Watch this! Chino Hills High students singing solo, but ‘together,’ to inspire the world

A high school choir in San Bernardino came together to sing – without being together.

They performed a capella, each from their own home and each alone.

But when the voices came together in a bit of video editing magic, their rendition of “Over the Rainbow” delivered a message of hope and resilience in the time of fear. And the video of the ballad sung by a Chino Hills High School choir struck a chord across the country and world, viewed on social media by more than two million people.

“We wanted to spread some hope,” said Laura Rutherford, the Chino Hills High choir teacher.

But the reaction, that was an unexpected surprise.

“It’s insane,” she said.

By Tuesday, March 24, in addition to garnering a million views on YouTube and close to another million on Facebook, where more than 1,900 people thanked and praised the choir for the inspiration, the video also had caught the eyes and ears of national media – “The Today Show,” CNN and National Public Radio.

Somewhere over the rainbow way up highThere’s a land that I dreamed of once in a lullabySomewhere over the rainbow skies are blueAnd the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true

None of that was planned when Imee Perius, communications director at Chino Hills’ district, Chino Valley Unified, came up with the idea. That was on March 14, a day after the district – like others across California – announced it was shutting down to help prevent the spread of novel coronavirus.

Perius explained that the first campus event to be called off because of the school closures was a much anticipated, district-wide choral festival.

“This wasn’t just devastating to our students, who had been practicing for months, but to people in our community,” Perius said.

“I thought: ‘I wish there was a way we could put on a virtual performance.’”

Inspired by a video of Italians singing from their balconies while quarantined in their homes, Perius reached out to choir teacher Rutherford. And Rutherford, in turn, reached out to students in her school’s choir ensemble, the Chamber Singers.

Each of the singers received an email from Rutherford with an audio clip of her playing “Over the Rainbow” on piano. She told them to put an earbud in one ear, so they could hear themselves with the other, and to videotape themselves singing. Each of the students needed to deliver four individual takes.

It wasn’t easy.

“We’re used to hearing the other voices around us and adjusting to each other, trying to blend,” said Rebecca Huff, a senior soprano who spent more than two hours trying to get what she called “a perfect take.”

Huff said the process was tricky, partly because she didn’t want to mess up but also because of other distractions while recording, “like, a dog would bark or people outside were yelling.”

Wynn Phaychanpheng, a junior soprano who has been taking voice lessons since eighth grade, said her quest for the perfect take meant singing late into the night.

“My dad came in and he asked me what was I doing so late …  keeping him up.”

Someday, I’ll wish upon a starWake up where the clouds are far behind meWhere trouble melts like lemon dropsHigh above the chimney topThat’s where you’ll find me

The students weren’t too sure what the final video would look or sound like. They just knew they were asked to sing so they could spread hope.

“We did it for our community,” Rutherford said, noting the song’s message suggests good times follow bad.

“A rainbow shows us something positive happens after a storm.”

It was a message the choir needed, too. Not only did the pandemic close their school and cancel their concert, but they also had to call off a choir festival in Boston that was scheduled for this week’s spring break.

“We were all kind of really down and depressed,” said Huff, the 17-year-old senior. “Choir is like a family…Seeing it all on screen and hearing our voices together, it helps to deal with everything.”

Perius, at the district, got help from a professional video editor, Rob Wiltsey of Glendora. Wiltsey volunteered to merge the 19 solo clips into a single video. On March 17, just a couple of days after getting the ball rolling, Perius posted the video.

“We weren’t expecting it to come together so nicely,” said Phaychanpheng.

The outcome, she added, speaks of how music can bring people together.

It’s not the only song online that’s boosting spirits. On social media one can find Italians singing from their homes even as the virus ravages their country. Or a Spanish pianist and saxophone player playing together from separate balconies. Or sing-alongs from residents of Chicago and other American cities.

The video from Chino Hills show students sharing a moment together, even as they maintain much-needed physical distancing.

“The message people are getting, even in these times, is that there are still ways to connect,” Phaychanpheng said. “The power of music is a unifying factor.”

Perius said she hopes the video, and its accompanying hashtag, #SpreadHopeCVUSD, inspires others.

Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds flyBirds fly over the rainbowWhy then, oh, why can’t I?

from News: Redlands Daily Facts https://ift.tt/33JT7JD