Last fall, several Camas High School (CHS) students auditioned for the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) All-Northwest Honor Choir Conference, and this January, the four students who were accepted attended the conference in Spokane, Wash.

The students put in long hours of rehearsal leading up to the big concert on Jan. 27, both at home and at the actual conference. The students’ hard work certainly seemed to pay off.

Two of the four students, Mary Anderson and Jak Schiller, both seniors, definitely enjoyed their experience with the ACDA All-Northwest Honor Choir, describing the environment to be very positive, energetic and welcoming.

“It’s such an incredible, powerful experience to be able to get together with a lot of different people and sing together,” Anderson said. “It’s something I’ve never gotten to do before.”

Anderson and Schiller both concluded that being in a choir like this helped them cherish music even more. Both hope to continue singing in large ensembles, whether that be in college or in community choirs.

“I think choir will definitely stay with me throughout my life,” Anderson said. “I’m not going to give choir up.”

Anderson and Schiller also had many wonderful things to say about their directors, Dr. Jonathan Talberg, who directed the junior and senior SA Honor Choir, and Dr. Rosephanye Powell, who directed the junior and senior Grade TB Honor Choir. Schiller expressed many sentiments of gratitude towards Dr. Powell.

“Dr. Powell was able to coach you on your voice so effortlessly,” Schiller said. “She connected you with the emotions of the song. She was very interactive.”

Though it is a big commitment to sing in an honor choir made up of hundreds of people from all across the western region, Anderson and Schiller unanimously agree that it is worth every penny. They certainly recommend others audition for honor choirs like All-Northwest.

“I don’t know how to convey how valuable the experience was,” Schiller said.

Anderson similarly expressed her sense of ‘awe’ in singing in the ACDA All-Northwest Honor Choir.

“People who haven’t branched out won’t ever know what it’s like to sing with 130 other people,” Anderson said. “If you enjoy something, you should try as many experiences as possible.”

CHS Choir Director Ethan Chessin is so proud of his students, especially those like Anderson and Schiller who decided to take the risk and audition. Chessin believes students’ attitudes are really what shape their honor choir experience.

“Students get out of it what they put in,” Chessin said. “There’s nothing to lose.”

Overall, the ACDA All-Northwest Honor Choir experience was positive for both the CHS students who were accepted, as well as for Chessin, who supported his students by attending the big concert at the end of the conference.