Owasso’s Fine Arts go international!
By McKenna Worsham
Photo of Pride of Owasso taken from OwassoBands.com.
The Owasso High School Fine Arts classes have been in preparation for over a year now for their trip to Ireland. Now only a mere two weeks away, the OHS Band, Choir, Theatre and Visual Art students and directors have been putting in the work to make these trips happen. Choir and Band will be together, and halfway through the week, Theatre and Visual Art will join them for a day in Ireland as their trip begins.
“It’s been really fun getting to work with my colleagues in the Fine Arts…just planning this trip together!” Choir director Mindy Bettridge exclaims.
The choir, in particular, has been working on the same pieces of music since the beginning of this year, adding in a few new ones. However, their main focus has been to learn every song to perfection in aspiration to perform alongside the band in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, as well as a few ancient cathedrals in Ireland.
The band has been dreaming of this trip for the longest time, as their trip was the first to be announced. Although, ever since the other fine arts have joined this international journey, it has become all the more important and special.
Studying endless amounts of music, theatre acts and art, these students are simply ready to get those passports stamped.
Choir student Shania Valdivia says, “We have done nothing but prep for this trip since the beginning of the year, with continuously learning new music…until it’s perfected…I am just ready to go!”
This trip, while a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most of these people, was no small expense. These parents, students and directors worked especially hard to cover the cost. There will be about four hundred choir and band students (and chaperones) on this trip… so many people, in fact, that they had to charter a plane to keep everyone together.
These two trips will be a historical moment for all of the fine arts programs at OHS. In Ireland, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a pretty big task to take on, but the band and choir will represent OHS well as they march together in celebration.
“It’s an unusual thing…we just found out that the choir will be singing in the parade with the band, so we’re pulling together [the song] “Oklahoma,”” Bettridge smiles.
This Irish parade will be one you don’t want to miss, so be sure to look out for videos of the Choir and Band’s performances. Anticipation is high, but the Owasso Band and Choir are ready to take on the challenge.
Perhaps Valdivia says it best, “I’m excited…I’m not nervous at all!”