Hillcrest High School Vocal Ensemble (VE) have amazing opportunities year round, from going around singing and dancing at senior centers and elementary schools, singing at the assembly hall downtown in temple square, as well as making memories with each other.

This year however over a choral department tour, Vocal Ensemble was joined by 200 other singers to perform Grammy award winning composer Eric Whitacre’s music at Carnegie Hall.

“When we got there to New York they put all of us into separate rooms by our voice part, Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass. We Walked onto the stage and it was an old fashioned bright, big room. Knowing that I was about to sing in front of hundreds even thousands of people felt absolutely amazing, it’s not nerve racking because you’re with everyone.

One thing that I think I’ll never forget is that I now have friends from Massachusetts, South Carolina, everywhere which was super fun” Said Hillcrest Junior Makayla Whetsel.

“Eric Whitacre is awesome, not many people know who he is but when he walked in it was like wow that is the man himself, the first day we got there we had this Q&A for like an hour and a half and it was so I didn’t really like one of the songs called The Seal Lullaby before this concert but working with him got me to appreciate so much.

The Star Spangled Banner is one of my favorite arrangements and hearing him work through it, and work through all his music with his deep passion of music, gave me a better understanding of music itself.” Said Hillcrest Senior Spencer Sanders

Each member of the Hillcrest Vocal Ensemble had their experiences with the numbers they performed. That we’re dedicated to Eric Whitacre’s ex-wife, whom he is still good friends and stays in touch with.

“One of the songs we sang is called The Five Hebrew Love Songs which combines five different interpretations the word love. One piece in this arrangment is called Kalla Kalla when the men say Kalla kalla they’re basically saying kiss me, kiss me while the ladies are La la la la la la over and ov

er again and their response is no, no, no, no.

The Seal Lullaby written by Moses Hogan, when we were sang it, Mr. Whitacre said he wanted the piece to sound airy and light, like we’re trying to put someone to sleep.” Said Hillcrest Junior Jeremy Rogers