The Jazz Choir and Women’s Choir each placed third at the Clackamas Community College Vocal Jazz Festival which took place at CCC on March 14.
According to Barbara Fontana, choir teacher, the fact that WLHS placed higher than former high-performing competitors is the real accomplishment.
“In my book the bigger news is that we beat out Sprague and South Eugene who have been fierce competitors in the past, along with Skyview,” Fontana said.
The Jazz Choir placed just behind West Salem and South Salem and competed against six other teams in the 6A division. The Women’s Choir was one of eight choirs competing in the 4A/5A division.
“[The placing of the Women’s Choir] is a great accomplishment because they were competing against choirs that had their own rhythm section,” Fontana said.
Because the Women’s Choir does not have this, members of the Jazz Choir aided them.
“The big shout out goes to our Jazz Choir rhythm section who also sat in and played for the women with essentially no rehearsal time together and did an outstanding job,” Fontana said. “So shout out to Nathan Weierich (junior), John Breen (senior), Sean Borne and River Wyatt-Marsh (sophomores) for their great work.”