Singing for Camaraderie and Cooperation

“Choir teaches us to cooperate with other people in a joyful way,” said Dr. Kristina Boerger, a choral professor at Carroll University in Waukesha. “Human beings need to be in touch with unplugged activities as much as possible.  They synthesize our thoughts about life and exercise skills in a way we can’t experience elsewhere.”

That's the lesson the three choirs at Menomonee Falls High School learned Friday from Boerger, who is also a professional singer.

The Choir Clinic at MFHS is held every other year.  Each of the choirs prepared two pieces in contrasting styles.  This year the styles included classical, pop, and gospel music.  As they performed for the guest teacher she wrote critiques and spent time working with each group. 

Boerger was this year’s guest.  She also sings in several ensembles including Pomerium, which is a renaissance choir in New York City, the Hartland Singers, and will soon be a guest with the Milwaukee Choral Artists ensemble.

While each of the choirs performs, the other choirs listen and fill out a student critique form about each of the other choirs.  The students learn how to improve their own choir by listening to advice the guest teacher gives the other choirs.

“Since we can’t hear the full sound when we’re in the choir singing, listening to the other choirs helped us hear what they’re doing and try to apply the same techniques they’re learning to when we sing,” said student Mackenzie Curran from the Master Singers female chamber choir.

The students received specific advice on how to improve their singing from Boerger.

“I like that the students got good tips on how to make the music better.  Of course, it’s always nice when the clinician reinforces what I’ve been teaching them,” said MFHS choir teacher Brian Scheehle.

Boerger spent time discussing texture with the choirs.

“Texture is about the levels the music builds on.  For example, if we have four parts going on at once, it’s a matter of which parts are loud, staccato, legato, short while they are all building on each other to make that phrase,” Curran said. 

Student Sara Gensler from the Master Singers female chamber choir said they learned how to express themselves better through their singing.

“In our regular class we focus on tune, diction and dynamics.  Today Dr. Boerger spent time working with us on the specifics.  In one of our songs, it’s hard to hear the lyrics.  She helped us learn how to tell the story by how we sing it,” Gensler said.

Choir class and music education in the high school is invaluable said choir director Scheehle. 

“Choir is an important class because a lot of kids really love to sing, and with pop shows like Glee and American Idol, it’s good for them to know how much work goes into it,” Scheehle said. “We’re not training professional musicians here at the high school, but we’re working to expand the student's horizons past what’s playing on the radio.”

The students say they enjoy choir because of the camaraderie with the other students.

The next opportunity to hear the choirs sing will be at the spring concert May 26.