This El Paso Middle School Choir Is Singing With Foreigner Tonight
Tonight is the night, El Paso! Legendary rock band Foreigner is coming to town, and one local school choir is preparing for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform live on stage with the band.
Students from SSG Manuel R. Puentes Middle School were selected as the winners of the Iris & Grizz In The Morning Foreigner School Choir Contest. Let me tell you, It was NOT easy to make this decision so that’s why we left it up to the people of El Paso to decide!
The students will join Foreigner on stage to perform the band's classic hit, “I Want to Know What Love Is.” In addition to the unforgettable performance, Foreigner will donate $500 to support the school's choir program.
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For choir director Diana Gutierrez, the opportunity carries special meaning. A few years ago, her mother's choir at Riverside High School won the same competition, making this a chance for Puentes Middle School to continue the family tradition as a second-generation choir performing with Foreigner.
Gutierrez says her students are passionate about music and have continually inspired her through their dedication and love of singing. Following the loss of her father last year, the students honored his memory by performing a beautiful tribute to “Over the Rainbow” at their fall concert. Her father was a beloved inspiration to young musicians and an influential figure in the El Paso jazz community who encouraged aspiring artists to pursue their dreams.
Gutierrez hopes performing with Foreigner will give her students even more confidence to follow their musical ambitions.
“The $500 donation will also help the growing choir program purchase additional risers for its students and work toward replacing a piano for the classroom,” wrote Gutierrez.
The contest attracted submissions from schools across the Borderland. While we wished every participating school could win, Puentes Middle School earned the opportunity to represent El Paso on stage.
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Tonight, the students will get to experience what so many young musicians dream of: standing alongside a legendary rock band, sharing their voices with a live audience and creating a memory they can carry with them for years to come.
Congratulations to SSG Manuel R. Puentes Middle School! El Paso will be cheering you on as you take the stage with Foreigner tonight.
El Paso Choirs Compete To Sing With Foreigner
Gallery Credit: KISSFM
The Collab: A Community Leaders Program
Gallery Credit: Iris Lopez