De Soto High School’s vocal music program had its first concert of the year on Thursday, Oct. 6.

     The freshman choir, Wildcat Chorale and the select group De Soto Voce (formerly called Madrigals) all performed at the concert.

     This was new choir director Mindy Fry’s first concert with DHS. Though extremely nerve-wracking for Fry, she believes that the concert came together well in the end.

     “It went better than I was expecting, thankfully. … I was much more nervous for me than I was for the singers,” Fry said.

        The last song of the concert was a take on James Taylor’s Shed a Little Light, and incorporated every level of DHS choir. The song was difficult and, according to Fry, was what came together at the last minute for the concert.

        “The last song [was what finally came together]. It was every choir coming together and we didn’t have a lot of time to rehearse it with everyone,” Fry said. “It was falling apart in a few rehearsals, but it came together. We made it through, and it sounded great.”

        According to De Soto Voce junior alto Kirsten Stous, one of the best parts of the concert was the fact that former choir teacher Mary Etta Copeland was in attendance.

        “It was great to have Mrs. Copeland there because she enjoyed the concert and she got to see a lot of her former students,” Stous said. “It was definitely great to see her still supporting Mrs. Fry and the program.”

        Copeland left DHS at the end of last year after teaching for 50 years, but still said that by watching the concert she was able to “learn a lot.”

        “It was great to see [everyone’s] interactions and see everyone continuing to do a great job,” Copeland said. “I also liked the overall theme. The music all fit together really well. It was good to see the different groups and the veterans, of course.”

        The concert’s theme was about peace, hope and light, and was highlighted by the De Soto Voce’s song I Will Be the Light, according to Fry.

        “My favorite part was in I Will Be the Light in the beginning when the voices and the piano stopped and you could hear the thunder rumbling like it was part of the song. I almost started crying. It was so cool,” Fry said.

        According to Stous, the concert was a very positive experience for the vocal music program.

     “I think this was a really good opening concert for Mrs. Fry and we sounded great, so it really established her and gave her a good reputation at DHS,” Stous said.       

     Overall, Fry was content with how the opening concert for the new year went.

     “I’m just really proud of all of the kids. They really stepped it up tonight and I was proud,” Fry said.