Millbrook students hit a high note with SUNY Potsdam trip

MILLBROOK — The Millbrook High School Concert Choir showed off its vocal skills recently to the professors and students of SUNY Potsdam. Alexis Clements is the teacher of general and choral music for Millbrook Middle School and Millbrook High School. Under Clements’ direction 31 students from the high school choir were able to travel to SUNY Potsdam for a two-day workshop with Professor Rebecca Reames and SUNY’s Crane Concert Choir. Reames is an associate professor of music at The Crane School of Music at Potsdam. The trip was a part of Crane Concert Choir’s Adopt-a-Choir educational program, which went from Friday, Feb. 10, to Saturday, Feb. 11. The Crane Concert Choir is a mixed ensemble and has performed across the country; it’s even toured in China, having performed at the International Choral Festival in Beijing.“The weekend was an educational experience for both high school and college singers,” said Clements. “Students participated in combined rehearsals on several pieces, received tours of The Crane School of Music and the SUNY Potsdam campus and then saw performances by several of Potsdam’s a cappella groups.” Millbrook students saw three such performances, by: Potsdam Pitches, the all-female A Sharp Arrangement and the all-male Potsdam Pointercounts. All of the a cappella groups are competing in the International Championship of A cappella competition quarterfinals next week at Cornell University.“I really enjoyed listening to the a cappella groups up in Potsdam,” said Izzy Hurley, Millbrook student. “It was inspiring that they were strictly student run and sounded so good. I learned about how to warm up, position yourself and different ways to project to have better tone.”Students also were able to watch the Potsdam Bears women’s hockey team and men’s basketball team compete.Millbrook High School choral students Alison Simmons, Evelyn Grainger, Emily King, Shelby Whalen and Leigh Davis performed their vocal solos in a masterclass led by Crane faculty members Lonel Woods and Deborah Massell. The students performed their solo for the upcoming New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA). They also received feedback from the highly renowned vocal professors while performing in front of both their peers and college students.The weekend ended on a high note. After the students’ hard work at workshops they had a concert performance featuring the Millbrook High School Concert Choir, Potsdam Pointercounts, the Crane Concert Choir and the combined Millbrook and Crane Concert Choirs in Crane’s Hosmer Hall. Millbrook students said the trip was an eye opener for them and helped them see how music can be a part of their future.“If I had not gone on this trip I would have missed a great opportunity to be exposed to such great talent and inspiration,” said Elizabeth Martorano, Millbrook student. “I also feel that if I had not gone I might not have realized my passion for music and singing.”“It made me realize that I want to pursue a career in music, whether it be as a choral student or an instrumentalist, ” said Emily Houston, Millbrook student.“My favorite part of the trip was the interaction I got to have with the experienced signers,” said Millbrook student Maura Shanks. “Every single person I met was extremely friendly and willing to help with any questions that I or anyone else had. All of the professors were so intelligent and everyone was very knowledgeable about music.”Clements said it was an opportunity for Millbrook High School singers that will not soon be forgotten. The choir teacher also thanked the Millbrook administration, Board of Education, parents and the community for their support in making the musical and educational experience possible.