Choir

Music education is essential to a well-rounded school schedule. The skills associated with learning,practicing and performing music are important, they build good work habits, the ability to concentrate on difficult tasks and problem solve. It enhances creativity, social skills, success inteam-work, and self-esteem. Choir music studies can enhance a student’s academic achievement. Reading, writing and speech are improved through reflective practice journals, and the reading and interpretation of the poems used in choir lyrics. And when choir singers research the various musical eras, styles, and composers, it broadens their knowledge of world history. In learning how to read music, students can strengthen their math skills with a real world application.

The George Washington High School Choir program is an exciting and enriching musical experience. There are many fun experiences that the singers get to participate in such as seasonal concerts, sports events, off-campus concerts, City-wide and State-wide festivals. Students will learn many different styles of songs ranging from the most current pop artists, to world music, folk, jazz, classical, ancient and more. Students will also learn how to read music and all that is unique to the language of music. The program includes collaborations with other departments such as the dance department, foreign language department, and the math department. Singers at theintermediate and advanced levels also perform at senior residence homes, and for charities, these types of community services are great additions to a student’s college application.

Choir members have an opportunity to start as Freshmen, and continue each year strengthening their voice, tone, and range. Those that become advanced will be able to become members of the George Washington High School Chamber Singers. At this advanced level students have an

opportunity to work with outside professional groups such as the renown choral group Chanticleer, as well as the many university and college level choir directors that work with the students for the annual All City Music Festival . Last year’s Chamber Singers received a State award of

‘Excellence’ at the CMEA Statewide Festival.

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Choir director Anna Karney has been teaching in the San Francisco Unified School District for four years. While working on her teaching credential, Ms. Karney studied choral conducting and rehearsal techniques, lyric diction and music pedagogy under the direction of Dr. Wendell Hannah and Dr. Josh Haberman at San Francisco State University. Prior to teaching at George Washington High School, Ms. Karney studied singing coaches for several years with various private vocal, including the study of vocal production and speech at the American Conservatory Theater. She spent ten years studying piano, sight-singing, conducting, and music theory at The San Francisco Conservatory Of Music. As a music major at San Francisco State University she received the Presser Scholarship in recognition of outstanding achievement as a Music Major and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in electronic music. She was composer in residence for the graduate dance department SF State, as well as Mills College in Oakland, California. She has been a composer and sound designer for computer games for the past fifteen years with titles for companies such as LucasArts, Electronic Arts and many, many more. Having spent much of her music career in professional recording studios, she has much to offer in the areas of the modern technologies and career paths of the music industry. Ms Karney brings a lifetime of music experience into the classroom, she speaks Spanish, German, and also directs the Presidio Middle School Choir.