At every concert and every performance, from the George H. Slick auditorium, to graduation at Neumann Unniversity, to the streets of Italy, music teacher Mr. John Shankweiler always directs Haven’s selective choral ensemble, the Silvertones.
But on May 6, the Philly Phanatic stole the show.
The Phanatic conducted the ensemble on the field at Citizens Bank Park, as the group performed the national anthem before the Phillies home game against the the Red Sox.
Shankweiler wasn’t entirely left out of the performance. The Phanatic gifted him a kiss.
“A dream come true,” he said.
The Silvertones have performed at Phillies’ games before. This time it was arranged via a connection of one of the students in the Silvertones.
The event was open to any Silvertones member who wanted to attend and sing. Families and friends were also invited to come and support the group by buying tickets and watching.
Shankweiler estimates that about a hundred people attended in support of the SIlvertones.
For junior Michelle Ding, this game was a good reminder of why she enjoys Silvertones and music.
“A lot of times, with early morning rehearsals and preparing for concerts with a lot of more difficult pieces, it can be easy to lose track of what it’s all about,” she said. “Singing at the Phillies was just a really cool, laid back experience that reminded us about all the exciting things we get to do.”
This performance was in between the two weeks of AP testing and offered students a chance to have fun and take a breather before diving into the last couple weeks of school. The goal was to give the students a chance to have fun and make memories of performing in front of a stadium full of people.
“I just wanted them [the Silvertones] to have a fun night,” said Shankweiler.
Junior Henry Reacher had a moment of pleasant shock when the group walked out onto the huge field at Citizens Bank.
“Holy crap, I’m actually doing this right now,” he said. “This is crazy.”
The consensus among the Silvertones was that it was a great experience that brought them a lot of joy and reminded them of their love for singing.
“It was an experience for the ages,” Reacher said.
