A 90-minute concert by the three Greenbrier East High School Choirs and a newly established a cappella group Monday evening in the Eastern Greenbrier Middle School auditorium featured 12 members of the Class of 2017 who were performing for the final time.
Director of Choral Music at Greenbrier East High School, Barbara Wygal Lutz, introduced each group as they performed, noting the accompaniment of Sam Snyder for the Chamber Choir and the All-Choirs performance concluding the program.
The Chamber Choir, the a cappella Group, the Concert choir, each performed separately and the Spartan Chorus joined with the other two choirs for part of the concert.
Lutz presented the Outstanding Senior award for the Choral department to Sarah Stacy who sang in the Chamber and Concert choirs, while the Outstand New Member award went to Brandon Cruz who sang in the Spartan Chorus and the a cappella group.
Cassidy Hicks, a senior in the Chamber Choir, served as student conductor and her mother, Chris Hicks, guest pianist, for the special performance by the Chamber Choir of “For the Beauty of the Earth.” Hannah Smart served as “musician/technician” for the Chamber and Concert choirs and for the combined choir presentations. Georgia Foster and Chloe Johnson were percussionists for the combined Concert and Chamber choirs.
Lutz concluded the evening honoring the members of the Class of 2017 individually. They are Cassidy Hicks, Sydnee Miller, Sarah Miller, Sarah Stacy, Megan Brooks, Charliegh Carter, Tyrell Fernandez, Natalie Wade, Christina Goins, Jacob Masters, Gabby Mills and Cody White.
A slide presentation honoring the members of the Class of 2017 concluded the program. The evening began with a dinner for all the Choral Music department students, arranged by the members of the Greenbrier East Choral Music Boosters. The officers of the Choral Music Boosters for 2016-17 have been Kathy Brown, president; Shawn Withrow, vice president; Shannon Wykle, secretary and Sabrina Wilson, treasurer.
A highlight of the year for the choral music program was the choirs’ participation in the “Healing through Harmony” Concert Tour which was conducted by the Choral groups at Greenbrier East those of Fairmont State University performing in concerts at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, in Charleston and for members of the West Virginia Legislature, and in Fairmont. The GEHS students also had an educational tour of Pittsburgh, PA. The concert tour raised over $3,600 in contributions to help the June 23 flood victims in the Greenbrier Valley.
