Westside Christian High Choir Wins Fifth Straight State Championship

Westside Christian High School celebrates fifth consecutive State Championship for choir. www.wchsonline.org

(LAKE OSWEGO, Oregon) - As the morning of May 5 arrived, the pressure to perform was high. Eight 3A schools from across the state had earned the right to compete in the OSAA 3A State Choir Championship held at George Fox University. For Westside Christian High School the stakes were even higher. They set out to do the unimaginable - capture the State Championship title for the fifth consecutive year. And win they did!

Under the direction of Will Fox, the 53 Westside choir members sang a sampling of diverse pieces, including Musick's Empire, Glory of the Father, Kyrie Eleison, Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace, and Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit. The group was accompanied on the piano by Miriam Gibby. "While all of the songs were difficult, Musick's Empire and Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit were perhaps the most challenging," stated Fox. "They were perfect pieces to demonstrate the abilities of this group of singers."

Judging focused on four main areas: quality of sound, technique, musicality, and miscellaneous factors. Quality of sound included intonation, pitch, uniformity of vowels, and overall blend of voices. The technique score incorporated tempo, rhythmic precision, diction, and the preparation of the various vocal parts. Musicality involved the overall interpretation of the selected pieces, phrasing, expression, and the sensitivity of dynamics within each piece. Other factors that were taken into consideration included the variety of style demonstrated within the selection of pieces and overall appearance and presentation of the performers.

Choirs were also judged on their sight-singing capabilities. They were provided several pieces and given a minute to look them over and mentally prepare. Judges looked for rhythmic accuracy, unison pitch, accuracy of notes, ability to follow musical expressions within each score, and attention to details.

Commented Westside Principal Andy Sears, "I am proud of our students. They worked incredibly hard all year, and they represented our school well."

The Westside Choir will hold their annual Spring Concert on Tuesday, May 17, at 7:00 p.m. at Westside Christian High School, located at 4565 Carman Drive in Lake Oswego. The public is invited to attend.

News Release from: Westside Christian High School