The Harvey School Chorus consists of approximately forty students in grades 9 – 12. Any student who can match pitch can be in the Chorus.   It rehearses every other day in the Arts Center. It is a scheduled class that meets within the school day.   Repertoire ranges from seasonal music for the first concert in December to music representing all genres and styles for the spring term.  There is a focus on learning to read music and develop good vocal techniques.  Students are encouraged to audition for the select group, Chamber Singers.

The Chamber Singers is a group of sixteen auditioned singers from the larger Chorus.  Auditions take place in the early fall of each academic year.  There are usually four people singing each part:  soprano, alto, tenor, or bass.  They perform more a cappella music, including everything from madrigals to popular songs.  Chamber Singers meets on the days that Chorus does not meet.  In this way, if a student is a talented musician and wants to sing every day, they can.  Chamber Singers is usually reserved for students who want to sing in a more serious setting with peers who are equally passionate about singing.  Better music reading skills are required for Chamber Singers.

In recent years the Chorus has traveled to New York City to collaborate with the Lighthouse International, an organization for the blind and visually impaired in midtown Manhattan.  The New York Times reviewed the concert favorably, describing the interaction between our students singing the same music with people who have not had the opportunity to learn it by sight.  The exact same program was repeated at the annual Harvey School Candlelight concert in December.  The work that was performed, a modern choral piece by Baltimore composer Elam Ray Sprenkle, was further illuminated by Dr. Sprenkle himself, who was in attendance for the NYC concert.

Annapolis Competition

Participation in the Annapolis Heritage Music Festival is another way of involving our students in music.  Students compete with other schools and are adjudicated for their choral performance.  The proximity of the Naval Academy affords an up-close view of a professional choir at work.  These are just a few of the ways that students are involved in choral music at The Harvey School.

Check out the slideshow from one of our latest performances.