GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Van Andel Arena was full with the sounds of music on Tuesday night as rock bands Foreigner and Styx performed, along with special guest John Waite. But perhaps the most excited performers of the evening were high school students. The Hudsonville Varsity Voices performed "I Want To Know What Love Is" on stage with Foreigner.
The choir won the opportunity through a contest put on by 97.9 WGRD. Back in May, the radio station asked local choirs to submit a video of them performing the 1984 power ballad. The station's listeners then voted on which choir would win the opportunity to perform on stage with Foreigner.
13 ON YOUR SIDE spoke with students outside the arena after Tuesday night's performance.
"I felt like I was on cloud nine, especially when we got on stage. I looked out and I saw everyone's phone flashlights. You know, you always dream about it. It's a crazy experience, and it was just even better that I was on stage with some of my best friends behind me," said Naomi Jarvis, a member of the Varsity Voices who just graduated from Hudsonville.
"I never have would imagined that ever happening in my high school career, and just getting to do it with these people - these amazing, talented students, is just even better."
Since the students just recently found out they won the competition, they didn't have much time to practice.
"We didn't get a lot of preparation, but we were all very professional, and it was kind of a professional practice and we just had to kind of go on. It was just an amazing experience. It all went by fast," Jarvis said.
The Varsity Voices is just one of several choral ensembles at Hudsonville High School. Students range from grades 10-12 and perform advanced difficulty levels of music.
"We're all a family. That's just the way to put it. I've grown up with choir for so long, and it's just a special group of people each year, especially in Varsity Voices. You just make a deeper connection than any of your other friends that you make in high school, and you just really can rely on them for anything," Jarvis said.
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