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All The World’s a Wylie ISD Stage
Wylie High School choir in Italy.
by Ian Halperin
From the Pantheon in Rome and Cadogan Hall in London to the streets of Ireland and Main Street in Disney, Wylie ISD fine arts students have performed on some of the world’s most famous stages and in some of the most well-known settings. These educational and performance opportunities across the country and around the world give students the chance to experience people and cultures different from their own while sharing their talents with a wide audience.
This past summer, 45 members of the Wylie High Pirate Choir traveled to Italy. While there, they performed in churches that were more than 400 years old and the 2000-year-old Pantheon.
“We had to get special permission from Italian officials to sing at the Pantheon,” said Jeffrey Bowling, Wylie High choir director. “It was an 8-to-10-minute impromptu, a cappella show that the students will never forget.”
“We were surrounded by amazing people and beautiful architecture,” said WHS student Brandon Bush. “Ten years from now this performance will still be in my mind.”
For Wylie East choir student Ava McDaniel the 2022 trip to London with 100 classmates meant she got to know her fellow Raider choir family better while learning more about her own family history.
“My mom is from England, so I had the chance to learn more about my background, especially the architecture and food, while meeting new people and connecting to a new culture,” Ava said.
“The whole idea of music is that all the world is a stage. These trips open kids' eyes to a world beyond Wylie,” said Nathan Dame, WEHS choir director. “The kids are most shocked by how old the buildings are. We performed in a 1000-year-old church.”
Wylie ISD officials believe that student participation in extracurricular activities promotes character and academic achievement. These trips are an extension of that philosophy. Trips are reviewed by the deputy superintendent, and not all trips are approved. Most sponsors work with travel agencies that specialize in student travel for help with in-country logistics. Travel and expenses are paid for by the students (or their families) either directly or through fundraising and are not part of the school’s budget. For many of the students, it’s their first trip on a plane.
The WHS theater department is already planning its trip to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The Fringe is a three-week festival of performing arts that takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland, every August. Wylie High is one of just 25 groups (out of 300 applications) from across the U.S. chosen for this prestigious event.
“Wylie ISD is unique. Many of my colleagues can’t travel internationally which limits student opportunities,” said WHS theater director Polly Harrison. “Our district and administration trust us to find these special things for students. As a parent, I appreciate that my child gets these experiences.”
“Music brings the world together, and choir is the great equalizer,” added Nathan. “Rich or poor, our voices are part of us. It crosses all cultures.”
Wylie ISD fine arts faculty and students are proud to share their culture with the world. •
