Few groups share a bond like that of the choir program. From long late-night rehearsals to taking the final bow at the end of a groundbreaking performance, the choir has been through thick and thin together.

“I love learning the music and performing, but the best part is all the people who make it happen. Getting to make music with my friends is so fun, and I’m lucky to have the opportunity to do so,” senior Makenna Jolley said.

Numerous choir members agree, saying they have found a family within the program. They have also learned invaluable lessons that can be used beyond music.

“Choir has taught me a lot of patience and trusting the process and time it takes to make a piece of music sound amazing and come to life, while also allowing me to learn from my mistakes positively,” senior Davis Farley said.

Jolley and Farley are a part of the Singers Varsity Choir and Infinity Show Choir group within the Millard North Choir program and recently sang in one of the biggest performances of the year at the Nebraska Music Educators Association (NMEA) convention.

“Every year there is a conference called NMEA which hosts all music educators from across the state of Nebraska. Throughout the conference, different groups get to perform sets of music for audiences that consist of other students, educators, and the public,” Jolley said.

The group was thrilled to have this opportunity, as not many high school choirs perform at this convention.

“The NMEA performance is one of the highest honors a high school choir can achieve. As Mrs. Swain says, NMEA is also a crowning jewel for a choir director and our directors received a plaque acknowledging their outstanding dedication to music education,” Farley added.

To be selected for this prestigious performance, the choir had to audition in the spring of last school year.

“We submitted three different performance videos to be reviewed by a panel. Eventually, we were selected by the Board of Directors of the Nebraska Music Educators Association,” choir director Megan Swain said, who has directed the MN Choir program for nine years.

However, selection was not the end of the road to this event, as there was a lot to do before the final performance.  The arrangement required a memorized set of complex musical literature, a daunting task for any singing group.

In addition, the timing of the MN choir program’s busy schedule made preparation increasingly complicated.

“We were required to learn 15 different pieces of music in 3 months due to the timing of All State, All Millard, and the NMEA performance. These students rose to the challenge, but there were some grueling rehearsals where we were trying to learn 3 different pieces at the same time,” Swain said.

Farley agreed, sharing that memorization added another layer to the advanced musical literature as the Singers Choir does not work with memorization-based skills as often as other techniques.

“We worked on our roughly 30-minute set list in class, starting back in August. We did add a few study hall rehearsals so Mrs. Swain taught past class time into our study hall, which was optional but we all stayed,” Farley said.

Through all their toil, the group found an amazing sense of accomplishment in preparing such technical music within a short period.

“One of the highlights of preparing this literature was the performance itself. You could see the pride in the student’s faces after the completion of each piece. It was rewarding for both the students and the audience alike,” Swain said.

The Singers Choir not only performed alongside a few other high school choirs but also various collegiate choirs and professional groups.

The performance took place in St. Paul United Methodist Church, a beautiful building that echoed the angelic melodies.

“The day of the performance was my birthday, so getting to perform beautiful music in such a beautiful place was a fun gift,” Jolley said.

After setbacks from COVID-19, the NMEA performance showcased the growth of the choir program in talent and numbers.

“Our choir numbers went from 300 down to 240 during the pandemic. Building the program back to its former glory has been one of the greatest challenges I have faced. However, this year we have grown back to nearly the size we were in 2019/2020,” Swain said.

At the end of the performance, the Singers Choir walked off the stage feeling proud and accomplished. The group received endless praise from the audience.

“Walking off the stage, knowing we accomplished our goal as a choir was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I have great pride in the Singers Choir. They are inspiring and make me a better educator and I am so grateful to be their director,” Swain said.

Needless to say, this hardworking choir reaped the rewards of their dedication at the conference, delivering a show worthy of a million standing ovations. They will surely continue to succeed for years to come.