On March 23, 24 and 25, upperclassmen choir students performed the 25th Annual Encore. With help from choir teachers Joshua East and Olivia Henning, the Lawrence community looked forward to seeing these students perform.

Encore showcases students’ abilities to put together ensemble groups on their own, and the choir teachers get the pleasure of watching each kid grow throughout the years.

“When we see kids up on stage, we remember all of the years that led up to this and are just floored by how much they’ve grown and all the skills they’ve developed,” East said.

Choir hasn’t seen the same Encore as it was before the pandemic; it has been challenging to bring back audience members ever since people started staying home more often.

“We’re just trying to get back up to where we were pre-COVID, so we can spread our music to all the people who see Encore,” senior Grace Malin said.

Additionally, due to the pandemic, seniors have the additional responsibility of reintroducing traditional standards to the juniors.

“Seniors learn a lot from the previous year’s process and they are able to lead the juniors through the year,” Henning said.That being said, some singers have grown up watching Encore since middle school. Becoming one of the performers was a surreal experience for some performers.

“I used to watch these people, but now it’s me, and it brings this crazy feeling of accomplishment,” junior Ava Rivera said.

Encore has been showcasing student talent for the past 25 years at Free State. These singers dedicate time not just to a show, but to a tradition. Their success is widely celebrated across the choral department, especially for the seniors who are graduating after four years of involvement.

“The goal is to just have fun and show the school why the arts are so important,” Rivera said. ”This is our moment to inspire people by what we do.”