On October 17th, EPHS hosted its annual Fall Kaleidoscope Concert. Chorale, Concert, and Swing Choir sung a variety of songs. The EPHS Marching Band and 6th-8th grade choirs also performed.
There are many students who take part in the different choirs that EPHS has to offer. Freshman will normally start in the chorale group and move up into the concert choir for their sophomore year. However, sometimes freshmen who belong in the baritone section of the choir will jump straight into the concert choir. Our school offers a Swing Choir class, which is a higher level choir course for those who feel like they have moved past the basic choirs. You must audition to be a part of the Swing Choir and be prepared to work much harder than you have before as you will be given an honors credit this class. All choirs are 1.0 credits, meaning they go on throughout the entire year and you can decide if you would like to take choir again the following year. Some students may make it into the Swing Choir and still decide that they want to continue taking Concert Choir with their classmates who may have not made it into the Swing Choir, so they can choose to be in both, Concert & Swing Choir. Swing Choir is a privilege that takes a lot of effort and must be taken seriously.
Choir can be very beneficial and has methods that help lead to a healthy lifestyle. Lots of people join choir to let free, be themselves, and express themselves through music. Choir is open to anyone, no matter who you are or where you are from. In our choir group, there is a lot of trust and openness and most people feel comfortable to be themselves without being judged. Choir not only improves your voice and singing, but also focuses on improving your breathing, posture, and muscle tension. Singing can also regulate heart rate, act as an effective pain killer, and help sustain a healthy immune system. Some mental health benefits of choir include reducing stress and improving memory; singing can be therapeutic for some individuals.
EPHS Choir Students
Chorale : Izabella Arroyo; Jezmanie Arroyo; Alexandria Butler; Kashara Gaylor; Ava Hawkins; Elise Kanable; Kate Kondela; Arlene Lizama; Keila Martin; Lilah Mccoy; Mila Pomales.
Concert Choir : Charlie Butler; Amanda Camacho; Eric Cardona; Nicole Castellano; Sam Castorena; Arelis Claudio; Izzy Fernandez; Elly Figueroa; Ayleen Yaretzy Gomez Cabrera; Melony Howe; Dolly Jendruczek; Jessie Karwowska; Leigh Lim; Skylen Harleen Lopez; Aviana Munoz; Julian Logan Munoz; Jayden Peinado; Jeremy Rivera; Jordyn Torres; Yeshua Velazquez.
Swing Choir : Charlie Butler; Kelly Dietrich; Terea Hargrove; Kimberly Herrera ruiz; Domenicia Mcdaniel; Amelia Munoz; Xiomara Nieto; Jade Ponce; Hailey Rivera; Izabella Weiss; Isabella Wernsing; Divina Zamudio.
Choir consists of four different parts: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass (SATB).
Soprano: Highest voice part
Alto: Second-highest voice part
Tenor: High voice part, typically sung by the males of the group
Bass: The lowest voice part, traditionally sung by males
Concert Choir Voice Parts
Soprano : Amanda Mia Camacho; Elly Figueroa; Melony Howe; Jessie Karwowska; Leigh Lim; Skylen Harleen Lopez; Jordyn Torres.
Alto : Nicole Castellano; Sam Castorena; Arelis Claudio; Izzy Fernandez; Ayleen Yaretzy Gomez Cabrera; Dolly Jendruczek; Aviana Munoz; Jayden Peinado; Charlie Butler.
As of right now, there is currently no tenor voice-part in our choir.
Bass : Eric Alexander Cardona; Julian Logan Munoz; Yeshua Velazquez; Jeremy Rivera.
Swing Choir Voice Parts
(Some students sing multiple voice parts)
Charlie Butler |
S2/S1 |
Kelly Dietrich |
A2 |
Terea Hargrove |
A2 |
Kimberly Herrera ruiz |
A1 |
Domenicia Mcdaniel |
S1 |
Amelia Munoz |
A2 |
Xiomara Nieto |
A1/A |
Jade Ponce |
S2 |
Hailey Rivera |
S1 |
Izabella Weiss |
A1 |
Isabella Wernsing |
S1 |
Divina Zamudio |
S2 |
(Credit to Mr. McEachern, for creating the table above.)
The following questions were asked to EPHS’s students to get a better insight into their musical experiences.
Q & A:
Eleanor Figueroa (Concert Choir)
Q: What is your favorite memory in choir so far this year?
A: “My favorite memory is just singing the songs to be honest.”
Jade Ponce (Swing Choir)
Q: You are a sophomore and it is your first year in Swing Choir, how do you feel about being a part of a higher level choir?
A: “I really enjoy it! It is both challenging and rewarding at the same time. Everyone in the group is really nice to me, and it feels really good to be a part of the swing choir because I have always looked up to them and I feel like I deserve it.”
Q: What are some of the likes and dislikes?
A: “Some of the likes about being a part of Swing Choir are how everyone comes ready to sing and everybody puts in their best effort, and this creates a great harmony. The songs are intricate and interesting to learn. Something that I don’t really like is that I notice sometimes that some of the other choirs don’t care as much and it can be disrespectful to us in Swing Choir because when/if they choose to audition for Swing Choir next year and when/if get in, we expect them to come prepared and put in their best effort.”
Q: What advice would you give to students who plan to audition for next year?
A: “Be confident and try your best!”
Jayden Peinado (Concert Choir)
Q: As a freshman in Concert Choir, how do you feel about choir so far?
A: “I love it! I just love it. It’s amazing. I love the people. I love learning. Mr. McEachern, especially, has helped me so much. He’s so nice. He helps me with the notes. The people, like I said, they help me a lot. When I came in here, I didn’t know the notes. Shoutout to Charlie Butler and Eric Cardona for helping me out a lot. I love being in Choir; it’s amazing and it’s fun.”
Q: Do you think Choir is something that you plan on continuing in your future years of high school?
A: “Yes! For sure.”
In conclusion, the Choir Concert was very successful. There are many benefits that come along with being a part of a choir, which can be very calming and fun but also challenging at the same time. More people should definitely join.
Program from the 10-17-2024 Kaleidoscope Concert:
Fall Kaleidoscope Program
Works Cited:
- https://www.interkultur.com/newsroom/world-of-voices/details/news/13-health-physical-mental-and-social-benefits-of-choir-singing (13 Health (Physical, Mental, and Social) Benefits of Choir Singing, 2021)
- (Grant McEachern, n.d.)
- (Eleanor Figueroa, n.d.)
- (Jade Ponce, n.d.)
- (Jayden Peinado, n.d.)
