By Lucy Retterer, Staff Writer

When the rock group Foreigner sang their hit song “I Want to Know What Love Is” in front of a packed-house at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank on May 7, 23 Trinity Hall students joined them on stage. Foreigner chooses a local choir to perform with them at each of their concerts, and Trinity Hall was picked for their Count Basie event.

“We are so honored that we were chosen to sing,” junior Maggie Hough said. “Count Basie is such a progressive place for the Arts.”

Trinity Hall students joined rock band Foreigner to perform their encore song “I Want to Know What Love Is” during the band’s sold-out concert at Count Basie Theater in Red Bank on May 7. (Photo courtesy of Lynn Retterer)

When it was time to go onstage, the singers ran out and stood on a riser in the middle of the stage to accompany Foreigner’s encore song.

“When we walked out on stage, the lights hit us smack in the face, as did the music, and it was this huge rush of adrenaline,” senior Anna Phillips said. “When we saw the audience, it felt like we were rock stars performing at our own concert, and wow did that feel amazing. Hearing the audience sing the words we were singing just created this huge sense of excitement, and I couldn’t stop smiling.”

At the end, sophomore Michaela Horowitz joined the band’s bassist to help finish the song. Horowitz strummed the strings with her fingers to signal the ending and then bowed along with the rest of the choir and Foreigner.

“It was very fun, and I wasn’t expecting it to happen. It was very cool that I got to bow in front of the whole stage, and it was definitely a memorable experience,” Horowitz said, who realized after the performance that she even had a cut on her finger from playing the bass.

After the show, many audience members complimented the singers as they left the theater.

“I had such an amazing experience and I hope Trinity Hall continues to participate in events such as these,” Phillips said.