The choirs have come very far this year, and everyone is excited to continue working hard at their music.

Mrs. Alanna Fredrickson reflected on the year:

Q) What are you excited to see most from your students?

A) By this point in the year, it’s very exciting to see how advanced the new choir students have become compared to the first concert! It is important that the students believe it themselves for the first time that they actually did it. In all the classes we’re doing unusual pieces that include Shakespeare text to music that was featured in the Hunger Games. We’re also doing an intense piece about the famine in Sudan. A lot of people don’t recognize that we do music in Latin. We do things with similarities to Pentatonix all the way to African tribal chants.

Q) The choir is very large this year, what excited you most about so many students? Worried you?

A) For me as a teacher, I believe everyone should at least have some education on the arts, and having such a large number of students made me excited. Anytime there is a teacher responsible for sixty-five students at a time it’s worrisome however because the students choose the class it’s a joy.

Q) Was it more difficult to take in all the incoming freshman than normal?

A) No, middle school music teachers do a great job at preparing the ninth graders. So the majority of the class are where I need them to be.

Q) Did you ever expect so many students at once?

A4) Yes, one of my first teaching assignments was eighty sixth graders in one classroom, so after that I feel like I can handle anything.

Q) Are you excited to see the freshmen in the choirs grow more and to see the seniors continue with music?

A) No, by the time my seniors graduate I’ve been with them all four years so it is hard to see them go. Many of them do go on to do music past college, and more often than not they become leaders, and it makes me so proud. As far as the freshmen go, it’s exciting to see them go through the stages of being not-so-confident to leaders.