As the school year comes to a close, the choir room quiets as seniors who have spent the past few years there leave Jesuit.
These seniors have made their impact felt in choir, bringing light, joy, and energy to the choir.
“I think a choir takes on a personality, and so especially when you have students that have been in the group for three or four years, their personalities really affect the feel of the choir, the way that we work, the way that we laugh, the way that we put on shows together,” Ms. Caldwell, the Director of Choir, said.
The seniors themselves have also been impacted positively by choir.
“Choir has really just helped me to know how to be part of a community. It just really helped me shape my social skills, my friendship skills, and be able to be a good person for other people. Choir helped me use music in ways that I never thought it would, like for summer service projects, I would go and play piano and sing. I realized how much music meant to me, so I would use music to help other people as well,” senior Aaron Perara said.
The seniors leave a hole behind in choir for the next generation of seniors to fill, as they have bolstered the other members of the choir.
“We kind of gel as a group, we become this musical organism, and it's really beautiful. And then we say goodbye to our seniors. This particular group is full of really strong musicians, really good sight readers, strong leaders, people who are motivating and encouraging instead of being competitive or divas, and so, yeah, their absence is going to be really felt,” Caldwell said.
The seniors will miss those they spent time with in choir, having grown close to each other.
“I was so, so proud of every one of the seniors that did their solos. I always knew that they had amazing voices like that, but when you realize that this is your last concert, you realize how far people have come, how far you came. It's a really impactful community that I've had in the past four years, and I just really appreciate every moment,” Aaron said.
Not only has choir provided a community, but it’s also taught the seniors so much more beyond how to sing as a group.
“The most important thing choir has taught me is to put all the effort I can into things not just for myself, but for the rest of the people in the choir. Also to help others in my section because it truly is a group effort and to be excited for my classmates and the opportunities they get,” senior Mailani Tran said.
As Caldwell is having to say goodbye to this group of seniors, she’s proud of the legacy they’ve left behind and the growth they’ve gone through.
“Favorite part, I think, is just watching them grow up, witnessing their growth, seeing them have successes, writing them college letters, seeing that they're going to continue on in music in college, and seeing how they want to leave a legacy to the groups below,” Caldwell said.
For Aaron, Jesuit choir has brought him an irreplaceable community he will miss next year.
“The choir community has really taught me that they're always there for me and I'm always there for them. It's taught me how important friendships are in my life, how important other people are for me, and also the beauty of creating music with so many other people. Obviously music by ourselves is great, but coming into choir and making such beautiful music with people that you love right next to you, it's just really taught me that music is far more than just singing, it's the community that matters,” he said.
Choir has pushed Mailani toward becoming the best version of herself, as she’s learned with the people around her for the past four years.
“Choir has pushed me to grow in my confidence of performing in front of others, to put myself out there, to work as a team, and to applaud other people for their effort and achievements,” she said.
The seniors have been steadfast, working hard toward their goals this past year and accomplishing them.
“I think this particular group has taught me that having a year long goal and every day showing up with the readiness to work on that goal, we can achieve anything. Back in August, we made going to the state championships our goal, and then we made it happen,” Caldwell said.
While the seniors are leaving Jesuit, Jesuit’s choir will always be a place of light, music, and joy because of the legacy past seniors have left behind.
