MRHS Chamber Choir Offers Unique Experiences

By Heidi B.

Many people may not know about the Mountain Range High School Chamber Choir, but it is an organization of eighteen to twenty students who have a talent and strive for music.

To become a part of the chamber choir students have to be in the MRHS concert choir for at least one academic year (although there are exceptions if they are musically inclined). Once students have been in the concert choir for a year, they can audition for Chamber choir at the end of concert choir year. 

Dr. Paul Griggsby is the vocal music director and has been the director of the MRHS Chamber Choir for the past three years and this is his fourth year directing the choirs. Dr. Griggsby directed three choirs at Adams City High School for five years also as their vocal music director. He directed a concert choir, a chamber choir, and an all women's choir. Dr. Griggsby enjoys directing the MRHS chamber choir because he sees progress everyday in his students and his students see progress in him. Dr. Griggsby went to the University of Missouri for his undergraduate. He got his bachelors in music education at choral emphasis. He has one masters degree in voice performance and another in choral conducting: “I waited ten to fifteen years to go get my doctorate.”

Katelyn P. is a senior at MRHS and a soprano in the Mountain Range High School Chamber Choir. She joined the chamber choir because she has a passion for singing and loved the performing arts. She wanted to spark a pathway to inspire her to have a career in music. “I feel we have a very strong group of passionate singers” Katelyn is super excited for the year of chamber choir ahead because of this reason.

Fynn A. is a sophomore at MRHS she as well is a soprano in the chamber choir. She states she joined chamber choir because she loves to sing and she was in choir in middle school and “it was very important to me”. Fynn is most excited about the winter gala coming up in the winter so she can hear all the music programs together!

Chamber choir opens the doors to many wonderful opportunities like singing for assemblies and honor festivals. The advantages of being in chamber choir is learning how to have better vocal projection and establish confidence. This also gets the word out about the MRHS performing arts program. Dr. Griggsby is pleased to announce “Last year I had only 18 chamber choir students, this year I have the same amount. The concert choir has grown from 18 to 40.” 

The MRHS chamber choir is a group of talented students who share the same passion for music and love of singing.