Old songs. New melodies. Fusion, South’s extracurricular acapella group, will perform on June 1 in the choir room, Fusion Director Lauren Berryhill said. The concert will consist of 15 songs from the pop genre, senior and Fusion member Peter Hitzeman said.

There will be performances at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., Berryhill said. During the concert, seniors will perform self-selected solos, Hitzeman explained. Since most of the songs will be recognizable, it can create a special experience for the audience and introduce familiar songs in a choral setting, Hitzeman added.

“When [someone] performs a [popular]song, it will mean a lot more to [the audience] when [it is performed],” Hitzeman said. “The thought of them getting to experience an emotion [because Fusion is] performing a song that they love is exciting.”

To prepare for this performance, the ensemble meets every Monday from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Berryhill said. Berryhill believes in the idea of bringing music to life through body language as well as voice.

“It is robotic and colorless [when you] sing without any facial expressions, emotion, or body movement,” Berryhill said. “Music is inherently connected to emotions [and] to feelings, so the only way to engage the audience is to engage the body, feel [songs rather than] just singing them.”

While performing, junior and Fusion member Niki Alexis, strives to push past what she has memorized and fulfill Berryhill’s instructions for members to do. Additionally, Alexis tries to not let mistakes hinder the overall show.

“I focus on staying positive while I am performing because if I make a mistake, no one [will] know,” Alexis said. “I keep [trying to] make it look like I am having fun, because I am.”

Students are not the only ones that have learned from their experiences in Fusion, Berryhill explained. Throughout directing this year, she has grown as a teacher.

“I have gained [the opportunity to] work with the students [and] learn from them,” Berryhill said. “[The students] raise my expectations each time that I work with them [and] they are a joy [to work with].”

Hitzeman is planning to go forth with a positive mindset, cherishing the moment, and giving his final concert everything he has.

“[The audience will] have a great time, regardless of how the performance goes,” Hitzeman said. “I hope we give them a solid performance that [closes out the year].”