School is out of session for Thomas Jefferson High School but their choir group is using every spare minute to rehearse for a performance of a lifetime.
The young group of vocalists was asked to join the rock band Foreigner on stage during their Council Bluffs concert on July 14th.
“I’m really excited for these kids and to be able to them off,” says Travis Walker, the choir’s musical director.
The invitation from Foreigner’s publicist came late in the school year, when Walker received an unexpected phone call.
“I was teaching choir and my colleague was back at her desk and she gave me this slip of paper after class and she goes, ‘Um, Foreigner called you and wants you to call them back.’ And I was like, ‘Foreigner the band?’ and she goes, ‘yeah.’ And I said, ‘cool,’” says Walker.
Walker says the band’s publicist explained the band selects a local high school from every tour location and asks them to perform for their concert finale.
“I asked them, ‘why us?’ and the publicist told me the band researched groups from the area and chose us because they liked what we’re doing,” says Walker.
Walker says announcing the invitation to the choir group was priceless.
“At first we were like, Foreigner? Cause you know, we’re all high schoolers and weren’t around that time,” says Hunter Gibson, president of the choir group. “But then when we realized they sung all those hit songs and we were so excited. Our parents and grandparents were also pretty excited for us because they know a lot of their songs.”
The group will join the band in front of thousands at Stir Cove inside Harrah’s Casino and sing alongside lead singer Kelly Hansen during their hit song, “I want to Know What Love Is.”
"I thought that was crazy because considering how big of a population Omaha has and how they have some schools with 3,000 kids there and they chose us, a smaller school, but I know that we have talent here,” says Gibson. “We have all the spirit that is needed for something like this.”
“It’s going to be pretty spectacular. The band is going to donate $500 to our group and then we’re going to help them raise money for the Grammy Foundation,” says Walker.
