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Crook County Middle School eight-graders Trinity Churchill-Dicks, Hailey Bishop, Tamura Hupp-Michael, and Sadee Moss.
Every January, the Hult Center in Eugene is filled with the sounds of young voices of Honor-Choir students from around the state of Oregon.
This year, six students from Crook County High School and Crook County Middle School accompanied their choir instructor Hannah Moorman to the Oregon Music Educators Association All-State Honor Choir earlier this month.
For Jozee Moss and Karson Adams, this is their second time to be selected for the event, and they came back from the 2012 All-State Honor Choir with renewed confidence and appreciation for the sounds of a full-mixed choir. Last year, the two CCHS students were part of an all-men’s choir as part of the performance.
Moss said that every other year, the event is switched up between an all-men’s choir and a combined men’s and women’s choir. This element gave Moss and Adams a chance to be in each one — with this year being the combined choir.
“It was really large this year,” exclaimed Moss. The combined choir consisted of more than 100 members.
“We like meeting the pretty girls,” he added.
In all seriousness, Moss said that the mixed choir definitely has a full sound, complete with everything from sopranos to altos. Adams is a bass 2 and Moss is a tenor 1, and according to Moss, the dynamics of the choir this year made it more competitive.
“It’s a very different sound, that’s for sure. It has a full sound to it — you have both ranges. You have the low range of your tenors and basses, and you also have your women sopranos and altos.”
Moorman said that this is the second time in many years that students from Crook County High School have been chosen to go to the all-state event. Another first this year is the fact that Moorman took four middle-school students to participate in the middle school honor choir as well.
“Six students from Crook County were chosen to participate in the All-State Honor Choir, a record number for Crook County,” commented Mooreman. “In past years, only two students at the most have been selected for All-State Honor Choir. I am very pleased with the results this year and hope for even more students to be chosen next year. This was also the first year that Crook County students from both the middle and high schools participated.”
The middle school students who participated included Tamura Hupp-Michael, alto 2, Sadee Moss, alto 2, Hailey Bishop, soprano 1, and Trinity Churchill-Dicks, who sang bass 2 and baritone. The four all agreed that it was a good experience, and one they would gladly repeat if given the opportunity.
“We had a really good director,” said Hupp-Michael. “We got to sing a German song, one from Jerusalem, two Latin ones, and two English ones.”
Sadee Moss said that they arrived on Thursday, and rehearsed at least five to six hours before the actual concert, which was held on Friday evening. All three girls were in an all-girls’ choir under the direction of Cara Tasher of Florida, and Churchill-Dicks was in an all-boys’ choir.
“It’s really fun,” said Sadee. “You get more of an experience with more people that you don’t know, and you realize that everybody there loves to sing and they just want to keep doing it all the time.”
Churchill-Dicks said his director Rollo Dilwirth had traveled a great distance to work with his honor choir.
“Everybody just loved to sing, and was so fun,” said Churchill-Dicks. “We got a lot done in a little time, and we sang many songs.”
He said that one of the songs was arranged by their director, and one of the songs they sang was a Latin piece. Jozee was familiar with the song when he was younger, and helped him rehearse.
“The Oregon Music Educators Association sponsors the All-State music ensembles and includes middle school and high school bands, orchestras, and choirs,” added Moorman. “This continues to be a wonderful opportunity for dedicated choir students to experience advanced choral singing with 100 or more of their peers. They perform five to six songs in a variety of languages and under the direction of a nationally-known choral conductor. They perform on the prestigious Hult Center stage — an opportunity that will encourage them to continue with music at the collegiate level and hopefully beyond.”
Moorman said all three of the All-State choirs had at least one Crook County student in each ensemble. Many students come from schools in the Portland and Salem areas, as well as Eastern Oregon. She added that Central Oregon was not as well-represented.
“I am very proud that Crook County is continuing to make a strong showing at the state level,” said Moorman.
Adams said that their director was Dr. Eugene Rogers from Michigan. According to Adams, he had a more contemporary style of choral music than the director of the previous year. Rogers included a choreographed number entitled “Jenga” that got the entire choir involved. It was an African number that he had helped to edit, and which was written by a blind composer.
“It was a lot of fun,” added Adams. He said that they are going to teach it to their choir so they can perform it in an upcoming contest.
“Last year was my first year, so I didn’t even know that I had really good singing talent,” said Adams. “I knew I could sing, but I didn’t know I could be in an all-state choir. This year, when I tried out again, I knew that the competition would be harder, because there would be less men and less women because it was joined. So I tried again, and I made it. I was really happy to hear that. I realized that I can do more than I think.”
Adams said that he is the only true bass in the choir at CCHS, and in Eugene at the All-State Choir, there are more than 50 basses.
“It just had the full sound, and that is what I love so much both years — I love the sound of the men’s choir and the sound of a men’s and women’s choir.”
Moss said that he feels like he has got more used to his voice, and singing with other members of this choir has also boosted his confidence, as well. When he started singing tenor 1 last year, he felt like he was out of his comfort zone.
“This year, I feel like I’m doing pretty good in those parts.”
Bishop said that she also feels more comfortable singing in front of people.
“I feel like I can sing as good as everyone else, and I am more comfortable,” noted Bishop. “I definitely want to go next year, and it was just a really fun experience.”
“Keep following your dreams no matter what they are,” said Adams. “My passion has always been music, and I didn’t even know I could sing until I was in high school. I wanted to pursue my singing — and look where it has got me. I have gotten into All-State Choir. Just keep doing what you want to do.”
Moorman was also appreciative of the community and individuals who helped make the experience a reality for the students.
“I would again like to thank all of the community supporters who helped these students have this opportunity through their financial support.”
