Many of you know the music program for its award winning groups such as Men of Note, Fermata, and Chamber Singers. However these past two years have been crunch time for the new face of the West Choir. Everyone has their own rumors and stories they can tell about the fall of a music era with Mrs. Bass (a wonderful vocal teacher at west for many years) but the first step to fix the problem is recovery.
Several choir members thought vocal Teacher Ms. Delp was going to take over until she shockingly let everyone know towards the end of the year that she would not be returning the next year. Numerous students were thinking “where do we go from here”?
So the search for the next talented music teacher was on!
Ready for action, Mrs. Siegel and vocal teacher Mr. Flowers came out on top. With Mrs. Siegel’s vocals and Mr. Flowers playing the piano you can tell this duo came to play. After a year of back tracking, different vocal techniques, and confusion the music program is ready to make its comeback.
This year the choir will be going to Myrtle Beach for competition and Mrs. Siegel is getting the choir members ready as she newly teaches Vocal Workshop, the beginners’ class, and West Singers, the most advanced class. Over all, the music this year varies from Pop to musical numbers in different languages. To prepare us for these songs, both music teachers have vocal exercises to produce the best sound quality. “I can tell Mrs. Siegel is on the right path this year because her vocal exercises helped me widen my range” says senior Xzavier Howard, a member of Men of Note as well as West Singers. “I love Mrs. Siegel, she is just a ball full of energy everyday” says senior Katherine Brown, student director of Fermata and also in West Singers. “Compared to last year I can hear improvements out of West Singers” Ryan Russ states while at Men of Note practice.
All in all, the music program is on a gradual incline to a better future. Now that the power plays are done the vocal teachers can relax…. but not for too long because there is lots of music to go over and concerts to prepare for.