High School Choir Surprises Audience With Hilarious Performance of Korean Pop Star ‘Horse Dance’

High School Choir Surprises Audience With Hilarious Performance of Korean Pop Star ‘Horse Dance’
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12/16/2019
Updated:
12/16/2019

When a high school choir performed the William Tell Overture at their crowded end-of-semester concert, the audience was in for more than a taste of classic Italian opera. The choir had a humorous bent to their performance that left ticket holders roaring with appreciation.

In a video that was filmed by one of the choir members’ fathers, Craig McAllister, the Timpanogos High School Choir from Orem, Utah, assembles in front of an anticipating audience. And they got a little more than they bargained for.
Unexpectedly, a female singer starts off the number with a well-vocalized, and apparently well-practiced, whining of a horse! And the audience bursts into laughter. From there, the performance becomes positively equine.

Why the horse, you ask? Well, the William Tell Overture was what the choir members suddenly began “ba-da-bump”ing to in perfect melodic harmony, and in a horse-like manner. That tune, as most are probably familiar with, is the theme song to “The Lone Ranger” TV show from way back in the day, not to mention the overture of the world-famous opera classic by Rossini.

Adding to the humor and the drama—by now they had the entire crowd roaring and cheering—the singers weren’t content to stand planted like fence posts, but rather, they began galloping in a manner reminiscent of Korean pop singer Psy’s “Gangnam Style!”

The choir was accompanied onstage by the high school’s pianist, Melissa Thorne, who helped the galloping tune along.

The choir’s rendition of the William Tell Overture has been spreading laughter around the world since it was posted on YouTube in May 2010. To date, the hilarious concert piece has garnered over 1.4 million views.
The video collected a number of enthusiastic comments from viewers. “Wow, you’re doing great! Our world need[s] this kind of joy and happiness,” wrote one fan. “And by the way Rossini would be pleased!”

“Gangnam Style!” added another. “Haha, in all seriousness, this [is] great.”

“Somebody missed an opportunity not using these young people in a TV reality show,” one viewer commented. “They are talented and so adorable! Delightful performance.”

Another offered a little performance solidarity. “This is exactly what we’re doing when we’re practicing the piece without an instrument lol,” they said.

The high school choir’s performance garnered so much enthusiasm from the general public that McAllister’s video was even featured on the Classic FM radio website in January of 2018.
©Shutterstock | <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/north-hollywood-united-states-america-august-738440638?src=6cec54b4-6123-4979-a93e-dd9ac993957e-1-0">Olga Popova</a>
©Shutterstock | Olga Popova

The original William Tell opera by Gioachino Rossini was premiered in 1829, and the “Lone Ranger” theme opens the musical just as it does in the 20th century TV program of the masked hero.

The rousing composition was the last of Rossini’s 39 operas. Today, the Overture is still a favorite among some of the most esteemed orchestras in the world. Notably, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra played their own rendition of the finale to the Overture one year after the Timpanogos High School performance lent a thoroughly different interpretation to the classic piece.