Area school choir to perform with Foreigner

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June 25, 2012

Area school choir to perform with Foreigner

By Michelle Miller Staff Writer The Daily Star Mon Jun 25, 2012, 03:30 AM EDT

A local school choir will rub shoulders with rock royalty this week as its members take the stage with the band Foreigner for a concert at the Wright National Soccer Campus.

Members of Cherry Valley-Springfield's choir will perform with the classic rock band during Foreigner's concert Thursday, a benefit for Catskill Area Hospice and Palliative Care.

The students are the winners of an online video competition hosted by Townsquare Media of Oneonta. Four schools entered into the sing-off, with CV-S winning the public opinion with 35 percent of the nearly 6,000 votes.

First-year choir director Matt Jones said last week that his students were "super-excited" about the opportunity.

"I am so proud of the kids," Jones said. "It is such a huge deal not only for the kids, but for our school to be put out there like this."

CV-S edged out Milford Central School, which received 34.58 percent of the vote. Laurens Central School and Center Street Elementary School also submitted videos in the competition. The four entries can be seen online at http://wzozfm.com/cast-your-vote-in-our-sing-with-foreigner-contest/.

According to radio stations WZOZ's website, the poll was set up to count only one vote per day from each computer. High school or elementary choirs with a maximum of 25 students could participate, and submissions had to be of a Foreigner song. Each school that entered will receive 10 tickets to the concert.

As the winner, CV-S will also receive a $500 donation to its music program from Foreigner.

Jones said the plan is to use the money toward an extracurricular activity such as taking the students to see a show at The Stanley Theater.

"We really are not sure what we will do yet, but we hope to provide the students with an experience that they would not get the chance to do just any day," he said.

Cherry Valley's winning entry features the students performing the Foreigner song "Cold As Ice." The other three schools performed "I Want to Know What Love Is."

Jones said he found out about the contest from a student who learned about it from his father.

"He told me about it the Wednesday before the video was due," Jones said. "I had to get everything ready and permission slips signed quickly. I had it all done within 24 hours."

According to Jones, the choir rehearsed only four times before submitting a video. CV-S was the last school to enter the contest.

Not only did the group sing, but students also choreographed a dance and added instrumentals.

"All the instrumentalists were students. They only put in two practices, and it was quite impressive how fast they put it all together and got the music down," Jones said.

Jones said the manager is supposed to be in contact with him shortly to go over details for the concert.

The biggest obstacle, according to Jones, is now that school is out it will be hard to communicate and get all the students together.

When asked if the students will be performing the same act as they did for the contest, Jones said he didn't think so.

"I really won't know any details until I hear from someone," he said. "It will probably have to be a quick put-together of whatever we will be doing just like the last time."

The plan is to have at least one rehearsal, hopefully two, once more information is known, Jones said.

The concert will be held at the Wright National Soccer Campus at 18 Stadium Circle, off of Browne Street, in west Oneonta. Doors will open at 5 p.m. Foreigner will take the stage at 8:30 p.m. There are two ticket options: Individual lawn seating for $39.50 or individual table sittings, which include food, for $125. Tickets can be purchased online at www.cahpc.org/privpromo/. Families can get up to three free tickets for children 12 and younger with purchase of a ticket. For more information, call 432-6773.