NorCal Honor Choir
Over one hundred student singers from Northern Californian high schools came together on Thursday, Feb. 3, for an intense weekend at the NorCal Honor Choir in Humboldt. Barbara McElroy, SVHS music director, drove Ella Krikorian and Savannah U’ren, sophomores, as well as Anne Stanley and Caity Tremblay, seniors, to the once-a-year choral event.
“It was really inspiring being around people who were so passionate about music,” said Stanley. The singers came together to learn and perform six pieces of music in four different languages: Latin, Spanish, French, and English.
“It was hard to learn all the music we had in such a short period of time,” said Krikorian.
The singers arrived on Thursday evening and began practicing immediately. Rehearsals continued all day Friday and most of Saturday, with the concert Saturday night. Guest conductor Donald Kendrick, choral director at Sacramento State, directed the choir. His eccentric imagery and enthusiasm elevated the energy infused into the music.
“Working under a different director was a completely different experience,” said Stanley.
Though exhausted, the singers felt immensely rewarded. “It was one of the best experiences of my life,” said U’ren.
“If anyone has the opportunity to do something like this, whether it’s a choir or a music camp they should definitely audition,” affirmed Stanley.
