Honor Choir is an event that choral students eagerly anticipate each year. Unlike the sporting events in which the schools compete against each other, the Castle Valley Region Honor Choir Concert, and the two days of rehearsal that the students take to prepare, provide a chance for them to harmonize more than just musically.
Mont Harmon Junior High hosted this year’s event on April 5, bringing singers from Canyon View, Mont Harmon, Helper and San Rafael Junior Highs, together for the annual choral event.
The students practice the assigned numbers for weeks with their individual directors, and then spend hours learning to sing together and mastering the music with a guest clinician. This year’s clinician was Barry Erickson, the Choir Director from Richfield High School, who thoroughly enjoyed the experience. “It’s just been my privilege, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” said Erickson. “Thank you for sharing your kids with me!”
The concert began with numbers selected from the recent Region Solo and Ensemble competition. The numbers included solos by Harmony Dickerson from Helper, Laryssa Guymon and Mellece Pulli from Canyon View, Cesar Garcia and Mark DeBry from San Rafael, and Sarah Morley from Mont Harmon, as well as an trio by Ji Hyun Byun, Kaylee Hoyt and Susannah Ohlwiler from Mont Harmon.
After the selections, the choir performed the numbers they had spent two days rehearsing together with Erickson. The numbers they performed were: “Kyrie,” by Dave Perry; a boy’s number, “Cindy”, arranged by Michael Scott; “Bashana Haba’ah,” by Nurit Hirsch; a girl’s number, “Take These Wings,” by Don Besig, “You Raise me Up,” arranged by Teena Chinn; and “This is My Song,” by Roger Emerson.
Jennifer Chiara and Jana Hoyt accompanied the students.