Starting at 6:00pm, on Thursday, March 30th, students will be able to log into www.carmelchoirs.org to view their choir assignments for the 2023-2024 school year. A link to the lists will be posted on the homepage of the website.
This is always a very exciting day for some students, and a very difficult day for others. It also tends to be the same emotional roller coaster for parents. We take this opportunity to remind all of you that Carmel’s Choir Program is one of the largest, and therefore most competitive, programs in the entire country. It is particularly competitive for girls. Many girls dream of making it into Accents or Ambassadors, and some never will. There are only about 25 spots for girls in Ambassadors and around 50 for girls in Accents. There are over 300 girls in the choir program, so you can see that the odds are not high that many girls will make it.
Please know that we MUST determine placements in the various choirs by evaluating the student’s performance in their audition and on how we have seen them perform in class throughout the year. If we start to base placement off of anything else, we are setting up the program for extreme favoritism and an eventual lowering of the overall quality of the groups. We cannot just pick the “outgoing kids” who volunteer to help and who have parents who often volunteer. This would be completely unfair and goes against everything that we stand for as educators. We sometimes take “seniority” into consideration, but only when scores are nearly equal. The audition process is complex and includes many components. Of course, students need to sing well and in tune, but beyond that, they must show excellent musicianship skills in their knowledge of music theory, rhythmic and melodic sight-reading, and in tonal memory. For the competitive show choirs, they must also prove that they can learn choreography quickly and execute with high energy and enthusiasm. We have many students who sing beautifully, but struggle with these other parts of the audition process and those lower scores cause them to not make those upper level groups. We also have many students who are fabulous dancers, but are still struggling with their vocal technique and therefore do not make the competitive show choirs.
Students get very nervous in the one-on-one audition and sometimes, unfortunately, do not sing or sight-read to the best of their ability. Although this is always disappointing when it happens, we cannot just boost their score based upon what we see each day in class. If we did that, what would be the point of auditioning at all? Part of being ready for the highest-level ensembles at Carmel, is being able to make it through the audition process and conquer those nerves.
Please know that as choral directors with a combined 40 years of experience, the students’ proper placement and positive experience is at the very heart of every decision that we make. It is so important that students are placed in an ensemble that is the right level for them. They need to feel comfortable and able to contribute. They also need to be challenged to continue to grow. If they are placed in an ensemble that they are not ready for, they will realize very quickly that everyone around them is moving at a faster pace, and they will feel out of place and discouraged. This is a terrible position to put a student in. If they are placed in an ensemble that is too far below their level, they won’t feel challenged and will not continue to improve musically. Just because a student “wants” to be in a certain group, does not mean it is the best place for them to be, or that they are ready to be there. We also know better than the students what the expectations are of each choir, so sometimes students may think they are ready for an ensemble, but we recognize that they are not. It is our job to use our professional training and knowledge to best determine their proper placement.
We realize it is hard to not “get what we want when we want it”, or to “not be with all our friends”. We realize there will be some broken hearts this week. This is always a very difficult week for us as well. We ask you, as parents, to use this as an opportunity to help your sons and daughters find perspective. Discuss with them the positives of continuing to work towards goals. Try to help them see the ways that they can step into leadership in whichever ensemble they are in. Try to remind them that they joined choir because they have a passion for music and performing, and no matter what group they are in, they will still have that opportunity. One of our favorite reminders at this time of year is that “if it doesn’t open, it’s not your door”.
Here at Carmel High School, even our most introductory ensembles get opportunities that most advanced ensembles at other high schools do not. No matter what ensemble students are in, they will learn quality literature. They will get to work with nationally known clinicians and choreographers. They will make new friends and develop a community of friends who share their love of music. They will get to wear amazing costumes and have the chance to perform for thousands of people. They will be challenged and nurtured by teachers who care for them and help them to reach their full potential. These are core beliefs that we are committed to providing for all of our students. If they truly want to make music, grow as a performer, meet friends, and have great performance opportunities, they will get this opportunity no matter which ensemble they are in.
If students would like feedback on how they can continue to improve in future auditions, the choir instructors will be available during SSRT and before or after school during the fourth quarter. They can reach out to their director and set up a time to discuss their strengths and weaknesses one on one to help them reach their future goals in the Carmel Choir Department. Since this was a closed audition process between the students and teachers only, we will conduct audition feedback meetings with students only, as they will truly be the only ones who can think back on their audition and understand the critique. Their own self-evaluation is another important step in this process. Students are welcome to even record the feedback so that they can share it with their parents or private instructors. Teachers will not be replying to emails or phone calls regarding audition placements until after Spring Break, and we ask you to please respect our privacy during this much-needed down time.
We have had a wonderful year getting to know these students, and we are looking forward to more fabulous opportunities to make musical memories in the 2023-2024 school year. Thank you for your trust in us as teachers and thank you for your continued support for the program.
Sincerely,
Kathrine Kouns, Kyle Barker, & Anna DeBard
Directors of Choir
Carmel High School
