EG High Students Fight For Music Education

By Abby White, junior at East Greenwich High School

EAST GREENWICH, RI—Budget cuts ended the choral program class at East Greenwich High. But the music is still playing. Student musicians decided to start a chorus club and keep singing.

Here's how it's been going. We've faced some obstacles. It hasn't been easy to rehearse, for example. Since we're not an official class, we are not allowed to perform in the Band and Orchestra concert at the High School.

So, we rehearse one hour every week during our free period in advisory. The size of our group fluctuates between 10 and 15 students. As the director, I've created practice recordings of everybody's parts. That way, students can learn their parts in advance and be ready to rehearse the music together in advisory. Because of the limitation of time, we have to work very hard to be independent and learn the music on our own.

Despite not having a teacher, we've managed to create a blended tone quality and to perfect harmonies.

Why are we doing it? As one of our members Kristen Choiniere, 16, and a junior, put it, "Music is my way to express myself." We all share the passion for music. It's the force that bonds us together as friends. We want music to be part of the future at East Greenwich High.

This past week, we performed with the Cole Middle School music department in their Band, Orchestra and Chorus concert.