An unprecedented opportunity to hear all of Oxford’s choir students sing as one voice will take place at the high school’s Performing Arts Center Tuesday, Oct. 23.
‘We’re talking over 260 students,? said Choir Director Christopher Card. ‘This is something pretty new. I don’t think they’ve done this before.?
Every choir student in the 7-12th grade will be performing not one, but two identical 55-minute shows back-to-back at 6:30 p.m. and again at 7:45 p.m.
‘We know we’re going to have quite a crowd so we’re doing two shows,? Card said. ‘We’re expecting over 1,200 people. This allows more people to be able to see it with a comfortable seat. If we did one, there would be standing room only.?
The concert will begin with performances by the middle school’s four choirs, which will be combined into ‘one huge choir? of approximately 160 students.
Then each of the high school’s three choirs ? Varsity, Choralaires and Chorale ? will perform as separate groups, then together as a single choir of approximately 100 students.
For the grand finale, all middle school and high school choir students will sing together on stage.
‘For the community to hear all these voices together, there’s a community pride to that,? Card said. ‘We’ve got a lot of talent here. And to come out and hear it all in one night is just an incredible opportunity for the community.?
During those two-minute transitional intervals when one choir exits the stage as another group comes on, the audience will view video clips of students telling what they ‘like about being in choir.?
‘There will be a glimpse of what we do in the classroom,? Card explained. ‘It’s a multimedia night. They’ll be as drawn into the videos as they are to the performance.?
Card said the entire show is ‘precisely timed? so the audience can’t help but be ‘impacted by the professionalism of the students.?
‘To put 260 singers on a stage in one night, a lot of directors would say there’s no way to do that,? he noted. ‘We’ve got aggressive goals of becoming a choir program that’s recognized on a state and national level.?
Beyond putting on one heck of a unique show for families and the community, the concert is designed ‘to showcase some of the changes we’re making in the choral program?
‘The beginning of the year is a great opportunity to show what the kids are about and the direction we’re going in,? Card said.
Promoting the ideas of unity and mentorship within the overall choir program are the main benefits of this concert.
‘We’re showing that while we have many different choirs we’re one choral program,? Card said.
There’s been a lot of emphasis on making sure choir students get to know each other.
‘Within the high school, one choir wouldn’t know the other choir. They wouldn’t know their names,? Card said. ‘They didn’t even know who was in their own choir ? a lot of the folks from other grades.?
To rectify this, Card has been putting together activities outside of school, like a karaoke cookout night, to help students in the same class and different choirs get to know each other better.
Having middle school students sing with high schoolers ‘allows mentoring to take place.?
‘We’re not asking the high schoolers to go lower to a middle school repertoire, but the middle schoolers to rise up to a higher level,? Card explained. ‘As the middle school kids actually sing with the high schoolers in a combined number, they are able to hear the tone quality that we talk about so much.?
It’s one thing for younger students to listen to a teacher lecture on different vocal techniques or read about them.
It’s quite another for them to actually hear those techniques being employed by ‘more mature singers, people that have been at it a little longer.?
‘By hearing it, it just clicks so much quicker,? Card said.
Those attending the Oct. 23 concert will also notice a shift to more contemporary music with its many genres.
‘We’re doing a variety of stuff,? Card said. ‘It’s not pop music though, it’s contemporary choral music. I guess that’s the best way to describe it.?
Card said the audience won’t be familiar with the music, but they will ‘be able to connect with it.?