By: Leslie Wood ~Guest Writer~

As the semester is coming to a close, many on-campus groups are celebrating their soon-to-be-graduates.

Xavier Singers did so with their performance School’d on March 17 and 18, which was intended to reflect the college experience through song.

Seniors Sarah Rotte and Taylor Jach were also recognized for their long-term membership in the group. The show featured a variety of songs, from The Beatles’ “Help” and “Eleanor Rigby” to OneRepublic’s “Kids.” The show was designed to embody what some of their time in college looked like.

However, this show mainly focused on the first year of college in Act I and jumped to the topic of love and relationships in the second act, failing to touch on other milestones throughout one’s college career.

While some of these performances engaged and excited, portions of this show felt more like a karaoke night than a concert.

Harmonies within songs were weak or did not appear at all. While some performers fell flat vocally, others had entertainingly good performances. Sophomore Sam Ogunleye shined in Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me,” and firstyear Kellie Ann Hogan showed off her effortlessly beautiful voice in both of her solos.

The choreography, led by dance captain Serena Amlie, was highlighted in Calum Scott’s “Dancing on My Own.”

One of the best moments of the night was this piece, sung by Rotte with Amlie, sophomore Lee Weeks and junior Nikki Griffin dancing behind.

Where some of the high-energy numbers could have been less stop-and-go in choreography, they still provided further entertainment.

The band, led by first-year Cameron Ring, was exceptional. The instrumental versatility of the group was something to be noted.

One of the best examples of this is shown by sophomore Lillian Haerr, playing both keyboard and violin. One of the most notable parts of this performance was the energy each performer brought to the stage.

Not only was each singer and dancer having fun, but they also engaged the audience during instrumental breaks at any chance they could.

One of their biggest assets is the community they create onstage and off. Every member wanted to see each other succeed. The show ended with Xavier Singers at the edge of the stage, seniors front and center, beaming at the show they had just put on.

While some elements of this show could have used a little more “studying,” Xavier Singers put on a performance worthy of a participation award.