California High School Hosts Tri-County Conference Choir

Now that CHS has the facility to do so, Choir Director Michele Bilyeu volunteered to host this year's Tri-County Conference Choir held on Saturday, Jan. 8. Choirs from all conference schools attended.

Alec Koelling, sophomore, said, "This was my first conference choir. Learning from another choir director's perspective was interesting."

"The guest clinician was very complimentary of the California choir members and how well prepared they were," said Bilyeu. "I was very proud of my students."

With spring coming up fast, the choir students are definitely busy. Next week they will be running a coat check at the Annual California Boys and Girls Basketball Tournament as a courtesy to those attending the games and as a small fundraiser for Tri-M.

As another fundraiser, the choirs are recycling used writing utensils such as markers and ballpoint pens through a company called Terra Cycle4. They will be unable to accept wooden pencils, however.

Choir contest season will begin soon and will include 13-15 solos, some ensembles, and sight reading, which is reading and singing music that students have not previously seen or heard.

Five students and two parents, along with Bilyeu, will also travel to New York City to perform at Lincoln Center with a mass choir and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.