Evelyn Feldmann | The Chronicle
On October 2, eight select students from the Mason High School (MHS) Honors Concert Choir performed with the University of Cincinnati’s Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (CCM) Chamber Choir at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Cincinnati.
The MHS students joined a small group of students from the Walnut Hills High School Choir and the Cincinnati School for Creative and Performing Arts Honor Choir in a performance that included “Bach Cantata 131,” a 30-minute, 38-page, five-movement piece performed in German.
MHS Choir director Jason McKee oversaw preparations for the performance, which CCM Chamber Choir director Joe Miller conducted. McKee said that when Miller reached out in April, McKee was thrilled about the opportunities the performance would create for his students.
“CCM is one of the finest music schools in the United States and probably the world,” McKee said. “So, for us to be asked to send students to participate and collaborate with a college ensemble of their caliber is a pretty special thing.”
McKee said CCM paid for his students’ sheet music, which normally can cost hundreds of dollars. He said the Honors Concert Choir was also fortunate to have the chance to perform a highly difficult piece, allowing the students to gain valuable experience.
MHS Honors Chamber Choir students rehearse “Bach Cantata 131” with select members of the Walnut Hills High School Choir and the
Cincinnati School for Creative and Performing Arts Honor Choir under the direction of CCM Chamber Choir Director Joe Miller on Oct. 2 at
Christ Church Cathedral.
“They got to see the level of professionalism and maturity that is expected at the college level,” McKee said. “And [they got] to perform a piece of music that we typically would not be able to program here at Mason, and with CCM’s [resources and] connections, I think that they got an experience that they would not normally get at very many high schools.”
MHS senior and Honors Concert Choir soprano Elise Hartmann said that she finds the high-level music difficult. It challenges her to an extent she had never reached in the Honors Chamber Choir before.
“[‘Bach Cantata 131’ is] definitely a lot to look at at once,” Hartmann said. “Your mind’s going a million different places [at once] because the notes are fast and the language is difficult. There’s a lot of sharps and flats, so it’s definitely a lot to master altogether.”
MHS senior and Honors Concert Choir alto Kennedi Grayer said one of the biggest challenges for students was balancing classwork with the additional at-home practice required to master the piece. She said learning to sing in a different language was an additional challenge.
“[It’s] been difficult for all of us: learning German, how the language works [and] the inflections you need to put in your voice,” Grayer said. “Being a senior with college [applications] and different classes, then also [practicing for] this has been something hard to balance.”
MHS junior and Honors Concert Choir bass Jonathan Gochoel said finding time when all eight students were available to practice together was also difficult. He said the group met during Connect Time and practiced after school.
“[When we have] inside of school practice, we really have to focus on [what] we’re doing,” Gochoel said. “We can’t really move on until we nail it, so we have to go step by step instead of putting [hard parts] off until later.”
Gochoel said the performance carried more pressure than a typical choir concert because the students performed alongside college-level singers. He said performing in front of a larger audience meant facing pressure from people who are more critical of music.
“[Normally] there’s not a lot of pressure,” Gochoel said. “But [this time] we’re going to be performing with some of the best kids in the area, performing [a] really advanced piece in front of people that have high expectations for music.”
Hartmann said that though the difficulty of “Bach Cantata 131” may be stressful, she was determined to persevere. She said being selected alongside talented CCM singers gave her a look into the life of someone training to become a professional and opened up opportunities to improve.
“My favorite part was getting to perform with the CCM chamber choir,” Hartmann said. “You could tell that they really loved what they were doing, and they taught us a lot about how to be good choir members. It was definitely [a] very insightful [experience].”
McKee said that the mission of the MHS choir program extends beyond teaching students how to sing. He said the program aims to give students skills they can carry beyond high school and use to connect with their communities.
“We want our students to take the skills that they learn through singing and choir here, and use that for the rest of their life,” McKee said. “Whether it be a community chorus, a church choir or community musical theater.”
Over their years in MHS choirs, students like Hartmann, Grayer and Gochoel have found a sense of community among their fellow performers. Grayer described choir as a place where she has found people who share her passion for singing while developing her skills for the future.
“Choir has been a great place to foster friendships and to grow in something that I love,” Grayer said. “We’re lucky to have a group that strives for excellence; we all want to work to produce something really good. [I] definitely think doing choir in high school has made me want to continue it in my future.”
Hartmann said she admires the other students selected for the performance, and enjoyed working with them. She said the singers in the CCM chamber choir helped her improve and develop her vocal skills.
“I was sitting next to a [doctoral] student for most of my [rehearsals],” Hartmann said. “I was really listening to her and how she was singing and matching her tone. I think that really helped me grow a lot. That’s what I would say [is] a [real] benefit to doing something like this.”
Grayer said she is glad that this event is close to home, while also giving a sense of what it is like to be a part of such a high-level group. She said she is proud Mason was selected for this opportunity and that they did so well.
“CCM is literally a world-renowned program,” Grayer said. “I think it’s an amazing opportunity and something right in our backyard. I’d say for me, it’s a cool opportunity to sing with some really, really talented people.”
Gochoel said the eight students spent months preparing during Connect Time, after school, and at home. He said he wants to showcase how the performance unified them as singers and display what they can do.
“We each have our own special talents or something that really brings us together that translates musically,” Gochoel said. “I hope that [doing] this performance shows that with all our talents and the eight of us [together], we have what it takes to sing this.”
