The Tyler Consolidated High School Chamber Choir competed in Washington, D.C.on May 1, receiving a superior rating.

Forty members of the Knights Chamber Choir won top honors at the Music in the Parks Competition at Blake High School in Baltimore on Saturday, May 1. The choir competed along with students from schools in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

The Knights Chamber Choir earned a superior rating from the judges and also had the highest total score of any performance group in the competition including band, jazz band, and orchestras. The judge from Shenandoah Conservatory of Music gave his “high score” of the day to Tyler Consolidated (no overall grand champion award was given). In addition to earning the highest score and a superior rating, the Knights Chamber Choir also brought home the “Eprite de Corps” award. This award is based on quality of music instruction, evidence of teamwork within the performing group, manners, and good sportsmanship.

“I have always wanted to bring this award home. This award is voted on by everyone involved in the festival….from the judges right down to the set up crew. It means a lot to me because it goes beyond the actual performance to the heart of what it means to be good people. Our Tyler County kids behaved perfectly at the competition site. I think we left a very positive impression about West Virginia and especially Tyler County and Tyler Consolidated High School,” stated Clara Glover.

Selections performed by the Chamber Choir included “Je le vous dirai” by Ierre Certon, “Erev Shel Shoshanim” by Josef Hadar/arr. Jack Klebanow, and “Keep Your Lamps” by Andre Thomas which featured David (D.J.) Chichick on conga drums.

The students ate at Hard Rock Cafe’ in Baltimore, toured the National Aquarium, and toured Baltimore Inner Harbor on Thursday. They competed at Blake High School (a magnet school for the arts for the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area with a student population of 2,000) and then spent the day at Six Flags America Amusement Park in Largo, Maryland. They finished the trip on Sunday with the changing-of-the-guard at Arlington National Cemetery, Korean Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Wall, the capitol building, and the white house. The students performed “The Star Spangled Banner” at the capitol.

Students who performed were: Soprano-Brooke Clegg, Toni Couger, Cortney Daugherty, Jessie Earley, Karlie Hilpert, Tori Hizer, Katie Hoyes, Katie Klages, Lindsay Pratt, Danielle Seckman, Kelsey Sole, Megan Stoner, Laken Underwood, and Whitney Williams (not pictured-Sierra Swartz); Alto-Carissa Beaver, Amanda Goodfellow, Emily Moore, Cori Raper, McKenzie Rose, Chelsea Rosenlieb, Ally Smith, Lindsay Snider, Crysta Long. Tenor- Greg Gust, Job Hadley, and Devon Thompson. Bass- Max Brown, D.J. Chichick, Mack Day, Jay Earley, Charlie Hamilton, D.J. Haynes, Mikel Hess, Dominic Shepherd, and Zack Thomas.

A special thanks to chaperones Marsha Batchelor, Shirley Goodfellow, Karen Hoyes, and Kristy Wade. The students and Mrs. Glover also wish to thank Mr. Yoho, Mrs. DeVaughn, and the Tyler County Board of Education for allowing us to go on the trip.