Vocal and Orchestra Kick Off Christmas with a Mass

By: Elise BurmeisterVocal Music and Orchestra are kicking off this year’s Christmas season with Franz Schubert’s Mass in G. A “Mass” is essentially a traditional Catholic church service set to music and sung in Latin lasting roughly 22 minutes. The mass will have the chamber orchestra and all vocal students performing. Jillian Bethel, a sophomore in the choir, says “I really like that we’re doing the Mass. It's a good way to branch out to different musical genres and Mrs.Hester, the vocal teacher, has been telling us about the different styles and genres of singing while we do it and has been teaching us different musical terms. Its a really fun and new experience.” The vocal students have been preparing the mass since September.Mrs. Hester places the 4th Hour vocal students into their choir formation.Bethel continues, “She's having us go over everything in our different sections and has been giving us background on what the words mean, she’s really making sure we know what we’re singing and that we feel confident in what we’re doing.”The mass has multiple solos, branching from fast and dramatic to slow and dreamlike. One of the soloists Lucy Kim, a senior, has some tips of her own about preparing for a solo. “I practice a lot in my bedroom just singing into my mirror and listening for what I can improve on. After that then I’ll go to my piano and pound out the notes and try and figure everything out so that I can connect the notes and rhythms to what I’m singing.” Lucy has been in choir all four years of high school and this is her third year as a soloist for the mass.This is the 9th consecutive year the vocal music program has done a mass. The senior aide for choir, Olivia Mowry, says, “The tradition of classical choral music has been around since music has been made. We’re not doing it for the religious aspect but we’re doing it to gain experience and to broaden our horizons as singers.”The performance will be on December 3rd at the High School PAC at 7 pm.For more information contact Julie Hester Room - M108