The Warren Hills Advanced Choir takes the stage at Ridge High School in Basking Ridge for a Choralpalooza event Nov. 16. The choir is seen being directed by Barbara Retzko, a retired music educator who helped to establish the Choralpalooza event years ago. Choralpalooza is an annual event which is meant to bring together choirs from surrounding school districts – Somerville, Hanover Park, Newark Academy, New Providence, Ridge and Warren Hills – so that singers can share their love for music. They do so by singing hand-picked pieces to each other, giving each school a chance to share a performance before the winter concert season. The Warren Hills Advanced Choir took this time to perform the songs “Mary, Mary” and “Sing for Joy.” Choralpalooza “brings all the choirs together and we bond,” said Warren Hills junior Connor Farrington. “We learn about all of the talent that each of the choirs has and how the future is bright for each person. It is also a learning experience to improve our own singing.” As a special treat, the professional a cappella group “Black to Gold” presented a concert to the students, demonstrating what it sounds like when a group of music-loving performers use only their voices to construct a sound that reflects both the sound of instruments and voices. (Photo courtesy of Richard M. Patricia)