Now.

I've been in the audience many times here at Morris Performing Arts Center, but I am up on the stage today with my friend Doctor Curtis.

It's good to see you again.

Yes.

And you are putting together the third annual event with various high school performances, all from South Bend.

Yes.

This is a really special music festival you guys are putting together, and for them to be able to come into the Morris Performing Arts Center is truly a treat.

It is for many of the students they haven’t been on the stage.

or even get into the hall before.

Exactly.

We have about 250 high school students off of the South Bend schools.

Okay.

So those are going to be all the high schools.

Curtis Riley, Adams, Adams and, Washington, Washington high School.

Okay, perfect.

And talk to us about the different groups that are going to be performing.

We're going to have choirs, percussion ensemble, orchestra bands, bocce band, jazz bands, women's choirs, male choirs, just the performing arts groups and all the schools.

So some, some schools will be in both several groups.

This is out there.

You're doing it so with the students as they come.

They arrive between 1 to 130.

Okay.

School bus.

And then they get off the bus.

We have to decide by seats.

By seating.

Okay.

And we usually start at the top of the program and go all the way through.

This year, for the first time, we're doing a closing number with everybody.

Oh, that'll be on the stage.

Will be looking like this.

And we'll have choir risers.

And so we're going to start with that piece first.

Okay.

That'll be the first thing to full rehearsal.

Okay.

And then we get that taken care of.

And we'll start at the top of the program.

Okay.

So the students will get a chance to hear each other's groups.

Oh, great.

And in the past, what this does, it does take the whole plot of each each group.

Sure.

Set.

So that's what you got to do.

So it starts at about 130, and then we go until five.

Okay.

Or till the rest is over?

Sure.

So I mean, they're coming in day of the year.

So rehearse together.

So they're already working behind the scenes to getting us all together.

So the teachers have been working with them all this time?

Yeah.

We.

So know what we're doing now after the third year.

When they're not rehearsing, the students will go into the Raclin Murphy Encore Center.

Okay.

Which is right next door and beautiful.

And thank you.

And, several universities and colleges will have recruiting tables for people to talk to about college.

We also have a couple of tables from organizations at the arts to talk to kids about opportunities.

I love that.

And then, you know, that just continues to expand what you guys do in your mission and in providing the arts to the community.

Right.

Well, and also gives the kids a chance to talk to, you know, if you if you're in the choir, if you want to go to college.

Yeah.

Here's somebody to talk to.

Yeah.

They do that time period.

Because I think sometimes kids think, okay, well, I'm just going to go to engineering, you know, or whatever.

I'm going to be a nurse or something, but you can still be a part of the arts within the college, too.

And so that gives us the chance to talk to somebody.

And then they could, you know, and also, we have an exhibit in the gallery right now.

Okay.

Of of the, graphic design students in South Bend.

This is just 49 prints on the wall, so they can see those as well.

Very cool.

They'll be here from one that he uses.

I think this is about 434 five.

So it's all artistic realism going on here.

And then they get to eat in the palette.

Oh yes.

Oh, okay.

Real plates.

You realize you're not just pizza tacos.

Tacos.

Even better.

And, these tacos and chips, and salsa and all that stuff.

But they get to sit around tables with tablecloths.

Will will all.

Glass glasses.

So the whole experience for them, really.

And then they come up on the stage, the performance is going to be.

We are filling the house this time.

I hope so too.

It is open to the public and free.

Free at 7:00.

Okay.

March 31st.

March 31st.

So everyone can come?

Yes.

Come and support these kids especially.

I know many people, especially if you're a parent.

You've seen your individual schools, but to be able to see them all up here on the stage is really something special and unique.

Well, the special is the Maurice.

Exactly.

I want to just walk up here and see how big this is.

Yeah.

Oh, you know, it's like it's very different for them.

And this will be the first.

They will have everybody together in one place to see it perform.

And I think that's going to be a unique experience for them as well.

It is.

Now are all of these seniors or their combines, which was the first would do seniors because I was looking through the names in my I have a daughter who's a senior, okay.

And I used to see a lot of these kids that she's grown up with that aren't going to be up on the stage.

So that's a really great way and so much.

And this will be the third year we studied two years ago.

And how did that start?

Like where did that bloom from?

Jane Moore, who I worked with and I had this idea of the kids together.

And when I took on this position, reached out to the guys to tell us about the.

Okay, it was attached to the arts program and we put this together and the teachers bought into it.

And it gives the kids from South Bend, which is a South Bend program.

Yeah.

A chance to be on the stage before them.

The first year was like, okay, we got it.

We think they make a little tweaks here and there.

Okay.

This year we got to do and we got down pat I think.

And then the kids will come.

And it gives us like this to teach us a chance to be on the stage just as conductors.

That's a great point, too.

Yeah.

I mean, talk to us about the importance of, you know, being a part of the stage in a setting like this and how that might help those kids with their confidence, with their futures.

Talk to us on that.

The one that I did this with, I was in high school.

And college we did is all through high school I did.

Yeah.

Did you go here?

No.

No.

Okay.

Chicago.

Okay, okay.

But that is those experiences of seeing your parents in the audience.

And you are at for the orchestra hall stage in Chicago, which is the sacred ground, you know?

Yeah.

This is this is sacred ground as well.

And so to see a child up on the stage, I think would be very exciting.

But also for the student, you know, nothing is better than applause when you get applause and an audience.

Yeah.

Just sort of set you up.

It gives you the confidence.

You know, I think this is a chance for these kids as individuals to their own groups, but also as a collective working together.

Absolutely.

So that first rehearsal with everybody gets together just learning each other.

You know, they make you do friends.

Yeah.

And they're looking for come and go.

And I love that you sound, you know, with everyone performing too.

But having that one particular, you know, piece where everyone's coming together so they can learn how to collaborate.

Yeah.

You know, there's different experiences within each school setting.

Yeah.

And that's a great way for that.

And different levels.

Different levels of talent.

Yeah.

So the first band can be played with the senior.

Yeah.

Because they're all together.

Exactly.

There's no there's no division.

So it's a chance for the kids to work together.

To make music together?

Absolutely.

So the teachers picked the final piece.

I like that.

Yeah.

Everybody's learned it.

So now we just go ahead and do it.

And, people need tickets for this.

Or can they get tickets when they arrive where they arrive.

Because it's free.

But you can still there's a QR code.

Students have it, have the QR code.

Okay.

And the schools have it.

We printed the posters in Spanish and English.

Perfect.

So that everybody can know what's going on.

And, the QR code is just on the website of of the lesson award.

You can scan it, the ticket will be held, or you can get it.

So they just get it when you come in.

Good or just short?

It is open seating in the city.

Oh, yeah.

If you know you're there, you want to get it.

All right.

The child will be fed the food.

Good, good, good.

So the South Bend High School music festival happening on March 31st.

It's a Tuesday.

Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

7 p.m.. So we hope to see you here.

Get your free ticket and come on out.

And to support all these amazing and talented young people.