The Palo Alto High School choirs’ Pops Concert with a Bay Area music-themed focus got the audience snapping, clapping and cheering on Wednesday for their last performance in the Haymarket Theater.

According to choir teacher Michael Najar, the choice of the theme of the concert, the Bay Area, was influenced by many factors. Performances ranged from solos to small groups to larger groups and included a San Francisco-themed medley that was performed by the Beginning Choir.

“The Bay Area needs a little Bay Area love,” Najar said. “With all sorts of things happening, like the Super Bowl coming to town, it just seemed like the right time to do a Bay Area theme.”

The Pops Concert, unlike other concerts, is much more casual and allows the students to express themselves through the music that they select to perform, according to Najar.

“They choose the music,” Najar said. “They work on it. They rehearse with each other. They work through all the problems that a regular musician would have in putting together a concert.”

According to junior Taylor Duncan, the Pops Concert allows the students to form a community.

“This is the concert where it’s super laid back and it’s not so choral-heavy,” Duncan said. “We get to know everyone in the choir and in Beginning Choir and in all the different groups a lot more. It’s awesome that we really get to connect in this concert.”

The entire choir sported tie-dye shirts, which were hand-made last Friday after school on the Quad in an activity led by junior Spencer Wycoff.

“Mr. Najar got a bunch of blank shirts with the Paly Pops Concert logos on them, so we tie-dyed them on Friday after school,” Wycoff said. “The shirts that look extra dope are the ones that I made.”

The Pops Concert was the last that the Paly choirs will perform in the Haymarket Theater, according to Najar.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do next year,” Najar said. “I can’t stand the Haymarket, but things are going to change so we’re excited about the change.”

According to senior Sean Jawetz, choir is a great way to create art, and this experience is enriched by the Pops Concert.

“It [the Pops Concert] really turns choir from a class into a community,” Jawetz said. “I will definitely continue to do choir in college because I think that choir is a great art form that allows you to express yourself and do something fun.”