District choir, an event for select students around District 10 to perform in an ensemble, is being hosted at West Potomac this year. The choral students participating had to complete an audition to get in.
“It’s all advanced students who prepared a specific piece to sing and did some sight reading. Then [the judges] chose the students with the best scores in the district,” Nelly Solares, the choir director at West Potomac, explained.
Three choirs have been organized, with a mixed choir of middle schoolers, one mixed high school choir, and one treble choir of high school students. Friday, February 9th, the choirs will rehearse and perform the following day on the 10th.
Students from various schools in the district have been chosen to perform, making this an event significant to many communities in the area. Several directors —including some from out of state— will direct them, each of them described by Ms. Solares as “dynamic, really energetic, [and] very exciting to work with.” A piano accompanist has been hired for each choir and will play alongside them. For one of the pieces, West Potomac’s orchestra director, Ms. Day, will be playing cello with the choir.
“We also have a few loyal, faithful percussionists that have played for [the West Potomac choirs] a few times,” Ms. Solares said.
As the host for the event, Ms. Solares had to arrange rehearsal spaces for the extra kids visiting West Potomac.
“The Friday rehearsal is during the school day, so it’s really hard to figure out where to fit 350 extra kids when [there’s] already almost 3000 students at the school [using] classrooms,” she explained.
Each organized choir will sing various pieces they have practiced before the event and will continue to work on during the combined rehearsal.
“Students tend to love it and it is also a day off from school to just sing all day, which is beautiful.”
Ms. Solares is excited to see the finished product. “I have heard about these directors. I know a few of these pieces and some of them are heart wrenchingly beautiful and some of them are so energetic and lively.”
Come see the performances of each choir this Saturday in West Potomac’s auditorium. The middle school SATB choir will perform at 1 p.m., the high school treble (SSAA) will perform at 2:15 p.m., and the high school mixed choir (SATB) will perform at 3:30 p.m.
