Welcome to LNHS Choir!

Letter from Your Teacher

Dear LNHS Singers and Families,

Welcome to the beginning of an exciting year! I love the fall, the return of the routines and rhythm of a new school year, and hope that you have a gentle landing into the 2025-2026 academic year. 

My goal for your time in the LNHS Choir program is to nurture interest, ability, and creativity in the area of vocal music. Our body of repertoire will include choral music from all corners of the world, by a diverse set of composers, and from a diverse set of peoples. This includes but is not limited to: world, pop, folk, western classical, sacred, African Diaspora, secular, broadway, and ancient and contemporary music. A variety of languages and singing techniques will be used in the performance and study of music. Emphasis will be placed on helping individual singers develop sound vocal technique, skills as ensemble singers, creativity and improvisation, and music reading and audiation skills. The choirs will have the opportunity to demonstrate these skills in daily rehearsals, in assignments and tests, at concerts, music festivals, and other school events.

Most of the progress that individual choir members will achieve will come through a willingness to be musically expressive, a desire to be actively involved in rehearsal and performance, as well as attention to musical detail to support the artistic process. The success of the choral program at LNHS relies on the willingness of individual students to improve and contribute to the group. Hard work and a supportive community are the real keys to any program’s success.

Again, I welcome you to the LNHS choral program and I hope that your year is filled with enjoyable music experiences, whole-person learning opportunities, and that you leave each day with a sense of accomplishment and pride!

Sincerely,

Mr. Austin Meyer
 

Choir Course Offerings and Objectives

Students enrolled in LNHS Choirs will:

1. Learn through performing, listening, and studying a variety of choral music  from all corners of the world, by a diverse set of composers, and from a diverse set of peoples. This includes but is not limited to: world, pop, folk, western classical, sacred, African Diaspora, secular, broadway, and ancient and contemporary music.

2. Understand the basic concepts of healthy, efficient vocal production and sing with vocal techniques that are appropriate to each song’s genre/style.

3. Demonstrate a working knowledge of music literacy, fundamentals and the ability to recognize and interpret the musical terms and symbols.

4. Demonstrate growth in the areas of musicianship including aural skills, sight-reading, pitch and rhythmic accuracy, improvisation and creativity, and independence in part/solo singing.

5. Develop positive attitudes about singing and the ability to make informed aesthetic judgments about music performed or heard.

6. Grow in confidence and self-esteem through public performance.

7. Experience the joy of working together as a team to realize our shared group goals.

Curricular Choirs

CANTABILE (pronounced kaan·taa·bee·lay)

Grades 9-12 Sopranos and Altos

Cantabile is a treble voice choir. Admission is open to students 9-12 without an audition. This course focuses on developing basic note reading skills, solfège/solmization, audiation, music theory, sight-reading and vocal technique. Cantabile performs at our four major home concerts, the South Suburban Conference Treble Festival, and possibly one performing field trip.  

CANTO FIERO (pronounced kaan·tow fee-air-oh)

Grades 9-12 Tenors and Basses

Canto Fiero  is a tenor and bass voice choir. Admission is open to students 9-12 without an audition. This course focuses on developing basic note reading skills, solfège/solmization, audiation, music theory, sight-reading and vocal technique. Canto Fiero performs at our four major home concerts, the South Suburban Conference Tenor Bass Festival, a collegiate men's festival, and possibly one performing field trip. 

LAKEVILLE NORTH CHORALE

Grades 11-12 Sopranos, Altos, Tenors, and Basses

Chorale is an advanced ensemble of mixed voices. This course focuses on the continuation of music literacy, audiation skills theory, sight-reading, vocal technique, and the experience of performing challenging choral literature. If voice balance needs are not met, Grade 10 tenors and basses may be admitted with a voice assessment. Chorale performs at our four major home concerts, the South Suburban Conference Mixed Choir Festival, and performance  tours on alternate years.

*Prerequisite: Two or more semesters enrolled in another choral ensemble at LNHS and/or skills-based assessment

Now & THEN SINGERS

Grades 10-12 Sopranos, Altos, Tenors, and Basses

Now and Then is a small, select group of advanced vocal jazz and a cappella singers. This course primarily focuses on singing in contemporary, commercial musical styles but also performs chamber music. Auditions for this ensemble are held at the end of second semester for the following academic year. Concurrent registration with an additional choral ensemble is required, except where conflicts are unavoidable. Now & Then performs at our four major home concerts, multiple community events, 12-18 Holiday events, Solo & Ensemble contest, a vocal jazz/a cappella festival, and presents a Cabaret Night Dessert Show each May.

*Prerequisite: Individual and callback audition in May of the previous year

Co-Curricular Choirs

Co-curricular ensembles are designed to give students additional opportunities to participate in choir, to sing with like-minded students, and enjoy more exceptional music. These ensembles meet once a week during What I Need (WIN) Time. All students involved in extracurricular choirs are expected to prioritize their co-curricular ensemble over club meetings, retakes and make-ups, and hang outs. Students who are absent from multiple WIN rehearsals will be removed from the ensemble roster.

IPAVA AVENUE SINGERS

Grades 9-10 Mixed Voices

This NEW chamber choir is for auditioned freshmen and sophomore singers. Members do not need to be enrolled in a curricular choir to participate. Ipava Avenue Singers meet once a week on Tuesday WIN times. As a high level, auditioned ensemble, students are expected to practice their music outside of school, attend scheduled evening retreats, and additional community performances. Ipava Avenue Singers performs at our four major home concerts, Solo & Ensemble Contest, and community events.

*Prerequisite: Audition

UNIFIED CHOIR

Grades 9-12 All Voices

This inclusive music group brings together students of all abilities to celebrate the joy of music and foster meaningful connections. Unified Choir is designed to create a welcoming and supportive environment where students can share their love of singing, build friendships, and grow together through music.  Unified Choir performs at our four major home concerts and the special education graduation ceremony

What is Unified Choir? 

A unified course/activity is a collaborative experience for students with and without special education needs. Through music, students learn about working through differences, build relationships, and be exposed to new experiences and challenges. Unified classes typically pair a student with disabilities and a partner student who may or may not have disabilities. LNHS’s Unified Choir will take place during Advisory WIN time on Thursdays. It provides students receiving special education services the chance to collaborate with their peers who will act as supportive teammates. Members do not need to be enrolled in a curricular choir to participate.

*Prerequisite: Application

OUR EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Solo/Ensemble Contest:

Choir members have the opportunity to participate as soloists, ensemble members or both at the Region 1-AA Solo/Ensemble Contest in April.  Performances are heard by qualified adjudicators who give constructive comments and score each performance to  determine a rating for a possible medal or certificate - a great learning experience for singers.  Participants may also perform at a local recital.    All soloists must have their literature selected by winter break.

Regional Festivals:

Select individuals will have the opportunity to participate in major festivals in the area, including the Dorian Vocal Festival in early January.

MMEA All-State Choir:

Auditions are held for sophomores and juniors in February for the All-State Choir program.  Audition involves performing a prepared solo.  Singers who are selected spend one week in August on a college campus as a member of an elite Tenor/Bass Chorus, Soprano/Alto Chorus or Mixed Choir and perform again in February with their group at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis.  Audition and participation fees apply.

9-10 Minnesota Honor Choir

Audition recordings will be made in mid-October for select 9th and 10th grade students.  Recordings will be sent in and judged by members of ACDA.  Selected students will perform with the Honor Choir in February at the Minnesota MidWinter Clinic in downtown Minneapolis.

www.mnhonorchoirs.org