By Nathan Park
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There was fun for everyone at the chorus and Glee Club’s first Bella Notte fundraiser, held at the MHS cafeteria on March 16. The spaghetti dinner and dance were enjoyed by both the hosts and attendees, while reaching the goal of raising $1000.
“It was perfect. It was really good. I got the exact number I wanted and it was a lot of fun obviously,” said Fine Arts teacher Keane Ishii, coordinator of the event.
The money raised at the event will be used to recover funds that were used during the year. “To be honest, this fundraiser was to pay for previous events that we had, the chorus festival, where we had eight buses. We had a camp, which was great but we kind of lost money because it was such a big event,” explained Ishii. Because of the big turnout, chorus and Glee Club will be able to continue holding more shows unimpeded.
Bella Notte’s success was due to the variety of talent that accommodated the crowd’s diverse tastes. Students from inside and out of the chorus program performed an array of romantic-themed genres, from jazz to R&B. More modern dance-oriented music was played in between numbers so friends could have time to party after couples had time to waltz. “I’m sure it was fun for everyone who came. I certainly enjoyed it,” commented attendee Freshman Reese Echavaria.
The dance was also a venue for chorus and Glee Club members to appreciate all their hard work from the previous quarters. “When they perform at such a high level, you don’t get to necessarily celebrate their work. So I wanted to give them that chance,’ said Ishii. Entry-level chorus class Choice of Voice president Junior Eric Salazar added, “We bonded super well. We had such a good time together.”
The event also gave members an opportunity to perform in a new environment. “I wanted the chorus kids to have a chance to perform in an informal and fun setting,” explained Ishii.
The chorus and Glee Club hope to raise more money and make new memories in the next years, as Ishii plans to make Bella Notte an annual spectacle.
