OPRF students take the stage for a spring concert inspired by the movies: April 16 @ 7 p.m.

On April 16, Oak Park and River Forest High School students will bring movie magic to the stage in a concert that showcases the power of collaboration, creativity, and student voice.

The upcoming choral concert will feature about 250 students from choir, orchestra, and select band ensembles in a program built around music from film and screen. Audiences can expect a wide range of performances, from Skyfall and The Muppet Movie to Encanto, Star Wars, Hairspray, and more.

For Choir Director Meredith McGuire, the concert is about more than a set list. It is a chance for students from different backgrounds and experiences to come together around a shared love of music.

“You’ve got all these kids with different backgrounds and experiences, and they’re all in the same room with this one common thing, which is that they all love to sing and they all love music,” McGuire said. “I just think that’s really special.”

Students began preparing for the performance in February. McGuire said the timeline is ambitious, especially because each choir group is performing more music than usual. But she said the challenge has created excitement and momentum.

The first half of the concert will spotlight the choir, followed by orchestra performances and a combined finale featuring large-group pieces. The closing number, “I Know Where I’ve Been” from Hairspray, will feature a special guest soloist: an OPRF alumna returning to perform with current students.

McGuire said the concert also reflects a strong sense of student ownership. Students helped shape the program by suggesting and voting on music selections, making the performance a true collaboration.

“That’s a big collaboration,” she said. “They’re working together to decide what they want to do.”

That spirit of belonging is central to OPRF’s choral program. McGuire, an OPRF alumna herself, said she is deeply committed to creating a space where students feel supported, challenged, and safe to grow.

“There’s so much competition in the school. There’s so much stress and high pressure,” McGuire said. “I want kids to feel that they can come here and just grow musically and feel safe to do it.”

She described the choir room as a place where students can find their people, build confidence, and develop as performers without losing sight of joy.

The concert will also include a few memorable extras, including a choreographed lightsaber duel during “Duel of the Fates,” adding a theatrical element to the evening and underscoring the creativity students bring to the stage.

As OPRF continues conversations about future facility improvements under Act 3, McGuire said she is excited about what updated performing arts spaces could mean for students. She pointed to the importance of accessibility, natural light, better ventilation, improved acoustics, and more flexible rehearsal spaces that allow all students to participate fully.

Even in the current space, she said, students continue to do remarkable work.

“We just get to do these amazing things because of the work that they’re doing,” McGuire said.

This spring’s concert is one more example of that work in action, bringing students together through performance and giving the community a chance to celebrate their talent, dedication, and artistry.

Choral Concert
April 16
7:00 p.m.

Join us and experience the power of student voice and collaboration on stage.

TICKET LINK