds for the senior scholarships, which have been annually given to choir students to reward their dedication to the program. The performances consisted of the Concert Choir, Acapella Choir, and Chamber Choir along with some phenomenal soloists. These soloists were all seniors who sang about “celestial bodies” to convey the overall message of “Loving you to the Moon and Back.” They blew the audience away with the sheer variety of song selections: broadway, classical, and even pop. 

The night started off with the Concert Choir with “Ad Astra,” which means “To the Stars” in English. The song enforced the celestial theme for the night and surrounded the audience with a whimsical and alluring song that was full of hope and prosperity. Then, the soloists started to dazzle the audience with their amazing voices: senior Aishika Ghante set the stage with the song, “Top of the World.” Following her was senior Anika Valluru who sang “Fragile” by Laufey, an angelic song for the audience. To conclude the first round of soloists was senior Nikhil Mula, who showcased operatic music with “Tu Lo Sai ” and added to the variety of the night. 

“The students put on a wonderful concert and successfully sang a lot of difficult music,” said Ms. Regina McElroy, assistant director of the choir. “Their growth from our last concert is quite remarkable and I am looking forward to how they will sound at our next one!”

Then, the Acapella Choir came onto the stage and sang three songs: “Soon I Will Be Done,” “Good Night, Dear Heart,” and their breathtaking “Fire.” The first song was based on African American slaves who were anticipating death and waiting to be reunited with their loved ones. The choir stunned audiences with the many harmonies, the playful dynamics, and the clear pronunciation of words which helped to elaborate the true message of the song. Next, the song “Good Night, Dear Heart” showcased skillful blending and mixing of voice parts. Then came the crowd favorite, “Fire,” which utilized many different voice techniques such as body percussion, calls, and even sinister laughter. It was a contrast to the theme of the night and was welcomed by the audience with bolstering applause and praises. 

“One of the highlights of Cafe Night for me was getting to see all the seniors perform,” said junior Shraddha Rahul. “It’s truly a wonderful way to support and celebrate them, and they all did amazing!”

Afterward, the soloists senior Mansi Tarigoppula and senior Medha Valluri sang the classical pieces: “Love in Portofino” and “O del mio dolce ardor.” Each of their voices matched their respective song and showed the complexities of classical vocal pieces. Next, senior Siddarth Lakkotu sang “King Of the World,” a song full of emotions. The last performance of this section was a group consisting of seniors Nishanth Bhargava, Ankith Kunduru, Phillip Kim, Antony Bella, Siddarth Lakkotu, and junior Shravan Venkat. They performed the famous song, “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John, and riled up the crowd with theoretical singing and fun-filled performance.

This was followed by the Chamber Choir performing two songs: “If We Want to See the Sunrise ” and “The New Colossus,” both astonishing the crowd. “The New Colossus” used body percussion, an enticing element to view. The last batch of soloists for the night consisted of seniors Aayushi Mallik, Adwaitaa Goswami, Sanika Godbole, Oshmi Gosh, and Navya Joshi who performed diverse pieces such as “Watch What Happens” from Newsies and “In Uomini in Soldati”, which was another beautiful classical piece.

Lastly, the Concert Choir came back up onto the stage and sang “Moon River” which was a more somber song and utilized the harmonies of different voice parts seamlessly. The last song was “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra and was accompanied by the band with instruments including electric guitar, bass guitar, and drums. This song brought the spirits of the audience up with the nostalgic piece and ended with a round of applause.

Indubitably, the night was a big success and it was a great way to fundraise for the senior scholarships and showcased the exceptional JP Choir.