“You Gotta Sing” said it all right at the start. That was the song that started the East Juniata Junior and Senior High Chorus members annual spring concert on Sunday afternoon, May 21.

The junior high group of sopranos, altos, tenors and baritones performed first, following “You Gotta Sing” with six other selections, including “Galop,” “The Moon,” “Jubilate Deo,” and “Like the Beat of a Drum.” Their section of the program was completed with a musical version of the familiar Bible story, “Joshua Fit the Battle,” and “Hist’ry!”—a number that entertained the audience, but whose less than accurate lyrics no doubt made some social studies teachers cringe!

“Feeling the spirit” instilled throughout the auditorium by the junior high chorus, ninth through twelfth grade chorus members then made their way to the front of the audience and appropriately sang, “Every Time I Feel the Spirit.” Their program progressed with “Pie Jesu” and “Down to the River To Pray.” Two songs which featured solo performances were also featured. Freshman Margaret Edwards was the soloist in “The Gift of Music,” and Assistant Director Andrea Rygel also provided flute accompaniment during that song. Jenna Seaman sang a solo in “Imagine.” Accompanist Brent Snyder, who had also been featured with the junior high group, helped out the senior high singers throughout all of these songs, but things took a slight turn for the show’s final three numbers. “Steam Heat” [from “The Pajama Game”] and “Mississippi Mud” [which Chorus Director Kevin Milliken and some parents remembered as once being featured on the TV show M*A*S*H] were performed as a CD played in the background. The final number was sung acapella as the students encouraged their audience to “Go with a Song in Your Heart.”

And the first place many of those who had attended the concert went was to the hallway in front of the auditorium, where the East Juniata Music Boosters provided cookies as refreshments!