For the first time ever, the Monroe High School Expressions and Generations of Sound will be going to “choir camp.”  The camp takes place each afternoon Monday through Thursday of this week, Aug. 22-25, at Monroe High.   Each day, different guests are scheduled to come in and work with the students.

            While bands have gone to camps for years before school starts, choir camp is new at MHS.

            “I am so excited about the very first Monroe High School Choir Camp!,” said Choir Director Cate Windelborn.  “The camp will focus on team building, balance, blend and tone.  For many of these students this year will be the first time they have sung in a small choir.  It is much different to sing in a group when there are only 4-5 people on a part.  They really have to learn to listen as loudly as they sing.

The students who will be singing in Expressions and Generations of Sound for the 2016-2017 school year will be meeting in the choir room at Monroe High School from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily this week.  

“The 35-40 MHS students will spend some of their last precious hours of summer vacation singing, learning and bonding though singing.  It is my hope that this time will help them to bond as a group and get a head start on their music for the year,” Miss Windelborn said.

Here is the full schedule for this week’s activities:

Monday, August 22 - Elise Dinwoody, Monroe Middle School choir teacher, will participate in a day full of team-building activities.  Students will begin working on the song they will sing at the MPS kick-off meeting August 31.  The finale for the day will be a BreakoutEDU adventure that will be facilitated by Kerry Guiliano from the MCISD.  Students will be divided into teams and will have 45 minutes to solve a mystery using clues hidden in the room and their own technology.

Tuesday, August 23 - The second day will focus on the vocal jazz genre. Composer and Director Jed Scott will lead the choirs through activities, warm ups and rehearsal to improve their performance abilities on a vocal jazz piece.  Mr. Scott directs an extra curricular men's ensemble at Rockford High School in Rockford that has won many local, national and international awards.  He is also a respected composer of a cappella and vocal jazz music.

Wednesday, August 24 - The third day will focus on tone, balance, blend and honors choir.  The students will work on this year's honors choir audition piece with Michigan School Vocal Music Association (MSVMA) adjudicator and clinician Doug Armstead.  Mr. Armstead has taught for 25 years and has twice been selected to direct an MSVMA honors choir.  Students will be encouraged to audition to participate in this life changing program.

Thursday, August 25 – The week will wrap up with Dr. Joseph Daniel from Washtenaw Community College.  Dr. Daniel teaches piano and voice at WCC in addition to directing the choirs. He is also a free-lance organist.  He will work with the students on choral tone, balance and blend while rehearsing the music they will perform for the MPS staff on August 31.

MHS sing