WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Students at the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach are gearing up for a big concert event Saturday night.
The students will perform ahead of global superstar Gwen Stefani taking the stage at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.
It's a fundraising gala for the Save Our Musicians Foundation, supporting local artists and music programs.
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Behind the doors of a vocal classroom at Dreyfoos School of the Arts are 20 voices singing as one.
"It just feels like a second home and a safe space," student Ava Lacky said.
"The second the music starts and we start singing and working together, it's really just, we can forget everything else that's going on," student Andrew Gellen added.
Problems melt away.
"It's personally my escape from life and it's such a creative medium to express myself," student Mitchell Thai said.
But this rehearsal comes with a little more riding on it before Saturday night.
"It's not that different from what we usually do, but we're being a little more of a perfectionist with all of it," student Sophie Michaelis said.
The students at Dreyfoos School of the Arts are used to performing on a big stage. But this one comes with extra star power.
"When he first told us that we were going to be opening for Gwen Stefani, I didn't believe him," Lacky said. "I was like, 'no, you are kidding. That's like, insane.'"
Superstar Gwen Stefani will headline Saturday night's Save Our Musicians Foundation gala at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, with these Dreyfoos students as her opening act.
"When we first heard the news, everyone went bananas. Absolutely insane," Thai said. "To be on a stage with Gwen Stefani, someone so big, it's incredible."
"Music is a unifier," said Dennis Cunningham, the CEO of the Save Our Musicians Foundation. "They all speak the same language in music. You don't know what political affiliation you are, what religion you are."
Cunningham said securing Stefani as part of this event puts music education in the spotlight.
"I think there's an endorsement for the need for what we're doing. It's not been done before. There's not this attention for how important it is for children to learn music," Cunningham said.
Proud principal Blake Bennett said Dreyfoos will be well represented Saturday night, on and off the stage.
"Not only do we have all the students participating, providing their artwork, and working on the logistics of it, but the rest of the students get to come and participate and watch the amazing superstar Gwen Stefani," Bennett said.
So as the practice continues, they'll keep striving to hit all the right notes.
"I hope she enjoys our music. I hope she's impressed by us," Michaelis said.
There are still some tickets available for Saturday night's event at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Tickets start at $50.
To purchase tickets and to learn more about the Save Our Musicians Foundation, click here.
