What words describe a high school student’s feelings when singing back-up to one of country music’s hottest stars?
“Overwhelming, a good overwhelming,” says Woodrow Wilson High School senior Brennan Greef. Greef belongs to Variations, the school’s 45-member show choir, which backed Shania Twain up during her recent concert at Reunion Arena.
Variations is a 20-year-old tradition at Woodrow. Created by choir director Marca Lee Bircher, the group performs 30 to 45 times during the school year in venues ranging from the usual — nursing homes and civic events — to the extravagant. When the Republican National Convention was held in Dallas in 1984, Variations was there to provide entertainment.
“If nothing else, the students learn how to manage their time,” says Bircher. “These are busy kids. They’re very, very, very talented, bright kids” whose activities extend beyond the choir group. Most are honors students, and often the majority of the senior class’ top 10 students sing for the group.
Bircher was skeptical when Twain’s staff first called. She admits she had never heard of the singer, and she doubted whether the students would give up their free Friday and Saturday evenings for the performance.
She didn’t have to worry.
“We were ecstatic,” says Sean Morrison, a senior. “We were completely fixated on Shania Twain.”
For two days — Variations didn’t find out it would perform until the Thursday before the Saturday show- – talk centered on the concert. Rehearsals were scheduled around a Friday night football game and a Saturday morning choir clinic.
On Saturday evening, the group took to the stage. Dressed in choir robes, they backed-up Twain’s rendition of “God Bless the Child” before a full house at Reunion Arena.
Were they nervous?
Not really, Greef and Morrison agree. “It wasn’t an ordinary performance, but it wasn’t terrifying,” Morrison says. “We were pretty focused. We’re pretty professional.”
One reason for that is that selection to the group is competitive. Students audition annually, and fewer than half make the cut. Juniors and seniors predominate, although a few exceptionally talented freshmen and sophomores are chosen each year.
Once selected, the students commit to a demanding schedule: Variations practices <> hours each school day, with additional rehearsals held before special events. During busy periods, such as the holiday season, students may have multiple engagements on any given day.
