December 20, 2000
Noteworthy performance
Central choir to sing at national choral convention
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Chalk up another one for the kids in the Chorale.
Members of the Traverse City Central High School Chorale have been invited to participate in the prestigious American Choral Directors Association's national convention in March. The singers will travel to San Antonio, Texas, to give three performances for educators and musicians from around the world in what is billed as the chorale event in the country.
The Chorale was selected from an estimated 1,000 audition tapes sent to the association last spring, Being one of a half dozen high school chorales chosen to perform is a great honor for the students.
"It is an incredible honor and we're trying to put it into perspective for the kids," said Jeff Cobb, chorale director for Central High School. "It's hard to explain without sounding egotistical, I don't want to sound like I'm bragging about how wonderful we are, but it's hard to understate the honor."
"Truly, the best choirs from around the world will be there and I can't overstate the educational benefits of something like this to the students."
For the students going, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sing with and listen to the best of the best. Although they all have a lot of work to do beforehand, chorale members are excited at the opportunity.
"I can't wait to go, it's going to be awesome," said Jessica Rice, a senior in the Chorale. "It's definitely a challenge to the Chorale and the whole ensemble. We've really had to kick it in and the less experienced people have really had to step up to the challenge."
Sophomore Sam Reese is one of those who joined the Chorale this year, stepping into some very large shoes.
"I am really excited to go, it is a really big honor," said Reese, who has been singing since kindergarten. "I think Mr. Cobb has thrown a little bit more difficult literature on us because we've got to go down there and impress everybody."
Ironically, because of the audition's deadline, the tape featured last year's Chorale, many of whom have since graduated. In addition, Cobb had to determine the music for the performances even before the school year started. This deadline came before he could begin working with the new chorale and assess their abilities as a group.
Cobb selected six pieces to comply with the program's strict time limit, choosing literature ranging from Mozart to contemporary composers. It is a difficult program that Chorale members began mastering at the beginning of the school year, spreading out the learning so there would not be a crunch at the end.
"Turning in the program before school started was real scary, but I had to guess what we could do," noted Cobb, who chose this year's Chorale members after auditions last spring.
To help his students prepare for San Antonio, Cobb also invited two distinguished music professors to come and coach the students early next year, Dr. Charles Smith from Michigan State University and Mike Mitchell from Oakland University.
With a schedule packed with performances and the upcoming musical production of 'Hello, Dolly!' in February, Chorale students will have plenty of chances to pull together and perfect their pieces.
"Every concert is a dress rehearsal, almost," Cobb said. "You can always improve student abilities but the hardest thing is to improve their drive."
Parents of the students are helping fuel the drive to go and excel at San Antonio. Almost immediately after learning of his chorale's selection, Cobb began phoning some parents to make sure the support would be there for fundraising, logistics and chaperones.
Trip manager Claudia Craig works with a core of eight or 10 parents plus numerous others on various committees to make sure the trip goes off without a hitch. With a goal of raising nearly $70,000 to send the 69 students and 20-plus chaperones, fundraising for the trip began this summer. A series of car washes, bake sales and pizza sales got the ball rolling and this winter things heat up with additional fundraising events. Other events are scheduled for after the trip to help with the costs.
For the parents involved, all the work is well worth it to give their children this opportunity.
"I think San Antonio is like the Academy Awards, it is a great representation of Traverse City," said Craig, who will also accompany the students as a chaperone. "Traverse City has a phenomenal music department, both at the high school and junior high levels."
"We've even had a little bit of support from parents whose kids aren't even going to this, that's been really nice."