Throughout the month of September, Ritenour’s choir had six students rigorously working and practicing to tone their skills, all in the hopes of securing a spot in the St. Louis Suburban All-District SATB Honors Choir.
Each student worked around the clock, preparing a solo and working to better their ability to read sheet music and recognize all important symbols. All of this hard work led up to their audition on Saturday, Oct 5.
In a process that many would compare to “The Voice,” the students would sing their solo for 60 seconds to a panel of three “judges” who faced the opposite way. The singers received a score solely on their skill, with no consideration of how they looked, or even their name. Only a number was assigned to them.
After the solo portion, they went to a second room to sight read. After being handed a random sheet of music which they had never practiced, and with only one judge now, they read it through. The next Monday, choir director Stephanie Ruggles got the news that junior Ryland Weeks had been selected.
“I was very pleased. I was really proud that Ryland got to go, because he’s gone to some other honor choir opportunities and I feel like this is something he really would thrive with, and did,” Ruggles said.
Ritenour’s choir has had students selected all three years that Ruggles has been in charge. That’s something the choir department is very proud of.
When Weeks got the news, he was ecstatic.
“It was a very big shock but it was a very pleasant shock. I was very excited,” Weeks said.
According to Ruggles and his peers in choir, Weeks is a natural-born leader. He is very hard-working and dedicated, making him qualified for this selection.
“Ryland works very hard on all of his music studies. He makes sure he’s prepared, he’s always practicing,” Ruggles said.
This choir in particular was made up of the best students from high school choirs all around the St. Louis area, as well as acclaimed local director, Dr. James Henry. By gaining the opportunity to work with such a respected choir director, Weeks knew he would come out having learned something. It was one thing for Weeks to be able to work with him, but it was another to be part of a choir of such high talent.
“You don’t have to focus on rhythms or pitches. We were able to get right into the deeper meanings of the songs and the dynamics, the more interesting parts that really make the song come alive,” Weeks said.