This past weekend the HHS Band put on their 45th annual Pops concert. A long standing tradition at HHS, Pops was a hit as usual.

With a unique theme that changes annually, this year’s Pops was dubbed “School of Pops,” a play on the 2003 movie School of Rock.

Leading the Pops production was not Jack Black, but Mr. William Bell, Director of Bands. Bell’s role in facilitating Pops was small in comparison to other performances.

“We have student acts that do things, so we have a lot of student involvement, and we have students that pick the different acts to perform. I just put all the different pieces together,” Bell said.

As a result, Pops is like no other band concert. Traditional groups like Wind Symphony, Drum Line, Wind Ensemble, LMPM and Jazz Band all made their expected debut. Additionally, lesser anticipated acts like a symphony conducted by London Lowmanstone, senior, as well as the Kazoo Choir were featured.

Ultimately, the diversity of Pops is what is attractive to the students participating, as it is a chance to showcase their musical talents in ways they haven’t before.

However, Pops isn’t all fun and games. Students practice for hours each day, perfecting all aspects of the show, without much time to rehearse between the Winter Concert and Pops.

“We’ve been practicing the music for this concert since the end of our Winter Concert in January. Our band rehearsals are one block every other day, and that’s when we work on our music,” said Megan Carlson, senior, and co-choreographer of the senior women’s dance.

Despite the randomness of Pops, the show closed with a tradition as old as Pops itself, playing the classic MacArthur Park. The song served as a pleasant reminder of the history students are contributing to, and a tradition that will be carried on for years to come.