By Tyler Barth
A teacher competing against her students?
Gillian Erlenborn doesn’t quite see it that way, even though the choir director and her Frelinghuysen Middle School choir each are finalists this week in Morristown Onstage.
“I am technically not performing with the FMS choir. I’m performing with Panic at the Mayo, a band made up of teachers at the district,” says Erlenborn.
She’ll be singing Stevie Wonder’s Sir Duke with her Panic pals in the grownups’ division, while her 20-student choir will belt out Come Alive from The Greatest Showman in the 18-and under category on March 10, 2021.
Erlenborn did edit videos for both acts, in what will be the first all-virtual Morristown Onstage in the show’s 14-year history.
Erlenborn estimates the choir video took 25- to 30 hours to put together. First, she took videos recorded by the students and lined them up by section — baritones together, altos together, and so forth. Then, she did her best to synchronize them to a master track.
“They are wildly impressive in their ability to rehearse on their own,” the Bridgewater resident says of her students.
“It’s quite honestly disheartening to sing alone in your room on mute. They’ve taken this project in stride and have made something truly beautiful. I’m really proud of them, they’ve been able to push through the challenges.”
Fifty-five acts submitted audition videos and 14 were chosen as finalists for Morristown Onstage, an event that has raised more than $1 million for programs in the Morris School District since its inception.
The contest is for amateur performers who live, work or attend schools in Morristown, Morris Township or Morris Plains, and for graduates of Morristown High School.
Up for grabs are purses of $1,000 to the winners of the two divisions, plus another $500 for the audience favorite — Gillian’s band and choir could be rivals for that.
A $250 Rossoff Rising Star Award will go to a promising talent. Winners will also be invited to perform at Morristown Onstage 2022, and the top two vocalists will be invited to audition to sing the national anthem at a New York Jets game.
The choir auditioned with Somewhere in My Memory from John Williams, but fell in love with Come Alive because of its tempo and ease of learning, says Erlenborn.
Most of her students know Erlenborn is doing something else at Morristown Onstage, but not many know what. Erlenborn denies any rivalry.
“The opportunity for us all to make music together and have a goal to work towards, rather than the competition itself, that’s what it was about,” says the Westminster Choir College graduate.
Frelinghuysen Middle School will be well represented on Wednesday’s webcast: Student Aiden Orbeta is a finalist, too. He’s recorded an instrumental version of Stevie Wonder’s Isn’t She Lovely.
While Erlenborn wishes her students could perform live in the 1,300-seat Mayo Performing Arts Center, there are some benefits to going virtual. There is no stage fright. And each student was able to submit his or her best take.
“It’s been hugely helpful for this year, as we’ve been able to engage in making music despite not being able to meet and sing,” Erlenborn says of the music videos.
If the choir wins, its prize money will go to either the choir budget, or to the Morris Educational Foundation, the nonprofit that organizes the show.
Tickets to view the Morristown Onstage webcast at 7 pm on March 10, 2021, are $25, $50 and $100.
