Chapel Hill’s only remaining chorus class has been dissolved, marking an end to the school’s chorus program for the rest of the school year.
The class in question was the first-level beginner’s concert choir, the only vocal music course that had received enough student interest to be offered this year.
The cancellation came after the school was unable to find a replacement teacher for the class after the previous teacher, Alyssa Gillikin, missed numerous classes due to a personal injury. Over the course of the year, many different substitutes led the class.
Freshman Vicky Delgadillo was a part of the beginner’s concert choir class.
“It was either a free period sort of thing, or they’d actually try to get us to sing, which would never necessarily work because the class was so small,” she said.
Even after administrators found a permanent substitute to lead the class, the substitute decided to leave the class, prompting administration to make the decision to move students into other arts classes for the remainder of the year.
In past years, several vocal music courses were offered, among them Women’s Ensemble, Treble Choir and the Honors Chamber Choir class.
The decline in student interest in the program came with the departure of Chapel Hill’s previous chorus teacher, Jeremy Nabors, who led the vocal program from 2004 to the end oof the 2017-2018 school year. He now teaches chorus at the Durham School of the Arts.
Senior Amala Turaga took choir classes with Nabors for her first three years at Chapel Hill.
“It’s really sad because the arts has been such a big thing at this school for such a long time,” she said. Turaga attributed the decline of student interest in the program to “the loss of Mr. Nabors.”
Although Turaga decided not to take chorus again this year, she forms part of the acapella group Lucky 13. Many former advanced choir students perform as part of the groups, which periodically hold free performances in Hanes Theatre.
The three groups—Ladies & Gents, Lucky 13 and the Beau Brummels—plan to visit middle schools nearby Chapel Hill in an effort to attract future student interest in the vocal program.
“With any luck, we’ll inspire future students to sign up for chorus and help revitalize the arts curriculum at Chapel Hill,” Turaga said.
The decline in student interest regarding vocal music courses leaves the future of the program unclear.
“Most likely, no one is willing to sign up for [chorus classes] next year anyway, which is really sad,” Delgadillo said.
Despite the news, Principal Charles Blanchard assured that school administration is looking for a new chorus teacher to revive the program.
“I love what our performing and visual arts do for students, and we were certainly disappointed that we lost the vocal music program this year,” Blanchard said. “So our goal is [to] reboot it for the 2020-2021 school year, and hopefully have five full classes of vocal music.”
