Western Wayne Chorus students attended the virtual PMEA District 9 Chorus Festival.
Rebecca Boots, Rhonda Fenkner, Bridgette Flannery, and Joanna Regalbuto had a successful and fun musical experience.
Senior Rhonda Fenkner and junior Joanna Regalbuto placed in their auditions and are now eligible to audition for the PMEA All State Chorus Festival which will also take place virtually in March.
Rhonda and Joanna explained how even though their experience with district chorus was very different this year that it was also extremely enjoyable and rewarding.
The students sent in their auditions virtually. Then for the festival they were able to practice with students from other districts and a guest conductor on Zoom. The students worked to record their songs and editors compiled the songs together into finished pieces.
“I really liked how one of our instructors did improv vocal exercises with us,” Joanna explained. “He would have us hit a sour note and then fix it.”
Rhonda explained after having done music festivals for years in-person that this year’s festival still had many of the great qualities that ones in the past have had for her as a musician.
“I learned that it’s possible online to have a music festival experience,” Rhonda, who will attend Marywood University next year and study music therapy, explained. “People were talking in the chat box and practicing together on the call. All of us had a really good time. We were all boosting each other’s confidence throughout the process. It was very challenging and rewarding to sing out loud in front of about 90 of my peers on a Zoom call.”
Rhonda and Joanna look forward to auditioning for the PMEA All-State Chorus Festival which will also take place virtually in March. From left: Joanna Regalbuto and Rhonda Fenkner.
