Last Friday, the SCCS high school choir enjoyed singing at The Master’s University (TMU) annual High School Invitational.
“The festival started the year that I began teaching at SCCS,” shared Mrs. Johnson, choir teacher. “Both public schools and Christian schools in our valley participate and it is exciting to hear each school’s growth from year to year. This year was no different for SCCS. Every year, we come with a better choir and more difficult music. Dr. Paul Plew, head of the music department at TMU, commented that this must be our strongest choir yet. It is fun to not only sing excellent sacred music but to also see that our desire for excellence is being rewarded in a tangible way.”
This year’s group of students includes 42 freshman through seniors. They sing a classical, sacred, and modern repertoire in various languages such as French, Latin, Spanish, Italian, Swahili, and Arabic.
“Every piece of music I give this choir, they pour themselves into with focus and excellence – they are really a remarkable group of singers,” continued Mrs. Johnson. “One of the pieces we sang for the Invitational is called ‘Alélouya’ by Emile Desamours. This exciting Haitian piece repeatedly declares ‘Li vivan, Glwar a dyé’, which roughly translates to ‘He is alive! Glory to God’. It’s especially rewarding for our choral departments at SCCS to sing in different languages that glorify God.”
Looking ahead to March 19-30, the choir will travel to Ireland where they will sing in different schools, community centers, and churches.
“We are working hard to prepare for our Ireland trip and raise our final funds,” shared Mrs. Johnson. “I cannot wait to see how this trip will change the lives of our students. I recently got together with some SCCS alums who sang in choir and they unanimously agreed that these trips were one of the things they remember most about their time at SCCS. They were able to witness the local church in action and develop a deep love for the world and what it means to minister to others.”
Beyond performance, students are encouraged to worship the Lord and bring honor to Him as they sing about Him.
“Singing is one of the only things we do on earth that we will continue to do in heaven,” continued Mrs. Johnson. “Not only does that make it important but what we sing and what we listen to has lifelong merit. When we sing Scripture, that helps the Word permeate our hearts. There are so many times that God calls to mind a line in a song or words I sang as a child that help me remember His attributes and grace in my life. Music is so important! If you have a student at SCCS, encourage them to pursue the arts. They will not regret it.”
Would you like to help this group of dedicated students go on a trip of a lifetime? There will be a Krispy Kreme fundraiser on Friday, February 28th and order forms will be coming home in the coming days.
