2024-2025!
Why Choir at highland?
Choral music is a beautiful and diverse art form. Working together on learning and performing this variety of literature makes for a more well rounded and enriched person.
A music rehearsal is a perfect form of education: There is a constant back and forth between teacher and students; constant questions and answers; and students serving as evaluators of self and group.
A music rehearsal preparing for a concert is the model of teamwork and collaboration: The "success" of the "group project" is up to contributions and efforts of every member. We work together as a team toward a common goal. Many, if not most, members will engage in this kind of project-based collaboration in their futures beyond school.
Socially, students can easily form bonds as they work together on their common goal. Discussions, jokes, insights, and personalities end up being shared freely and friendships form as a constant "secondary activity" while we learn new music and new skills.
A Place to Pursue Your Strength. Everyone's good at something - at many things. For those students for whom singing and/or performing is their strength, a hierarchy of auditioned choir experiences are available to provide increased depth and complexity.
A Place for Everyone. Even if music is not "your thing," or you are curious to try but have no idea if you even have any decent skills - HHS has a choir experience for you. The joy comes from discovering, trying, and growing - and doing that together with others.
About the Director
My name is Mr ILG. I was fortunate to be available to take my first teaching job right when the Highland job became available. Back then, in February of 1991, the job was directing 3 choirs at the middle school and 1 curricular choir at the high school - a choir of 12 guys and 30 girls.
Today, through a lot of community and administrative support, the Highland High School choir department boasts 4 curricular choirs and several co-curricular choirs and ensembles in a state of the art facility.
In our introductory level choirs, many students come to find their voices and grow their skills, while in our advanced level choirs our students frequently receive Superior ratings at both District level and State level Adjudicated Events. For many years, Highland High School was one of only 5 sites in all of Ohio to host "State Choir Contest" every year!
In my 34th year of teaching now, I live in Medina Township and have three children who are students at Ohio State, Baldwin Wallace Conservatory, and Kent State University. In addition to working at Highland, I am the Director of Music and Organist at Holy Martyrs Catholic Church in Medina Township.
I look forward to working with you and/or seeing you at our concerts. Highland is a great place to be, and I believe the Highland High School Choir department is a great organization to make a part of your life!