Trumpets were blowing and the percussion boomed as Andy Perkins directed the band on May 19. While they were performing their last concert of the school year, Bella Voce, Varsity Vocals and the Ambassadors joined them for a commemorative piece called “Trip the Lights Fantastic” which was composed by Perkins.

“In the spring of 2015, I was approached by the band director of Davision High School to compose this song for a student who had passed away,” Perkins said. “I asked the students and staff who knew him to write me letters telling me about what this student was like, and that’s what helped me write the piece.”

Perkins did not only write a musical score for the band. He also included a vocal section of the song.

“I want people to know that everyone in the choir sp…volonteered; I just told them it was going to be a cool experience,” choir director Brad Wright said. “‘Trip the Lights Fantastic’ sounded like a fun song to sing and I thought it would be a great experience for the choirs to sing with the band.”

Wright’s wish was fullfilled as students from the three different choirs gathered on Thursday night. The song was defined by the multiple changes in the tempo and harmonic chords divided in five or six parts.

“The reasoning behind the changes in tempo were because of what I saw as the interpretation of how upbeat and happy this student was,” Perkins said. “I wanted this song to be upbeat and fast paced because I wanted to have the song mean celebration for his life and not mourning.”

The band and chorus’ work was rewarded by a standing ovation at the end of the piece.

“I was really happy to see the reaction of the audience. They seemed to really have liked our performance,” junior Brianna Horgan said. “I would love it to be an annual thing to do a song with the band.”

The meaning of the song inspired more than one on this evening.

“I also decided to dedicate the song to our former band boosters coordinator because she was like this when I first started out in Fenton,” Perkins said. “Unfortunately, she passed away about four or five weeks ago, and that is why the song was dedicated in her memory.”