Pops at the Pond! By: Madison Bratton

Pops at the Pond (Pops) is a cherished tradition at Hardin-Simmons University (HSU). Pops takes place during the first eight weeks of classes, and students enjoy going to see it.

This year Pops took place on Oct. 2, and a lot of preparation went into making sure it happened. When preparing, students have to choose a song that can range from musical theatre selections to songs from Disney movies and more, then they must audition for a few faculty members. Lastly, they practice and work on their song until it is right where they want it. 

All students are allowed to audition for Pops, and we had many different people sing on Friday. We had seniors, juniors, sophomores and even one freshman brave the stage for this performance opportunity. The students had practice performances along with individual time to work with their incredibly talented accompanists and had to take time out of their busy class schedules to rehearse.  

When asked what went into her song choice Faith Gaines, a senior music education major from Tacoma, Wash., said “Lauren (Sincerney, a senior music education major from Waco) and I have been wanting to do a duet together since freshman year and it is our senior year,” Gaines finally, said. “So it was now or never,” These two ended up singing a beautiful rendition of Space Between from Disney’s famous Descendants 2 movie. The show was filled with serious moments, and amazing vocals but most importantly, laughter from both the audience and the soloists. 

This year Pops at the Pond was a little different. Unfortunately, there was lots of rain the morning of and  therefore the show was moved inside to Van Ellis Theatre. Despite these changes, there was still a great turnout. 

“I missed Pops last year and wanted to take the opportunity to see it this year,” Samantha Cochran, a sophomore psychology major from Krum, said. Not only was the audience supportive during the venue change, but the theatre really allowed performers the chance to move around and truly showcase their abilities.  If you missed Pops at the Pond this year, be sure to mark your calendar for fall of 2027.