On Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. in the middle school auditorium, the high school choir performed their 2024 Winter Chorus Concert. This concert featured popular Christmas carols and other holiday numbers.
The High School Chorus members sang “Somewhere in my Memory,” arranged by Mark Hayes, with soloist Charlotte Rywolt (9), “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” by Ruth M. Gray, featuring soloist Phoebe Smith (11) and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” arranged by Roger Emerson, and featuring soloist Caroline Bender (9).
“My solo went really well but not knowing I was doing it kind of stressed me out a little because I have only two weeks to learn it, but other than that I think it went really well.” Phoebe Smith (11) said.
The concert was directed by Ms. Jennifer Newman and the piano accompanist was Jackie Dmitsak.
The middle school choir also performed their concert that night. Middle school chorus is broken up into 7th and 8th grade and 5th and 6th grade.
At the end of the concert, middle and high school choirs all got together and performed “Do You Hear What I Hear?” arranged by Harry Simeon. This is the first year where the choir has performed a combined piece. The high school members wore new choir robes to the concert because the previous ones needed to be replaced. They purchased these new robes using money earned through fundraising. Choir students have many options to fundraise for things they need, like robes and music. Students usually wear black and white to the concert; wearing robes was a unique event for the choir students.
Something else unique this year was the piano accompanist, Dmitsak. Newman usually plays piano for the songs, but she directed the choir students this year.
Students have been practicing for the concert since the beginning of the year. Newman picks songs for them to sing and practice, and eventually are narrowed down to the choir’s three or four best songs, which are then sung at the concert.
About a week before the concert, the students go down to the middle school each class to perform in the auditorium where the concert usually takes place. The students warm up in the middle school chorus room and practice on the risers on stage.
Newman started her career in Freedom teaching music to elementary school students. She moved up to the high school, and then the music teacher position was replaced with Ms. Ashley Barnes. Newman then moved up to the middle school to teach music in the nine-week rotation and also taught High School Chorus.
Students in the choir got together with the community for a night of joy and Christmas cheer. It’s a simple but very effective way to help get people in the holiday spirit and add warmth to the cold, dark winter.