The Sterling High School Spring Music Concert has included choir, band, and orchestra every year, but this year there are two new additions to this annual event. S.H.S. choir director Weston Henry and Challand Middle School choir director Matthew Butler decided to create two extracurricular singing groups.
These incredible singing directors have set up a treble choir (only sopranos and alto voices) and a tenor-bass choir (only tenor and bass voices). Both of these choirs are learning five pieces of music to perform at the upcoming March concert.
Both groups meet during eighth hour, with the treble choir being on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the tenor-bass choir meeting on Mondays and Thursdays.
Unlike the rest of the singing groups at Sterling, these groups are completely volunteer based and have no audition process to be included. Also with a new choir director involved, it allows new ways of teaching.
There are differences between the treble choir and daily choir class.
Senior Guadalupe Flores said, “It allows girls who are interested in music to practice more.”
This new experience is a way for many students to practice singing, and could lead to future opportunities.
All of the songs that were chosen for the treble choir are all a bit challenging, with most of these five songs being included in previous years of ILMEA. ILMEA is the Illinois Music Education Association that welcomes students to audition and perform songs.
Most songs are difficult, since you have to audition to be a part of it. Butler believes this group is talented enough to perform these difficult songs.
Unlike the treble choir, the tenor-bass choir has taken another approach of which type of music they are singing.
Senior Ashton Stange shared, “We definitely took a more comedic approach compared to our songs in choir,” meaning most of the songs they sing are not as serious as state sung pieces in the treble choir.
Though these choirs have already started their rehearsals, both are still accepting new participants. I would recommend joining if you are unsure. It could be a very exciting experience.
