Choral Music

Students may elect to enroll in choral music.  They perform approximately three times per year, singing a variety of musical selections that build musicianship skills such as proper breathing and vocal production techniques, rhythm reading/movement, and pitch reading.  Students are encouraged to work together to reach their goals.

STOMP

STOMP is a select percussion group that uses the body and ordinary objects to create a physical theatre performance.  STOMP is offered to 7th and 8th grade boys, with auditions held in the spring.  Boys rehearse 2-3 times per week before school to prepare for the STOMP performance at the spring concert.  Starting in March, boys compose rhythmic motives, arrange motives, group motives in sections, choreograph, and perform with different materials like trash cans, brooms, balls, plastic, sticks, and more.

A Cappella

A Cappella is a select singing ensemble offered to 7th and 8th grade girls with auditions held in the spring.  A Cappella rehearses two to three times per week before school to prepare for their performance at the spring concert.  Starting in March, girls will improve their ear training skills and rehearse singing a cappella (without instruments) arrangements of contemporary songs.  There are also vocal percussion opportunities available.

Spotlights

Spotlights are musical numbers prepared by choir students or groups of students in grades 6th-8th which are performed at the May concert.  Students must audition and be selected to perform based on certain standards for the concert.

OPUS

OPUS is a statewide honor choir for 6th, 7th and 8th grade students sponsored by the Iowa Choral Directors Association.  To be accepted, interested students must send in a recorded audition to the 180-voice choir.  Audition preparation begins at the start of the school year during rehearsals two to three mornings per week.  Students must also practice at home.  Sixth grade students audition for the 5th-6th Grade Select Choir while 7th and 8th grade students audition for either the 7th-8th Grade Treble Choir or the 7th-8th Grade Bass Choir depending on their voice type.  Students record their auditions in September and if selected, perform in the OPUS concert in November at Iowa State University in Ames.

Honor Choir

Sixth, 7th, and 8th grade choir students may audition for district honor choirs sponsored by the Iowa Choral Directors Association.  Interested students will audition to be nominated by their director.  All selected students will prepare four to five songs at lessons during the school day.  Auditions are held in December/January.  Selected 7th and 8th grade students will be in one of two choirs offered (a treble choir and a mixed choir) and will perform at the honor choir concert at the end of February/beginning of March.  Selected 6th grade students will perform at a separate honor choir concert in April.  Evening honor choir concerts are preceded by an afternoon of rehearsals with other selected students from central Iowa.