A Great Choir

I was reading this article about the Highland High School choir going to Carnegie Hall, and I just had to comment:

Highland High's choir is among four across the country selected for the National High School Choral Festival, which culminates in a Carnegie Hall concert on March 19.

The singers will rehearse a choral masterpiece with conductor Craig Jessop, music director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The Gilbert choir will perform repertoire on Carnegie Hall's stage under its own conductors, Rita Scholz and Frank Sargent.

"These will be extended, difficult works that most colleges wouldn't do," said Scholz, the Highland choir director, who has taught for 24 years.

I have no doubt that's true; our eldest had the distinct privilege of singing for Ms. Scholz throughout her high school years (and I had the privilege, though perhaps not pleasure, of being the choir treasurer for 2 years, but that's another story), and the vocal training she received was far superior to the experience offered to the normal high school student. A Scholz choir can provoke an array of emotional responses, from tears to chills to outbursts of laughter. No disrespect to NAU, but the concerts we heard by that collegial choir as our daughter began her major in music were no better than the Highland High performances. I wish them well at Carnegie; it couldn't happen to a better choir.