The chorus program at Bobtown Elementary has been bringing music to students and audiences more than twenty years! April Baily, the elementary school’s music teacher, expanded upon the program during her first year of teaching at Bobtown Elementary in 2002. Other than April, there’s no one still working at Bobtown Elementary that was there when the program started.
“The chorus program at Bobtown is an optional choral ensemble that students sign up for in addition to their regular schedule,” April says. To participate, the students miss forty minutes of instruction time during the week but are still responsible for their regular class work. Students sign a behavioral contract that lays out the requirements and expectations for being in the choral ensemble.
The program started as an extra activity for students in fourth, fifth and sixth grades who love performing and singing. Most of the students in grades four through six participate in the choir. There are currently 67 members – close to sixty percent of the students in this grade range. “Anyone willing to join is welcome as I believe music is for everyone to perform and experience at some level,” April shares.
A wonderful quote from the singer Bill Staines agrees with this thought: “All God’s creatures got [sic] a place in the choir, some sing low and some singer higher, some sing out loud on a telephone wire, some just clap their hands, or paws…”
In addition to singing, students also learn other musical skills. Students can learn to play instruments, public speaking, and acting. Student learn musical skills such as singing, diction and blending and also life skills. Choir helps build confidence, encourages collaboration, strengthens social skills and “most importantly, it is an outlet for their creativity,” April says.
One of the most amazing aspects of the choir program is that it encourages students to rely on each other. This is not a competitive program; students are an ensemble. It is the blending of many voices that creates the beautiful sound of the choir. This helps students learn the value of working cohesively with others.
It is no surprise that COVID-19 had a temporary negative impact on the choral program. Until very recently, the choir had not been able to perform a normal concert since Christmas 2019. “Our concert last week was the first time in three years that we were able to stand close together on the risers and have our entire audience at one performance all together. It was a good feeling.”
She mentioned that unfortunately the number of students participating in the choir was lower than usual, the number is usually around 75-80 students.
Everyone is very excited for what next year’s school year will bring and are confident their numbers will return to normal soon. One final thought from April: “Even though Bobtown Elementary is a small school, we have some amazing children that are eager to learn and to participate in a variety of activities. They are very resilient, hard workers and it is my pleasure to work with them each and every day. Go Bulldogs!”
