Women’s Choir brings home Gold

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Molly Ogden

Advanced Women’s Choir practices for their winter concert.

“My hope is that other students…see the accomplishments of their peers and want to be a part of something special like that,”

— Jameson Staley

With the well-known reputation of the fine arts program, it is no surprise that the choir department has recently brought home a winning title from their last competition.

Advanced Women’s Choir, usually overshadowed by concert choir, has gained the spotlight by placing first with a Gold ranking at Heritage Festival, that took place in Anaheim California . With this win, the Women’s choir received the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall next year.

Winning the chance to perform at Carnegie Hall is a once in a lifetime experience. Sophomore Jazmine Davis recounts the winning moment. “We heard them say second place and the people next to me we were gripping on to each other because we were so nervous. Then when they said our school [and] we all jumped up.”

At the Heritage Festival, the choir’s ranking of Gold, Silver, Bronze, etc. are determined by a collective score from three judges. Any score above 90 allows the choir to receive a Gold ranking. First, second and third place are then rewarded based on the highest score in the choir’s category.

“Choirs are scored on many specific aspects of their performance by highly qualified judges,” Jameson Staley adds. “Earning a 90 or above from them can be really challenging. The choir earned a gold rating [with an] average score of 92.”

Being the only Perry choir to win first place in their section as well as the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall, the advanced women singers were overjoyed by their accomplishment.

“Being a senior, it’s great to do something with choir,” Jazmyne Geans states about the choir’s accomplishment. “I [have] been in Choir all four years, so winning Gold and first place with this school was great.”  

There are high hopes for the growth of the choir program in the upcoming years, as Staley ends his first year as choir director.

“My hope is that other students…see the accomplishments of their peers and want to be a part of something special like that,” states Staley about his hope for the choir program. “And have the courage to develop their own musical abilities.”

The award winning Advanced Women’s choir as well as the rest of the choir department, will be holding their last concert on April 27 at 7 p.m in the auditorium.

Advances Women’s choir showcases a collection of hidden talents through the collaboration of women voices, to perform breath-taking music; proving to never underestimate the underdog.