Chorus Graduates 28 Seniors
Advanced chorus
completed its final show, Treble in a Bank, Saturday evening. This year
chorus will graduate 28 seniors, some four-year veterans and some
first-year novices.
Senior Patrick Nshizirungu, a first-year student,
sang in his third and final chorus concert at Riverside.
“The show went well because everyone worked hard. I
had to practice the songs and choreography a lot,” Nshizirungu
said.
Nshizirungu says he’ll miss chorus and wishes he
would’ve taken it all four years instead of just his senior.
“[Chorus] is fun. The music is good, I loved the
teacher, and I liked singing with other students,” Nshizirungu
said.
Senior Jessica Kemp, a four-year chorus student,
agrees that chorus teacher, Jill Boliek, helped fuel her love of
chorus.
“She’s always there for her students and is like
another mom to all of us,” Kemp said. “She gives so much of her time
and energy into the chorus program. My high school experience wouldn’t
have been the same without her.”
After several years in chorus, Kemp’s time is coming
to an end.
“I’m ready to graduate, but in college they don’t
have stuff like this. I’ll never be singing on that stage again. It’s
really sad,” Kemp said.
For senior Josh Allman, however, chorus will not
come to an end after graduation. Allman plans to major in Choral
Education at Appalachian State University.
“I want to be able to give to other people what
chorus has given to me,” Allman said.
While reflecting on his four years as a chorus
student, Allman remembers the advanced chorus’ concert tour in Germany
and the Czech Republic last year as a highlight.
“I loved experiencing a new culture. It was
incredible,” Allman says.
Out of the 28 graduating chorus seniors, 19 have
been in Mrs.Boliek’s class every semester, all four years of high
school.
“This is a really special group, they really keep
everyone together. I put [the seniors] in charge of a lot of things
because they know what to do,” Boliek said.
Chorus usually graduates a class of 20 to 30
students, but with 28 graduates, this year it is one of the biggest
graduating classes ever.
“There’s a lot of positive role models in the senior
class,” Boliek said. “They’re leaving behind a very good legacy.”
By Kira Speer
