CHORUS

SINGING TO SUPERIOR Sound of Kenny

Katie Loberger • Business Manager

Do you hear the choir singing? The choir sings at every Mass, during most school events, concerts and qualified for the States Competition this year. They are the voice of the school, carrying the tune of Bishop Kenny.

The choir class at BK does not just teach singing; it takes on the role of teaching students how to read music and learn the anatomy of the voice. Students learn what parts of the body create the voice. For example, the vocal folds raise and lower along with the larynx to create sound.

Those entering choir are divided into sections. These sections are soprano, alto, bass and tenor and are based on a person’s vocal range. Sopranos are the highest vocal range and basses are the lowest vocal range. Students must understand the different parts of the voice to achieve control that perfects their sound.

Band Director Collin Clark will implement a new website in his class, Pink Trombone, to show how each part of the mouth can affect the sound a person can make with vowels. The vowel changes with different types of musical style and it is important to understand how to make the vowel sound a certain way.

Clark has been teaching at BK for two years and has made changes since then.

“I added sight-singing daily, a different approach to read music fluently, and afterschool choir,” Clark said.

Sight-singing is the ability to read and sing music at first sight, also referred to as vocal sight-reading, according to Earmaster.com. Students must look at the notes on the sheet music and be able to sing without hearing the notes played on the piano.

The after-school choir, which meets every Monday, increases involvement in the music department. Those who do not take the class can join the after-school choir and perform at concerts and Masses as long as they do not miss more than three practices per semester.

This year, the hard work paid off as the choir earned a Superior from every judge at the District Music Performance Assessment on March 7. They performed “An Irish Blessing” by Becki Slagle Mayo and “Come in from the Firefly Darkness” by Amy F. Bernon.

Each year, the students also perform a Christmas Concert at which they sing Christmas classics and a Spring Concert that has a new theme each year; however the annual Spring Concert is cancelled due to COVID-19.

“The most memorable moment I have of choir is having 60 people on stage singing at the Christmas Concert,” Clark said.

In 21 months, the choir students have an opportunity to travel to Rome and do a Christmas concert at St. Peter’s Basilica and perform for the first Mass of the year on New Year’s Day.

“My favorite part of being in choir is the different friendships that I have made from the various grades and my own grade,” senior Sarah Broadhurst said.