Atherton’s choir kept up their reputation at assessment, and scored all distinguished ratings.
On Friday, March 13, Atherton’s choir went to the University of Louisville School of Music, where they participated in KMEA (Kentucky Music Educators Association). They participated in a statewide assessment (sponsored by KMEA), where choirs can sing for a rating; distinguished, proficient, apprentice, or novice. The choir brought prepared pieces of music to perform on stage in front of judges, and then performed a piece of music they had never seen before and also sang for a grade.
Mendy Cumberledge, Atherton’s choir and band director, describes how they are graded.
“Choirs are graded on their development of technical and expressive skills. They prepare pieces of music to sing onstage in the theatre, and it’s like a performance. It’s where their skills are on display. How musically can they sing? Sight-reading is where the academic skills such as rhythm, interval, singing music literacy, are displayed,” Cumberledge said.
Preparing for assessment is a year-long process of improvement, Cumberledge says.
“It’s a year-long process; from the beginning of the year until the spring. Students begin at different levels of skill, but they work to become one in an ensemble. Students in some places are learning, and in some places working on skills such as music literacy, singing a musical phrase, breath support, etc… That is a progression of improvement that is from the beginning of the year up until they walk on stage for assessment,” said Cumberledge.
Atherton took two choirs this year; Concert Choir (basses, tenors, altos, and sopranos) and Bel Canto (altos, soprano ones and soprano two’s). Both choirs received distinguished ratings from every judge.
Looking back, Cumberledge is proud of the choirs’ success.
“Their on stage and in-sight reading product was very good. They represented our program well. They sang very well. They were professional and they represented themselves and the school well. I couldn’t be more proud of their accomplishments or their performance on the day of assessment,” said Cumberledge.
For Jinger Boyer (9), this was her first year at assessment. Boyer notes the choir’s effort.
“I think it went pretty good. I’m really proud. We all worked really hard and leading up to it, a lot of hard work went into perfecting our voices, the sheet music, how we sounded, to make sure that our voices led out, and that we blended well,” Boyer said.
Boyer appreciates how assessment helps her grow.
“I think that it’s really fun to get to learn different things about singing and it really improves your stamina, and your voice with all of the strong voices that you hear and it’s just really fun to do,” Boyer said.
Tessa Hartmans (12) enjoys the unity involved with assessment, and is proud of her hard work.
“My favorite part is the way the entire ensemble works together to make music. This year has been great, and I’m proud of everything I’ve accomplished this year. I’m a senior so this was my last year at Atherton. I will miss KMEA [Kentucky Music Educators Association-the organizers of assessment],” Hartmans said.
For Cumberledge, her favorite part is watching her students feel rewarded for their dedication.
“I think my favorite part is probably watching the students exhibit their musicality on stage, and then watching how proud they are of themselves after the competition; how they understand that everything was made possible by their hard work,” Cumberledge said.
