About Us
San Marcos High School is located in beautiful Santa Barbara, California. The Vocal Music Program, under the direction of Eleni Pantages, consists of five curricular ensembles, each dedicated to the cultivation of the choral art experience for students and the community. These students study a varied repertoire of classical, musical theater, jazz, and contemporary choral and solo vocal literature, and perform in a wide variety of local, domestic, and international venues.
RECENT AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
2023 Top Scoring Ensemble (Instrumental or Choral) - Music in the Parks Festival Los Angeles, CA - Royal Knights
2023 Gold Rating & 1st Place in the Tenor/Bass Choir Division - Music in the Parks Festival Los Angeles, CA - Royal Knights
2023 Top Scoring Ensemble (Instrumental or Choral) - Worldstrides Festival of Gold Chicago, IL - Madrigals
2023 Superior Rating - Worldstrides Festival of Gold Chicago, IL - Enchanté
2023 Superior Rating - Southern California Vocal Association Choral Festival Thousand Oaks, CA - Royal Knights
2023 Superior Rating - Southern California Vocal Association Choral Festival Santa Barbara, CA - Madrigals
2023 Royal Pride Foundation Grant Recipient
2023 Santa Barbara Bowl Grant Recipient
2022 Santa Barbara Independent Local Hero Award - Ms. Pantages
2022 Top Scoring Ensemble (Instrumental or Choral) - Music in the Parks Festival Los Angeles, CA - Royal Knights
2022 Gold Rating & 1st Place in the Tenor/Bass Choir Division - Music in the Parks Festival Los Angeles, CA - Royal Knights
2022 Gold Rating & 1st Place in the Madrigal Choir Division - Worldstrides Music Festival Honolulu, HI - Madrigals
2022 Gold Rating & 2nd Place in the Treble Choir Division - Worldstrides Music Festival Honolulu, HI - Enchanté
2022 Adjudicator's Award for Outstanding Performance - Worldstrides Music Festival Honolulu, HI - Madrigals
2022 Adjudicator's Award for Outstanding Performance - Worldstrides Music Festival Honolulu, HI - Enchanté
2021 Gold Rating & 1st Place in the Chamber Choir Division - Worldstrides International Virtual Festival - Madrigals
2021 Gold Rating & 1st Place in the Treble Choir Division - Worldstrides International Virtual Festival - Enchanté
2021 Adjudicator's Award for Outstanding Performance - Worldstrides International Virtual Festival - Madrigals
2020 Royal Pride Foundation ROAR Award Recipient
2020 Mosher Foundation Grant Recipient
2019 Top Scoring Choral Ensemble - Worldstrides Music Festival Anaheim, CA - Enchanté
2019 Gold Rating & 1st Place in the Treble Choir Division - Worldstrides Music Festival Anaheim, CA - Enchanté
2019 Top Scoring Ensemble (Instrumental or Choral) - Worldstrides Festival of Gold Los Angeles, CA - Madrigals
Girls Chorus
Fall Semester: Per. 1
A preparatory class for introducing and building musicianship, vocal technique, aural skills, performance etiquette, and music appreciation. Most freshmen are enrolled in this class, regardless of talent or previous experience.
Open Enrollment
(predominantly 9th grade treble voices)
Royal knights
Year-Round: Royal Time
All tenor and bass voices are invited to join this group which primarily focuses on contemporary music such as pop, doo-wop, barbershop, and musical theater. A Cappella and Mads men are required to enroll. This group sometimes performs at community events.
Open Enrollment
(9th-12 grade, tenor/bass voices)
a cappella
Fall Semester: Per. 2
Intermediate level concert choir. This group sometimes combines with Madrigals for community performances such a sporting events, outreach, and Disneyland's Candlelight Ceremony in December.
Audition Only
(9th-12th grade, all voice types)
enchanté
Spring Semester: Per. 2
Intermediate/Advanced choir focusing on classical repertoire written for treble voices. This group travels and competes at local, domestic, and international events.
Audition Only
(predominantly 10th-12th grade, treble voices)
madrigals
Year-Round: Per. 3
Advanced chamber group of students who have demonstrated a high work ethic, good leadership, and strong musical skills in performance and sight-reading in the classical choral style, as well as many other genres. Members are required to participate in many performances both during and outside of regular school hours. This group travels and competes at local, domestic, and international events.
Audition Only (2 tiers)
(predominantly 11th-12th grade, all voice types)
ms. pantages
Ms. Pantages is an alumna of SMHS and was heavily involved in the performing arts department during her time in high school. She holds a Bachelor of the Arts degree in vocal performance and choral music studies and a Master of the Arts in Teaching degree with an emphasis in general and choral music from the University of Southern California. With over a decade of teaching experience, she has worked with students ages 4-18 all over Southern California on classical, musical theater, jazz, and contemporary singing. Shows she has music-directed include Little Shop of Horrors, Mamma Mia, Catch Me If You Can, The Addams Family, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, Once Upon A Mattress, Bye-Bye Birdie, The Little Mermaid, Into The Woods, The Music Man, Urinetown, Once On This Island, Sweeney Todd, Les Misérables, and many more. Ms. Pantages sang for 10 years with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the resident choir of The Music Center in downtown LA. She has worked with conductors such as Grant Gershon, Eric Whitacre, and Gustavo Dudamel. Some of her favorite musical experiences include performing in the chorus of West Side Story at the Hollywood Bowl, singing backup for The Rolling Stones on their 50 and Counting Tour, and recording over a dozen movie soundtracks with Sony, Disney, Fox, and Warner Brothers, including Star Wars: The Last Jedi with a full orchestra and John Williams conducting.