Members of the Odessa High School Chorale will be onstage with the rock group Foreigner tonight during their sold-out performance at the Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center.
Head Choir Director Michael Marcades said the got a promotion about the audition before Christmas and he immediately ordered the music. He said the students will sing the melody of the chorus of “I Want to Know What Love Is” with the band onstage.
“What amazing exposure for Odessa High School for us to win and be onstage with Foreigner they will never forget this experience. Never ever,” Marcades said.
There are 43 students in the chorale and 43 who auditioned via YouTube, but the Foreigner corporation is limiting it to 25. Marcades said the group was pared down to 12 seniors, 11 juniors and two sophomores.
The first day the students were back at school after Christmas, Marcades said he asked the chorale if they want to try out and they did. They had five class periods to learn the arrangement of the song and in the sixth class period they made the YouTube video, he said.
“It was some of the fastest, most precise, quick learning they’ve ever done,” Marcades said. “It was real eye-opening experience for them because OHS is full of talented students in the choral department.”
The contest was open to anybody and they went through radio station KODM, 97.9 FM, Marcades said.
Students will be in the aisles selling Foreigner CDs and raffle tickets for an autographed guitar from the stage tonight.
