COSTA MESA

Choral groups who lost three young colleagues in car accidents within a day of one another--one less than two hours before the performance--filled the silence with song Monday at the Pacific Choral Festival. David Lam, 22, was scheduled to perform with the Fullerton College Concert Choir when he was killed in a traffic accident outside the Performing Arts Center. Less than two hours later, choir members sang in his memory. Fullerton College Concert Choir members were too distraught to sing selections such as “The Young Lions” without Lam, but other college choirs went on to perform, some changing their selections to help uplift the crowd.

Earlier in the day, the San Clemente High School a cappella choir performed without classmates Aaron Cornwell and Kevin Jordan, who died in a car accident the night before.