Description and Objectives

The Men’s Chorus and the advanced-level Chamber Choir can be taken during all four years that a student is in the upper school, with deeper formation and mastery provided and expected each subsequent year. The Chamber Choir provides an opportunity for more advanced readers of music.

The Men’s Chorus began with only five singers. Since 1996, the Chorus has expanded to 60 members. They have won numerous awards and performed for various dignitaries and organizations including a performance at The White House for President George W. Bush. They have also toured Austria, which included concerts in Innsbruck, Schwaz, Salzburg, Vienna, and Graz. They have sung with the Washington Men’s Camarata under the direction of Frank Albinder and have been invited to sing with the Harvard Glee Club. Other performances include The Heritage Foundation Gala, The Center for Education Reform Gala, performances for Governor Jeb Bush and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Department of Justice Awards Ceremony. These young men have fifteen or more performances per year.

In 2007 The Heights Men’s Chorus released their first CD entitled Brothers, Sing On! In 2012 they returned to Austria to record their second CD in St. Peters Church in Vienna Sing dem Herrn. In 2018 they released two CD’s entitled, Rise up O Men of God and A Heights Christmas.  They also performed in Budapest and Bratislava.

The Heights Men’s Chorus has become a well-respected performing ensemble with a rich tradition of Men’s Choral Music. Many of its members have gone on to perform in colleges and universities around the country.

Textbooks

Music that will be handed out and is the students responsibility to maintain.

Goals

To expose young Men to the art of music through many different styles of Choral Music.

To learn and understand musical notation, structure and have a deeper understanding of what the composer was trying to create in each composition.

To gain self confidence in one self through public performance and grow with the help of friends in a larger understanding of one another and self expression.

To learn responsibility for your actions and how to work with others.

To develop a love for music and learn a skill that can last a lifetime.

 

Course Requirements

The following performances are a mandatory and graded part of the curriculum the dates can be found on the website calendar each year.

Fall Chorus Concert: 8:00pm; Cultural Arts Center at Silver Spring, Montgomery College. 7995 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD

Christmas Concert: 8:00pm; Cultural Arts Center at Silver Spring, Montgomery College. 7995 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD

Spring Chorus Concert: 8:00pm; Cultural Arts Center at Silver Spring, Montgomery College, 7995 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD

 

This course requires a placement audition at the beginning of the year. Students take periodic individual assessments based on excerpts from repertoire. Each student is expected to practice and learn their parts and have them memorized for performances. Midterm exams consist of 50% performance assessment and 50% music theory assessment.

Successful Students

1. Always conduct yourself as a gentleman.
2. Be on time.
3. Be prepared, that means with music and attire.
4. Be on time for all calls and present for all concerts.