For the Helix Charter High choirs, this has been a school year to sing about.
The Helix choir program recently won multiple awards at the San Diego Sings Festival and Competition.
With 70 students in four school choirs, the Helix choir program has four competitive show choirs, HD and HLX, as well as their Concert Choir, “Helix Voices,” and the Honors Chamber Choir, “Highland Singers.”
Helix Voices earned an Excellent rating, Highland Singers earned a Superior rating, HD got first place in their division, and HLX recorded a first-place finish in their division, as well as the awards for Best Music and Best Show.
In addition, stand-out medals were awarded to junior Aubree Norris and senior Maricela Pumariega for best performers, and to freshman Magali Aguilar for best soloist.
“This year has been particularly enjoyable due to the positive enthusiasm of my students,” said Michelle Tolvo-Chan, Helix’s Director of Vocal Music.
“Every choir has something special this year. For example, our treble show choir, HD, performs an 11-minute version of the Broadway musical, ‘Suffs,’ about the women’s suffrage movement and the passing of the 19th Amendment in 1919.”
Choir classes run on Helix’s A/B schedule, basically meeting every other day, all year long.
This way, these performing arts ensembles are able to perform throughout the school year, both on campus and at competitions throughout Southern California. Sometimes they travel even further, such as last summer when the school took both Helix Choir and Bagpipes students to perform in Scotland.
“The Concert Choir is open to any student interested in joining the choir, no audition required,” Tolvo-Chan said. “The show choirs hold singing and dancing auditions on the second Saturday in May for the upcoming school year.
The Honors Chamber Choir is made up of returning Helix Choir students who are usually also members of the mixed show choir, HLX, and are mostly juniors and seniors, she added.
The choir production is a family affair for Tolvo-Chan, as her husband, Victor Chan, also creates all the musical tracks and set projections for the show choirs.
“Our choir staff at Helix also includes choreographer Marc Caro (this is his fifth year working with us), and accompanist Tyler Hall on keys (Helix Choir alumni class of 2018),” Tolvo-Chan added.
Speaking of family, the Helix choir program brings that family feeling to each practice and competition.
“For us, it is more than a choir, it is a family,” said Jake Mortier (four-year choir senior, HLX bass, and one of the HLX dance captains).
Second-year member Catalina Fernandez Cordova (HD alto) said, “I love singing, and I enjoy my choir because we work well together, not just onstage but offstage as well. We are connected, loving, and supportive of one another.”
For freshman Lexi Raes-Tissier (HD mezzo), it’s about what it has brought into her life. “One thing I like about being in choir is all the opportunities it has brought to me. It has allowed me to go to Disneyland and also meet so many amazing people.”
For students who have already left the program, success continues.
Ruby Anderson was the choir president in 2022. She is now set to graduate from college with a degree in musical theater and is a working professional in the business.
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