From March 25-29, Oxford Academy choir students traveled to Chicago for a multi-day tour filled with musical experiences and performance opportunities. The trip gave members the chance to attend professional shows, participate in a choral festival, and witness firsthand how music connects people across diverse communities.
One of the highlights on the trip was the opportunity to attend a professional opera performance, Madame Butterfly, which generated a lot of excitement amongst the choir students and was a moment to explore musical genres and pathways.
Senior Choir Co-President Ava Pitts expressed her excitement in anticipation of the trip, sharing, “I’m most excited about going to the opera because it’s always been a dream of mine to see that somewhere.”
In addition to attending performances, students also took part in a choral festival alongside other schools. This collaborative environment allows students to learn from different guest directors, and observe diverse singing styles and techniques. Pitts noted that she was able to meet the festival director and learn from new perspectives, building on her experience from previous trips.
When performing the same songs from their Festival Preview Concert, “Shakespeare in Song”, OA choir received feedback from directors in Chicago and collaborated with other schools to enhance their music. Through live shows, group performances, and city exploration, students gained insight into the musical and artistic aspects of Chicago, especially after attending a viewing of the Chicago Lyric Opera, one of the best opera companies in the nation.
“I think being exposed to so many different facets of music will inspire me to practice with more discipline to achieve a higher level,” Vang said before the trip. “I hope to learn better breath control techniques and perhaps learn how to more comfortably access higher ranges in my voice.”
The musical experience gained from this trip allowed students to have deeper conversations about how musical techniques are used, different themes are expressed, and various genres are explored. Choir director Mr. Hogan aimed to enable his students to discover different types of music, such as opera, during their time on the trip.
“I think the best part of the experience is getting out and exposing them to some really good music,” Mr. Hogan said. “We saw three different performances—some really high level performances—that I think are going to give a lot of conversation on what makes music special.”
