Oh say, can you see? The chorus took to the capital to sing the national anthem at the Braves vs. Mets game Oct. 1.

Preceding the event, the chorus practiced the song every day. Senior Wesley Lanter, a bass, recounted the daily rehearsal.

“The preparation process wasn’t too intense,” Lanter said. “We ran the piece a few times, learned the changes in the music, and taught it to the younger members.”

After school finished that Friday, the chorus ran through the anthem several times, ate, and boarded the buses to the stadium, only several hours before they would perform in front of over 30,000 people.

“The pre-game atmosphere was pure excitement. Everyone was ready to go,” Lanter said. “A few people had jitters, but overall, everyone was hyped to have the opportunity to perform on the field.”

When the time came, the chorus filed out of the stands onto the field, ready to perform. The music began, and they started to sing. At the final word, Lanter recalls the moment that the anthem was completed.

“The experience on the field was euphoric. Hearing the applause before we were even done, surrounded by thousands of people, was incredible,” Lanter said.

When the procession finished, the chorus exited the field and found their seats in the stands. The Braves played the Mets that night, eventually losing 4-3 to the visiting team. Senior Suzanne Cook stayed for the whole game, despite the loss.

“The game was not one of the Braves’ best performances. The game was pretty slow for the first couple of innings,” Cook said.

Regardless of the result, memories of the concert remain will remain with the chorus long after the game was over.

“One important takeaway from the experience is to live in the moment and enjoy this kind of once in a lifetime opportunities,” Cook said.