Penn-Trafford High School recently held its winter choral concert, in which 74 students displayed their vocal talents. The show was made into a festive and joyful spectacle by both the performers and attendees alike.
The different groups featured in this show, by order of appearance, were Ovation, Encore, Mixed Chorus, Select Choir and the Barbershop Harmony Society.
The show consisted of 28 different songs, including some senior solos. These solos were performed by seniors Nicolina Ferraro, Jacob Dietz, Emma Bishop, Amanda Bobish, Delaney Casavant and Ruby Wright.
Jeffrey Fox, music teacher and choir director, discussed the process of getting ready for the chorus concert.
“The nice thing about a choir is that you have 
a bunch of people who are going towards a common goal,” Fox stated.
The concert preparation process begins over the summer, according to Fox. This is when he will think about how he wants the group to appear on stage, how to showcase the students’ strengths and which songs he may want to perform.
“After some careful thought about some of the repertoire for the concert… I get it purchased by the school district and give it out to students then we rehearse it quite a bit in class,” Fox said.
Fox shared some of his favorite pieces that they performed at the concert. These include “Seal Lullaby” by Eric Whitacre, a piece from the masterwork “Vivaldi’s Gloria” and “O Holy Night” from “Candlelight Processional” which they performed during their trip to Disney World.
Fox said, “So those are three of the ones that I’m looking forward to, but honestly I really enjoy all the repertoire.”
In addition to the musical facets, Fox alluded to some of the logistical aspects of the preparation process as well. This includes working with the stage and sound crews as well as advertising for the concert on social media.
“I think that it’s really rewarding to see them go through the process of it, especially whenever they struggle,” Fox stated. “… As we work through the process, they continue to get better and better with it and become more comfortable with it… Then they’re able to perform it at a high level.”
Abby Dreistadt, Editor in Chief