Over the Top Balladeers Let Love Sing

Love is in the air. At least it was on Friday night as the Holliston Community Teen Singers (aka Over the Top) staged their "Songs of the Heart" concert at .

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, the Singers performed some of the best love songs ever recorded, even putting their own spin on some old favorites.

“There is a kind of a pre-Valentine mixture of contemporaries and oldies, from James Taylor and Hairspray to Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson,” said Barbara Stinson, the conductor and coordinator of the unaffiliated youth chorus group.

was geared toward the Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year's holidays when the youth singers’ wardrobes matched the occasion. This time, they had a more unassuming and relaxing vibe with both casual and dress attire played against an otherwise unadorned stage, all of which mirrored the bare bones appeal of the pop hits.

The whole group (just under 20 chanteurs) opened with James Taylor’s "How Sweet It Is.” Some falsettoing tenors and unsure altos quavered, but the baritones and sopranos held the harmony in place.

Eliza Doering then sang a minimal rendition of Death Cab for Cutie’s “I Will Follow You Into the Dark.” Performed with only a trio instrumental recording behind it with a new, female voice, the song informed the audience of pop music’s lasting effect through the generations. The song sounded like it could have been written at any time since or even before Tin Pan Alley.

A few more songs were sung by underclassmen, ending with Robbie Seymour singing Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature.”

“He just likes acting. He just likes singing. It’s a great outlet for him, said Seymour's father, seated with three generations of family members at the evening's coolly lit and appropriately-set tables.

"He just enjoys being on stage. It’s fun. He’s met a lot of people. It helps him overcome his shyness really.”

Nick Lynch gave his all for Bruno Mars’ “Grenade,” sounding almost like the real thing, followed by senior Sara Boudreau singing Sara Bareilles’ “King of Everything.” Classmate Sydney Bache then dueted with Natasha Ostapovicz for Feist’s “1234" before intermission.

“They’re doing a good job. They were really cutting loose in warm-ups. Seeing them do a little choreographing with it is cute,” Stinson said over the break.

The second half was shorter and featured older crooner ballads.

The final song “Without Love” from the musical Hairspray had altered lyrics. They “adapted the words to make it age appropriate,” Stinson said. However, when Nick Destefano sang Cole Porter’s “I Get a Kick Out of You,” the line about cocaine went on unchanged.

In addition to her earlier duet, Ostapovicz sang Ingrid Michaelson’s “Everybody,”  played along on her acoustic guitar.

As with the holiday concert, Louise Grimes accompanied on piano in the pit on about half the numbers. The evening ended in relative docility, the mellowed atmosphere reminding everyone that spring is not too far away.

The next and last performance of the academic year will be May 6, ushering out the seniors.