Memorial Day Weekend: Oakland Temple Open House

There are weekends that you wish would never end, but inevitable they do.  Memorial Day Weekend (we got an extra day) started Friday.  Mark and Elliott, Natalia and Ayden all flew in that day, and we met in San Jose for the Cupertino High School Spring Concert.  They kids had a chance to reacquaint with Mr. Aron.  And we enjoyed a good show.  They presented, as is their fashion, four mini concerts.  The men’s choir did Elvis Presley, The women, Hairspray, the advanced women’s Frozen and the cappella choir Grease.  It was a great show, and then after the kids spent time with Mr. Aron, and pictures were taken. 

Saturday Caleb also arrived.  Sheri went and gathered him from the airport, while Jeremy and Mark and boys went on a hike.  I mowed the lawn.  That evening Sheri and I watched grandbabies while all our kids did a sibling trip to an escape room in Modesto.  They ate ice cream after. 

Sunday Charity had arranged for she and Caleb and Jeremy and Natalia to sing in church with Miranda playing the piano.  They sang, “I Stand all Amazed.”  We had a family barbecue with Anthony and Caleb manning the hamburgers and hot dogs.  The Normans were out.  They too had a big weekend as Heather went through the temple for the first time in preparation for her wedding in August.  So we met her fiancé and Mark, Diana and Anna were also here, along with all our kids and 8 of 13 grandchildren. 

Monday we toured the temple with all of our children.  Mark went through with Elliott and it was fun to see him explain the pictures, including John the Baptist baptizing Jesus.  Jeremy and Kayla were able to tour the sealing rooms where hopefully they will return soon.  Haley Dawn and Camberly Rose were all dressed up in dresses.  It was a fun tour, and then pictures after.  We also did the walk around the top.  The Visitor’s Center was too crowded so we missed there.  It was a fun time. 

We went home separately as Mark and Caleb were headed back to the airport.  Natalia and Ayden stayed a few more days.

Christmas Music form My Youtube Channel

This is my Christmas Music List.  It includes personal covers, several songs from Cupertino High School choirs, Tony's school concerts and a few other songs.  Enjoy.  It starts with Handel's Messiah.

Mr. Aron for Teacher of the Decade

sorry, the pictures are from other concerts, but we had no camera last night

The Spring music concert is always a fun evening at Cupertino High School, and this year was no different.  The four choirs take part in a non formal entertainment, dawning costumes and dance steps.  They perform to recorded music without the voice track.  Two of me girls, Miranda and Charity, and I atended.  Caleb also wanted to be there, but had commitments he couldn't break, including his first official date.

The beginning women's choir, Cantible,  got things started.  Their soloist were very good.  They sang a set from Hairspray.  My only complaint is their costuming.  If they were singing songs from the 60s they should have dressed more modestly than they did.  Their costumes distracted from their music.

I must say the Men's Chorale (largest class at Cupertino High School) stole the show.  The sang a series of "Old and New Pop."  Their dance numbers were the cutest.  There was one choir member, whole wowed the crowd with his butt shaking.  It was very fun.  But the best part of their set was when they turned serious and melancholy with a two song set from, "Plain White Tee's."  The sang "Hey there Delilah" and "1-2-3-4."  I was totally convinced that each of those young men had a love someplace in the world they were singing to.  This is a stretch for me, but I even enjoyed the rap song they sang, "Billionaire."

We were pleased to hear a quintet not in the program sing, "Send it On."  The vocalist did a very good job and it was very pleasing to listen to.  They projected well, and it seemed a present for the graduating seniors.
 
The advanced women's choir, Cantos, sang a set of songs which had been part of "Glee."   They too sang a more mellow song, "Like a Prayer," which was very moving.  The dancing was most enjoyable for a Madonna song, "Vogue."  The young women were really in character.  The used glow sticks effectively for their last number, "Firework."  When they spun the lights in circles it created an eerie effect.

Capella did a set from "Grease."  They of course had the best vocals, singing more intricate harmonies, and reaching the farthest.  Their men's only and women's only pieces :Hopelessly Devoted" and "Greased Lightning" were not my favorite.  Their set was slowed up with too many costume changes, and too much dialogue (to facilitate the costume changes.)  The singing and dance moves for "Hand Jive" were very intricate and entertaining.  Their last number, "We go Together," was also very good.  It had lots of energy and lots of intricate vocals.


The evening included tributes and honoring of the seniors.  Had we not moved, Miranda would have been on stage and honored as a four-year senior.

The evening then ended with a traditional song for Mr Aron, "Seasons of Love" from Rent.  My girls, Charity and Miranda, who were with me, sang with the choir.  It was fun to watch as many of the choir members were in tear and could not sing.

It was a bitter sweet moment for me.  This is the first choir concert that Mr. Aron conducted at Cupertino that I did not have a child in the game.  If I am not mistaken, that is eleven years.  Natalia was already in the choir when Mr. Aron took over.  In fact, she sang many solos her senior year, and received the first vocal music award Mr. Aron gave out at he school.  There have been four concerts every year, Debut, Winter, Classical and Spring.  There have been other performances such as baccalaureate and graduation.  That means I have attended close to 50 concerts,with my children singing.  This was the first without, and it felt different.

The evening then ended with the choir members chanting, Mr. Aron, Mr. Aron, Mr Aron... as a tribute.  It is amazing how a good man, doing his best, can influence for good so many people.  Mr. Aron has had hundreds of students each year, and I know most of them will say they are better people for the experience.

The past decade has been fun.  I know, having choir as a place of refuge, has kept my children going to school, and even enjoying it at times.  Miranda, as we drove away, talked about how choir was a life saver for her.  I so I say, "Mr. Aron for teacher of the decade."