The Charles Henderson Middle School Choir presented their Spring Concert, “Forever Motown,” to a full house at The Studio in downtown Troy Thursday night.

The group, made up of seventh and eighth grade students, performed familiar hits from Motown greats such as The Supremes, The Temptations and The Jackson 5.

“We were nervous and excited at the same time,” said Troy University Choral Graduate Assistant Laura Aaron, who volunteers her time to teach the choir class at CHMS.

“It went really well.”

Aaron said the students had been practicing for the performance since February following their Black History Month show.

The preparation paid off as the students drew an enthusiastic standing ovation from the audience.

With each entertaining performance the CHMS choir has been rapidly growing.

Aaron said since she first volunteered to instruct the class in 2008, the enrollment has increased from 12 CHMS students to 40.

Of course Aaron hopes the program will continue to flourish.

“I hope for many more concerts featuring different genre’s and era’s,” she said.

But with Aaron’s graduation approaching, the future of the program is uncertain.

“We don’t have any funding,” said Diane Orlofsky, director of Troy University choirs.

And without Aaron helping out during second period at the middle school, it might take some financial support to continue.

Aaron, Orlofsky, several middle school students and a big audience are all hoping just for that, because for them, the show must go on.