Clemson University’s men’s and women’s choirs, joined by the Phoenix Chorale from Fountain Inn High School, took to the Brooks Center stage on April 10. These choirs brought show-stopping energy to a set full of cinematic and theatrical favorites.
From “West Side Story” to “Barbie,” the performance included an entertaining blend of energy, dancing and nostalgia that left the audience, well, entirely entertained. There was no chance anyone was bored at any point during the night.
The concert, themed Songs from Screen and Stage, leaned into the familiar. Nearly every song was one that the audience already knew and loved, which made the experience feel incredibly engaging.
The University’s women’s choir kicked off the concert with beautifully arranged pieces such as “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie” and “She’s in Love” from “The Little Mermaid.” Each piece was packed with unique harmonies and minor dance numbers.
Soloist Caroline Rhodes, who performed a mashup of “You’ll Never Walk Alone / Climb Every Mountain,” reflected on the personal impact of the music.
“My favorite songs from the concert were ‘What Was I Made For’ and ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone / Climb Every Mountain,’ because the arrangements were so beautiful, and the dynamics, specifically, were so fun to do,” Rhodes told The Tiger.
She added that performing those songs brought a new kind of energy to the night.
“It was fun to perform songs from movies and musicals,” Rhodes said. “I liked that the audience actually knew most of the songs and got to hear them in a different way.”
The men’s choir also contributed a very theatrical flair, delivering everything from “Let It Go” — complete with dramatic coat tosses mid-song — to “Make Them Hear You” from “Ragtime.”
Rhodes said the “Let It Go” moment was unforgettable: “The women’s choir was watching from the balcony, and we could barely keep it together.”
The show wrapped up with combined performances of “Seasons of Love,” “Baba Yetu” and the Clemson alma mater. Women’s choir member Rachael Saccento, who performed a solo in “Seasons of Love,” shared that the night was very meaningful.
“I grew up doing theater, so getting to sing show tunes again was like a blast from the past. It made the whole experience more fun, and we actually got to move around and perform, not just stand still like a typical choir concert,” Saccento told The Tiger.
“It was really fun to get to sing with the men’s choir and Fountain Inn High School. We didn’t know what to expect at first, but they were all really good,” she added.
This concert wasn’t just any choir concert. It was a theatrical performance and a true passion project for not only the choir director, Luke Browder, but also for every member of the choir.
