When Hillcrest Junior High Concert Choir members stepped onto the ice Jan. 30, many experienced a new kind of spotlight beyond their usual auditorium stage.

“When the lights shine on the students and we’re in this large arena, it’s an unforgettable moment,” said choir director Krystin Elder about their January performance. “There’s no real way to prepare for it, but it’s such an awesome feeling and fun experience for the kids. It gives my advanced students an opportunity to do something special and shine.”

The choir has a long history of performing for the Utah Grizzlies professional minor league hockey team, but this year has a bittersweet note.

“They work hard to get ready for it and look forward to it, but this will be the last year,” she said since it is the Grizzlies final season here as they are relocating to New Jersey next season. “For some, it’s also their first experience at a professional hockey game.”

The tradition began years ago when the Grizzlies invited the school to apply and Hillcrest has returned almost every year since, except during the COVID-19 restrictions.

“One year, we tried to take everybody and we made a big tunnel onto the ice for the players to come through; that was kind of crazy,” she said. “Other years, when they’ve had two choirs perform, we’ve sung other patriotic songs like ‘God Bless America’ and ‘This is My Country’ and we’ve sung on the concourse.”

Performing on the ice requires extra preparation. 

“‘The Star Spangled Banner’ goes from very low to very high so we work a lot on vocal technique,” she said. “Out there on the ice in an arena, there’s a lot of dead space and it’s hard to hear acoustically. So, they work on listening to each other.” 

The Grizzlies, in turn, supports the choir financially. When families purchase tickets for the game, a portion of the sales goes directly to the choir budget, which covers music, performance clothing and other costs.

“We have kids who can’t afford to buy a tie or a white shirt, so we maintain a clothing library and that lets everyone participate,” she said. “We want to give all students access.”

Looking ahead, Elder hopes to find similar opportunities to give students the thrill of singing on the big stage that connects them with the community.

“The kids always love this experience and it’s a great opportunity to bring their families and friends,” she said. “It’s a cool thing to do and a memory they’ll always remember.”