Our school’s choir has been making waves this holiday season, with their recent victory in a Wash FM Christmas song competition. Through this win, the choir had the opportunity to perform at the Warner Theatre before the Washington Ballet’s Nutcracker performance. They not only showcased their musical talents but also earned recognition for their hard work.
The dedicated choir conductor, Jocelyn Mullins submitted their rendition of the Christmas song, Angels We Have Heard on High, to the competition. After a competitive voting process, the choir made it to the finals and ultimately won the grand prize of $5,000.
“Out of the 300 schools that submitted in the DMV, we were in the top ten for the first round and the top five for the second round, and then we came in first place,” Mullins said.
Sophomore choir member Star Perkins shared their excitement of the achievement. The grand prize is set to benefit the choir in several ways.
“This award will help pay for our Disney trip in the spring, and any other APS chorus trips that we do,” Perkins said.
The prize is a welcome boost for other activities the choir does as well.
“We have Thayne Jasperson, who is on Broadway right now in Hamilton. He comes in and gives us a workshop in January, so it’ll help offset that,” Mullins said.
For Mullins, the experience was an awesome teacher moment. A chance to see her students shine when she conducted them after weeks of preparation and practice, as the competition started on November 18th.
Arguably, the most exciting part of the concert for the choir was performing at the historic Warner Theatre. Before their performance, the students were able to thoroughly enjoy their time there.
“The Warner Theatre is huge so it was crazy getting to go backstage. We saw the ballet performers doing their rehearsal and all the amazing costumes. It was just a great experience,” Perkins said.
The choir’s victory is a showcase of the dedication and hard work everyone involved put in. While they enjoy the spotlight, the road ahead promises even greater opportunities for these talented musicians.
link to a video of the choir’s performance at the warner theatre
