KIMBERLY CHOIRS
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • Calendar
    • Alumni
    • Contact Us!
  • PARENTS
    • Choir/Theatre Boosters
  • STUDENTS
    • Time Schedules
    • Lessons
    • Solo & Ensemble
  • ENSEMBLES
    • Chorale
    • Bella Voce
    • Concert Choir
    • Chamber Choir
    • Mixed Vocal Jazz
    • Satins
    • Varsity Bass
  • Choir Council
    • President's Blog
  • MEDIA
    • Audio Gallery
  • LINKS
    • Infinite Campus
    • KASD
    • KHS
    • KHS Bands
    • KHS Theatre
    • JRG Choirs
    • KHS Choirs Facebook
    • Choir/Theatre Boosters Facebook

2022 February Choir Concert

2/14/2022

0 Comments

 

Welcome, everyone!   
​

Thank you so much for attending our third concert of the year, Mid-Winter Songs, especially on Valentine's Day! I'm sure many of you have special plans; going to dinner, handing out Valentines, confessing your love to a stranger, etc. However, Valentine's day isn’t just about romance—it’s about love for everyone. This Valentine’s Day, we invite you to pause and appreciate all of the important relationships in your life.  

In the last few months, Kimberly Choir was not only spending time working on our music, but also pausing to appreciate one of our most valued mentors: Mr. Popke. He has been teaching at Kimberly High School since 2014 and has made an amazing impact on the Kimberly Choir Program. One of Mr. Popke’s greatest qualities is making students feel valued and supported both academically and personally in his teaching. On behalf of the Kimberly Choir Program, we would like to thank you for all the hard work you’ve put into pushing us to become better musicians AND better people. We won’t fail to bring the positive attitude that you taught us into the new things that come our way.  

Thank you all again for coming tonight; we are so happy to see this many choir families, alumni, and supporters in the audience, and we are excited to share our music with you. Now, please sit back and enjoy the concert as we do one of the things we love most - make music with our choir community at KHS.

0 Comments

2021 Winter Choir Concert

12/2/2021

0 Comments

 
Hello Kimberly High School Choir Friends and Family!

The Kimberly Choirs are very excited to present our Winter Choir Concert, Wintertide, on Monday, December 6 at 7:00 PM. 
 
Finally, the snow is starting to fall and winter is arriving. Strangely enough, I truly love winter. Except for the slippery roads and below 0 temperatures, of course. Winter offers so much joy. Holiday deals at the mall, colorful sweaters and Santa hats, and the feeling that comes from simply wrapping yourself in a blanket and sitting by the fire with a hot chocolate is amazing. Of course, you can’t forget about the holiday music. Artists like Mariah Carey, Pentatonix, and Michael Buble ring through the air with their traditional holiday songs. It is only right to say that the winter season is supposed to be one of the most fun-filled and relaxing times of the year.


Recently, Kimberly High School has experienced a great deal of loss. The overwhelming emotion that comes with loss can be difficult to express in the form of words. But, what really spoke to me during this time of grief was the music we were working on in choir. 

The music in our upcoming concert helps us deal with loss and also expresses hope, comfort, unity, and love. The music was difficult to learn, but offers a distraction from the fast pace of life. Some of the selections we will be performing are truly breathtaking. 

We look forward to seeing you at this concert and hope that you enjoy  the music we have prepared! From all of us to all of you, thank you for continuously supporting Kimberly Choir!

​Happy Holidays! 
0 Comments

Welcome to the 2021-22 School Year!

9/20/2021

0 Comments

 
Hello parents, students, alumni, & friends of the Kimberly High School Choirs!

My name is Erin Poggemann and I am the 2021-22 KHS Choir Council President. I am proud to invite each and every one of you to our Fall Choir Concert, Collage, which will be taking place on October 12 at 7 PM in the Kimberly High School Auditorium. 

It is shocking to realize that this concert will be the first Fall Choir Concert we have put on in two whole years. Not only did we miss challenging ourselves to learn a full set of music in only 5-6 weeks, but we missed singing in the auditorium for an audience of passionate supporters. Every time I perform with our choir community, it never fails to bring me joy. Seeing the faces of audience members always makes singing so much more worthwhile. 

As we approached the 2021-22 school year, I honestly had no idea what would be in store for us. Choir, as a whole, looked a lot different last year: sitting six feet apart in the auditorium during choir rehearsals, always wearing masks while singing, filming our concerts over the course of days and sending it out to viewers with a link, singing for much less time during each rehearsal because of air flow, and many other things. With all of these adjustments to our normal daily routine, nothing felt real. 

Every change led to a different emotion, and most of us did not know how to feel. However, when I stepped into choir each day, I felt joy and love from an outstanding community of people. Most schools were unable to sing together last year. However, we were so fortunate to be able to sing together and it was what we needed as a community. Even though I knew that there was no chance of being "normal" during the 2020-21 school year, choir brought happiness into every day.

Now, after we've gone through that low point, we've finally made it to a year I've titled: "Almost Normal". Sure, we still have to wear masks and all of that, but this is the year where everything we missed out on can finally come back. Every day that we gather together as a choir is preparing us to grow as a community. Once again, we get to show off our hard work to real people, not just a camera. Most importantly, we can finally perform in an "Almost Normal" way. Kimberly High School choir students value the connections that we make with not only each other, but also with you, our supporters. We are so thankful to be a part of something that brings so much joy to so many people. 

Our music this year revolves around the idea that we are getting our lives back. Our songs deal with loss -- and hope; they celebrate how during COVID-19, we were still able to have connections with our loved ones, and that those connections pushed us to come out stronger in the end. We are currently in the process of perfecting our music, paying attention to every detail and we look forward to showcasing all of our work on stage in the coming weeks.  

From all seven of the Kimberly Choirs, we thank you for supporting us through this journey and hope you to see you at our Fall Choir Concert on October 12. 
0 Comments

Spring Choir Concert

5/17/2021

0 Comments

 
Hello parents, students, alumni, and friends of the Kimberly High School Choirs!

Our final concert of the 2020-21 school year, “Finale”, is quickly approaching! This two-night event will feature our auxiliary ensembles performing on May 18 in the auditorium at 6:00 PM. Our core choirs will perform on May 19 in the gym at 7:00 PM. 

One thing that remains the same throughout every school year (pandemic or no pandemic) is the bittersweet farewell after every spring choir concert. This is the last time that the ensembles with these specific people will get to perform, and it’s the last chance for the seniors to cement their legacies in the Kimberly Choir program. We are so incredibly proud of the work that the seniors have put into this program for the past 4 years, and we cannot wait to see what their futures hold.

As we reflect on this past year, we could not be more proud of this program. We have persevered through all of the challenges of a year like no other. When we started school in the fall, we discussed what would be different throughout the year. But more importantly, we discussed what would stay the same. The musicianship that will be on display for this concert is the same as it always has been. In times like these, it’s important to know how your life is still the same. It gives us hope to know that -- someday -- things will be normal again, and that means for us as a choir program that students will -- someday -- be back to rehearsing in the choir room and standing shoulder to shoulder.

Looking back, we have also had the opportunity to embrace the  many challenges of this year. During this school year, our choir program has managed to put together many events to help the community. For Halloween, we were able to put together a costume contest to help with COVID relief. During the holidays, we held a food drive to help those in our local community. This spring, we were able to have a penny war (choir vs. band) where all the proceeds went to the nonprofit, “Love One International.” This nonprofit organization that provides medical help to children in Uganda. 

As we see the world taking steps into the future, we hope that the music you hear at our concerts gives you the feeling of growth. Over the past year, we as students have seen each other grow as both people and musicians. This year we feel that we have seized the opportunity given to us. We’ve learned that life gives you opportunities for a reason, and it’s up to us to take them. In Concert Choir's song “Finale B”, you will hear the words of composer, Jonathan Larson, as he tells us all to seize the moment: 

 “No day but today.”

As we reflect on this year of music-making, we feel so incredibly fortunate and humbled to have served as your Co-presidents this past school year. It’s an opportunity that we will never forget.

Gratefully,
​Grant & Callie

PLEASE NOTE: This concert is NOT open to the public due to COVID-19 protocols. Each choir member will receive up to four tickets per concert for family members to attend. ​
0 Comments

Our First In-Person Concert of the Year!

2/1/2021

0 Comments

 
Hello parents, students, alumni, & friends of the Kimberly High School Choirs!
    
Believe it or not, our winter concert is quickly approaching! “In Concert” will take place on Monday, February 15. Each core choir will perform at a specific time: 6:00 PM for Chorale, 7:00 PM for Bella Voce, and 8:00 PM for Concert Choir. This concert will be held in the Kimberly High School Gymnasium. The next night, February 16, all of our auxiliary ensembles will perform in the auditorium at 7:00 PM.
    
It’s crazy to think that we haven't had a concert in more than four hundred days! Four. Hundred. Days. We have not performed for anybody in over a year, but we endure. In November, we recorded our performances to feel connected to the community, but that changes now. We are finally able to have our first in-person concert. Though it will look a little different from our normal concerts, the feeling stays the same.

For this concert cycle, Concert Choir will sing a piece of music called "
The Music of Living" by Dan Forrest. The poem says “To risk even falling, to rise and keep trying...” This poem rings true to all of us, knowing that the world could shut down again tomorrow, but we will continue to work hard and do everything necessary to keep us here together in-person.


We hope that the music we sing at this year's winter concert will also inspire you to endure and keep working for a better tomorrow. The music that will be sung at this concert has been rehearsed for months in socially distanced, masked rehearsals. This year, there are many different challenges in our choir program, yet one thing has stayed the same -- our willingness and eagerness to learn. In today's world, coming together for a performance is something that we all look forward to!
    
We are so excited to help you forget about the worries and uncertainties of tomorrow and to share the wonderful sounds of the Kimberly Choirs with you. It's been way too long since we've been able to do so!  

PLEASE NOTE: This concert is NOT open to the public due to COVID-19 protocols. Each choir member will receive two tickets per concert for family members to attend. 
0 Comments

Welcome to the 2020-21 School Year!

10/5/2020

0 Comments

 
Hello, Kimberly Choir Community!

We are Grant Colling and Callie Grones, both seniors in Concert Choir, and we are your 2020-21 Choir Council Co-Presidents. For the first time in KHS Choir history, two people have been chosen to serve the choir council in the presidential role, and we couldn’t be happier to be serving and leading this program together.

It makes sense that this is a year to make history, because 2020 has been anything but normal. This has been a wild ride for all of us: what we’ve experienced, seen, heard, felt, and what we’ve constantly had to adapt to. We all have our own stories to tell about how this year has been so far, and that’s why we think this is such a pivotal moment in time. 

As the 2020-21 school year approached, we all came into school having different experiences from COVID 19. We had events and vacations cancelled, limited contact with people we love, and even some of our family members having contracted the virus themselves. Early on in the year, with all of the craziness and unknowns we faced, we as a choir community discussed what makes this year different from other years. We talked about how it’s difficult to wear masks all day, especially when trying to sing and create beautiful music together. We talked about physical distancing, how we can’t socialize like we used to or just be together in the same ways. We, not only as a choir community, but as a society, have needed to learn new ways to adapt to change. It’s been challenging.

But even more importantly, we talked about what has stayed the same. We gather together because of our passion for music. We gather together because of our desire for excellence and strength that is the Kimberly Choir program. But we think most importantly, we gather for each other, to be with each other and to feel the connection that is formed when we take that first breath and begin to sing. We gather because though we are all different people, we are connected by what we love. 

In times like these we need to remember how and why we rise out of a place of darkness like this. Concert Choir will sing a song called “A World Gone Quiet,” a new choral composition written specifically for the victims of COVID-19, and we would like to call your attention to one of the phrases in the music:

“Like the Sun which never dies, we will rise.”

This short, simple phrase says it all. As a choir community, group of people, friends, family, and ultimately the whole world, we are the Sun. We, as a collective whole, possess what we need to get ourselves out of this situation together. Showing love and care for one another can give us the strength to be able to rise up. We lift up someone, they lift up someone else, then that person lifts up someone else, and it continues on and on. We as a society will be able to heal the hurt that has been felt by all of us. We will make it through together. We will rise together -- and we will become stronger together.

We are in the process of putting together a virtual performance during these fall months. Please stay tuned for more details! We thank you for your support of the Kimberly Choirs! 
0 Comments

2019 Winter Choir Concert

12/1/2019

0 Comments

 
Hello parents, students, alumni, and friends of the Kimberly High School Choirs!

The holiday season is quickly approaching, and so is our Winter Choir Concert, Wintertide, on Monday, December 9 at 7:00 p.m. in the Kimberly High School Auditorium. I would like to invite you to come share a night of music with us!

Like many people, winter is not my favorite season of the year. Although it comes with cold snow and piercing winds, I try to appreciate the beauty of the winter weather, as well. A song that Concert Choir will be performing paints the picture of a peaceful winter scene. The poem reads, “The deep cold comes, and even the great pond is frozen, dusted with snow, luminous under Venus, the moon, suburban lights on the dark hills.” Next time you look outside at the snow, look past the slush. See how the snow lies still, sparkles brightly, and reflects off of the sun or the moon and stars.

​I hope the music that we sing at this year's Winter Choir Concert will also inspire your holiday spirit, leaving you more joyful than when you arrived. As we approach this season of togetherness, each choir is grateful to be able to create music together and share it with you!  Our Winter Choir Concert is very important to me during this time of year, as is spending time with friends, family, and people in the community. I cherish each of these relationships, especially when we are able to come together for just a moment in spite of all of the chaos going on in our lives and in the world.

So, take a break from the stress of planning for the holidays and come to our Winter Concert. You will be able to experience our collective growth since our last concert, enjoy some classic carols, hear some songs with a twist, and see some really ugly Christmas sweaters! I look forward to seeing you there!

​Happy Holidays!

0 Comments

2019 Fall Choir Concert

10/9/2019

0 Comments

 
Hello parents, students, alumni, and friends of the Kimberly High School Choirs!

My name is Justin Torzala and I am the 2019-20 KHS Choir Council President. On behalf of all seven choirs here at KHS, I would like to invite you to join us in the KHS Auditorium on Tuesday, October 15th at 7:00 p.m. for a night of great music. We have been preparing since the first day of school for our Fall Choir Concert: Collage!  

During these first weeks of my senior year, I decided to reflect on my experience in this program, going as far back as my freshman year. I dug my way into the archived Google Classroom pages in order to find as many past concert videos as I could, and I watched every single one. I watched with joy and nostalgia as I remembered the songs that have impacted me. All of these concert videos reminded me of how grateful I am for being part of such an amazing choir program.

I reflected on each choir I have been in—the unique sound each one produced, the songs we sang together, and the people making up each group. I thought of all of the people I have met and all the friends I have made since my freshman year—some who have graduated and moved away, but still keep in touch. All of these experiences, choirs, songs, and people have been pieces of my personal “choir collage” so far. They have each played a part in shaping me into the person I am today. 

This year, I am already excited about the choirs that are taking shape and will continue to grow throughout the year. I am excited about the experiences we have already had and will continue to have together, about the friends I have made and the people I am learning more about, and about all of the songs we will sing that will contribute to the overall picture—or collage—of Kimberly High School Choirs. A song that Concert Choir has been preparing contains a line that stands out to me when I think of Kimberly Choir: “where music and laughter abide hand in hand.” Our choir is a collection of positive moments that we will remember long after high school.

These moments are essential to our stories, just as every song and every voice is essential to our concert. Each set is planned purposefully by our directors to create a musical collage—to tell a story that encourages deeper reflection. As musicians, we strive to be storytellers who inspire others through our music. I hope you will join us to hear what each choir and each student contributes to the collage.

Thank you for your support. See you at the concert!
0 Comments

2019 Spring Choir Concert

5/15/2019

0 Comments

 
Hello, Friends and Family of the Kimberly High School Choirs!

Our last concert of the year, appropriately named
Finale
, will be held on May 15 at 7:00 pm in the KHS Auditorium. We hope you can come celebrate the past year of music with us!

This concert serves as a grand culmination of all the work we’ve put into our music over the course of the year. We get the chance to perform as an entire choir program one last time. For many of us (especially the seniors), this might be our last choir concert ever.  It is so odd to think about the “lasts” of anything. As a senior, this year has seemed to just be a series of lasts -- our last school dance, last AP test, and now the last choir concert. I think that for many of us, this particular finale is the most difficult; we don’t want to let go of the friends and music we've grown up with. 

Change is hard in any form. Some of us will be moving from Chorale to Bella Voce, others will be moving from Bella Voce to Concert Choir; still others will be leaving high school all together. What I think gives me the most comfort, though, is that we never really leave the music behind. Even those who might not continue with choir get to keep what they’ve accomplished so far. We get the comfort of turning on the radio and being brought back to the feelings of comfort and safety we felt within the four walls of the choir room. It's one thing that never changes; wherever you go in life, there will be music.   One song ending is merely an opportunity for another one to begin.

​I hope this concert reminds you how lucky we are to live in a world with music. We can never be truly alone when we are surrounded by music. During this quarter, Concert Choir has been working on a piece called “The Awakening” that describes a world without music. There is a line in that song that I hope stays with you as we move on to new phases of our lives:  “Let music never die in me, forever let my spirit sing.”

Thank you for a beautiful year of music!
0 Comments

2018 Fall Choir Concert

10/11/2018

0 Comments

 
Hello parents, students, alumni, and friends of the Kimberly High School Choirs!

My name is Klaire Kulas and I am the 2018-19 KHS Choir Council President. Welcome to another year of making music! Our first concert of the year, 
Collage, will be held in the on Tuesday, October 16 at 7:30 pm in the Kimberly High School Auditorium. 


The idea of a collage is not something you would ordinarily pair with choir. When I think of a collage, my mind goes to a page from a middle school scrapbook. But, as I start my senior year of high school and reflect on the last three years of choir, the idea of a collage seems to be the perfect explanation of how a choir should be.

​A collage is a piece of art made by sticking various pieces of a material (like pictures or fabric) together. A choir is made up of individuals uniting their own unique voices to create art. Each piece is vital to the overall work. What makes a collage so beautiful is the individuality of each piece. If each scrap of paper or fabric was exactly the same, we could never experience the rich art that is made. And so it is with a choir, too. Upon reflection, our entire choir program -- all seven choirs -- could be considered a collage. Each choir makes their own unique contributions to every concert cycle. Each choir has its own distinctive sound that compliments the other choirs and ultimately forms who we are -- the Kimberly High School Choirs.

I’ve found that "
Let my Love Be Heard", a piece to be performed by Concert Choir, perfectly emulates the idea of creating a collage. This piece poses many challenges for Concert Choir, particularly the dreaded ‘ah’ section. The melody builds with repeated triplet patterns being passed between the alto and soprano sections while the tenors and basses gradually build on the lyrics ‘let my love be heard’. As we were working, Mr. Popke reminded us that it wasn’t a battle between sections, rather collaborative growth. Each part was lovely independently, but the stunning, ethereal feeling that this piece gives can only be achieved when the parts work in harmony. This idea is perfectly applicable to a collage. No one piece of the puzzle can attain the beauty of the full picture.     

As we gather together for our first concert of the year, I look forward to hearing the collage our voices will create -- and how they will grow and change over the coming year. I know what we start with on October 16 will not be the same sound we finish with in June. As we progress as individuals, our collective choir program can only continue to mature. I hope that all of you will have the opportunity to witness this growth! Thank you all for your support and I hope to see you for our first concert: Collage.  
0 Comments
<<Previous
    Picture

    Erin Poggemann '22

    Choir Council
    ​President

    ​2021-22

    Archives:

    February 2022
    December 2021
    September 2021
    May 2021
    February 2021
    October 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    May 2019
    October 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    October 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • Calendar
    • Alumni
    • Contact Us!
  • PARENTS
    • Choir/Theatre Boosters
  • STUDENTS
    • Time Schedules
    • Lessons
    • Solo & Ensemble
  • ENSEMBLES
    • Chorale
    • Bella Voce
    • Concert Choir
    • Chamber Choir
    • Mixed Vocal Jazz
    • Satins
    • Varsity Bass
  • Choir Council
    • President's Blog
  • MEDIA
    • Audio Gallery
  • LINKS
    • Infinite Campus
    • KASD
    • KHS
    • KHS Bands
    • KHS Theatre
    • JRG Choirs
    • KHS Choirs Facebook
    • Choir/Theatre Boosters Facebook