Defiance High School

Choral Music Department

DHS Choirs Compete at District Contest for the First Time in Three Years

On Friday, March 11th, the Men's Chorus, Women's Chorus and A Cappella Choir competed at the OMEA District Large Group Contest held at Sylvania Northview High School. This is the first time Defiance choirs have been able to compete in this event in three years due to cancellations from the pandemic. Each choir was required to perform two pieces of music, one of which must be selected from a OMEA classification list. The choirs perform in front of a panel of three judges who give them written and live-recorded comments and assign a rating.

The Women's Chorus performed in Class C with "Psalm 67" and "Grow, Little Tree." They received an overall rating of II or Excellent. The Men's Chorus performed in Class C with "Dies Irae" and "Shoshone Love Song." They received an overall rating of III or Good. The A Cappella Choir performed in Class C with "The Stars Are With the Voyager" and "Walk in Jerusalem." They received an overall rating I or Superior and qualified to compete at State Contest to be held April 30 at Van Buren High School.

Congratulations to all of our musicians for working hard to get back into these events that we have not had the opportunity to participate in for a long, long time.

Five Students Selected for Honors Choir

Five DHS Choral Department students have been selected to represent our school at the 2022 OMEA District 1 Honors Choir. Students wishing to be considered had to submit a recorded audition and application. Selected students will participate in a Thursday evening rehearsal and a Saturday rehearsal before taking the stage at Stranahan Theater in Toledo with 120 other choral students on January 30th. The honors choir will perform a challenging slate of choral literature under the guest direction of Dr. Dara Gillis of Deleware Hayes High School. They will be performing on the same concert as the high school honors band and honors orchestra.

The DHS students selected to participate are Olivia Kissner, Kalen Miller, Anna Tackett, Elijah Valle, and Daniel Wheeler.

Thank You Class of 2021

Although this year may have not been what we all wanted, I believe a lot of wonderful things happened because of the challenging circumstances. We did not get to have the performance experiences that I would have liked or envisioned but we bonded together and developed more empathy for each other than I can ever remember. You seniors provided a solid foundation of leadership with your good attitudes and willingness to take on the challenges of this school year. You leave a great legacy for those that come after to live up to. Thank you for sticking with it and thank you for being great people. Good luck with your future and stop in and say hi sometime.

-Mr. West

Choral Music at DHS

The choral music program at Defiance High School has a proud tradition of excellence. This tradition has been established by decades of commitment and pride in the quality of all the vocal ensembles that call Defiance home. Students have many opportunities as a part of an ensemble or individually to challenge their musical abilities and to grow as a vocalist.

2021-2022 Concert Dates

Fall Concert - Tuesday, October 19, 7:00 PM - Defiance Christian Church
Christmas Concert - Sunday, December 19, 3:00 PM - Defiance Community Auditorium
OMEA District Large Group Contest - Saturday, March 12 - Sylvania Northview High School (Time TBD)
OMEA State Large Group Contest - April 29 or April 30 (pending ensemble qualification)
Spring Concert - Sunday, May 15, 3:00 PM - Defiance Community Auditorium

CHORAL DEPARTMENT CALENDAR OF EVENTS

This calendar includes ALL events, performances and activities associated with the Defiance Choral Music Department.

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