• I think my favorite was at the 10th Anniversary Concert at 6th & I, when a rainstorm started while we were singing Whitacre's Sleep. I'm not usually one for special effects as choir concerts, but for a brief moment it felt like the whole universe was resonating at the same frequency. — Henry C, alumni

  • Getting to meet Hugh(e) Jack(ed)man and performing on stage and in the crowd at Capital One Arena with DC's best choral group was an experience of a lifetime! - Nate S, alumni

  • When we were hired to flash mob that super fancy wedding, had to pretend we were guests, and the bride was caught completely by surprise singing “All You Need Is Love” — Jessamyn, alumni

  • All of our Managing Directors: Heather McMonigall Keen, Amy Corley Strouse, Bryan Oh, Tess Brandon, John Stassen, Martha Keller, Henry Clapp, and Lily Roberts! — Sarah, alto

  • The massive game of sardines which spanned the entirety of that HUGE mansion we rented. By far my favorite choir retreat memory — Kyle, bass

  • The time when we sang a holiday set at Vice President Biden’s residence, Joe Biden slapping me on the back and telling me, “Hey, man, thanks for coming!” I will never forget the time Joe Biden called me “man.” — Haninah, bass

  • One of my favorite 18SS memories is the time we performed "Symphonie Monoton-Silence" at the National Gallery of Art - a piece that consists of a single chord for 20 minutes followed by 20 minutes of silence. One of the strangest - but most memorable - performances I've ever been part of! - Emma, alumni

  • In 2011, our choir was approached to have a few of our members record the choral tracks and a few solo tracks for a musical written by the Salvation Army called "Our People." Ben got 12 of us together, and we spent a few weeks rehearsing the music at his apartment before spending a weekend in a recording studio laying down the tracks. The musical itself had some...interesting lyrics, but we had a lot of fun rehearsing and performing. Also, it was a wonderful experience to see what a real recording studio was like and the process that goes into recording a soundtrack. My favorite highlight had to be Josh Adler absolutely killing it in the role of Satan. — Sarah S, alumni

  • Singing Santiago from Path of Miracles in the January 2018 concert - probably the hardest song we did in my 4 years with 18SS and just thinking about it makes my heart swell. Looking around the choir when we got to the fast unison part and seeing everyone totally in sync gave me chills. I miss everyone a lot! — Dave J, alumni

  • I have very fond memories of various 18SS outings to theme parks, pumpkin patches, Renaissance Festivals, and restaurants! This is a picture from a pre-Thanksgiving feast we had in Eden Center after a concert. — Jess, alto

  • Singing on stage with Demi Lovato was one of the coolest experiences I will ever have! We were mostly “hype dancing,” but the energy from the 20,000 fans at Capital One Arena was unbelievable! — Jess, alto

  • There was the time we sang at the Swiss Embassy, with a Swiss choir. That was an all men's choir, I think, many of a more distinguished age, and wearing what I vaguely recall to be some sort of Swiss pastoral outfits (sort of a toned version of lederhosen). There was a reception that happened after the performance, and I think at one point we sang with them, either a song we all knew, or something they were trying to teach us. It was pleasant, if a tad awkward. — Mark, bass

  • Singing with Hugh Jackman. So many fun vignettes from that one (he's not as tall as you'd think, very slender, very friendly, but we couldn't touch him or give him gifts!). Wasn't there one choir member whose choreo in one of the songs meant they got to interact with Hugh onstage, which tickled that person to no end? (Carter!) — Mark, bass

  • Singing Whitacre's Sleep at the 5th and I synagogue just as a thunderstorm started and accompanied us throughout the entire piece. Very deux ex machina. — Yannick, bass

  • “Disarono on the rocks” — Alex, bass

  • “Urban family” — Alex, bass

  • The slap bet between Brian Oh and Matt Cook — Alex, bass

  • Summer “retreat” in Ocean City + Seacrets night club — Alex, bass

  • Singing for Obama’s tree lighting with the Celtic Woman and Ray LaMontaigne — Alex, bass

  • Singing in the Capital One Arena as backup for two amazing artists (not at the same time!) - Demi Lovato and Hugh Jackman. What a rush! My personal favorite was singing "One Day More" with Hugh. He is truly the Greatest Showman. — Rachel, alto

  • Retreats with friends on the Eastern Shore, with yoga and drumming breaks between rehearsals! — Rachel, alto

  • Getting together with a group of singers in panda hats at the DC Popup Bar, Holiday edition was one of the best caroling experiences I ever had! — Nate, alumni

  • Dance parties, flip cup, and playing kings at retreat. — Jessamyn, alumni

  • Performing at the Kennedy Center and the White House — Jessamyn, alumni

  • Meeting now husband Praveen after we did a gig at Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation where alum Andrea Agalloco worked — Sara, alto

  • How the choir transitioned to supporting parents. Singing while pregnant. Singing post-partum. Pumping during concert intermission. Singing concerts to my kiddos, who still wave their arms around “like Mr Ben.” — Sarah, alto

  • My most impressionable memory of 18SS is my first concert where for a brief moment, the music was so transcendent that I didn't notice how drenched my shirt was getting. And then the moment the song ended, it was as if my floating spirit was slammed back down into my body by the cessation of the music and I and my neighbors felt the splash of sweat from my body because the AC was NOT working in Trinity Church. It was HOT. And I STILL stayed for the whole concert. ;-) — Victor, bass