Two choir classes from Odyssey Elementary School attended the Colorado Music Educators Association conference at The Broadmoor Hotel in January.As reported in the Nov. 3 issue of The New Falcon Herald, Joanie Chapman, choir teacher, instructed the student singers, known as the major choir and minor choir. To be a contender to attend the conference, Chapman said the choir groups had to audition during the 2011-2012 school year. They were chosen to perform out of more than 100 groups that auditioned from across the state.The conference featured performances by 44 groups from elementary, middle and high schools, as well as some colleges, Chapman said in a recent interview. ìOnly four elementary schools performed,î she said. ìI was the only teacher that brought second and third grade students. All the other elementary schools brought only fourth and fifth grade students.ìI feel good about myself to get my kids there, but I also pushed the kids and their families. It was hard to pull it off and it was a big deal to perform. We had about 300 people there.îChapman said the performance went well. ìThey pulled it together and when it was time to stand up and sing, they all had smiles on their faces,î she said.Madisyn Albright, third grade choir student, said, ìI was a little nervous. I was mostly nervous that the composer of a couple of songs was going to be there and I didnít want to get any notes wrong.î Madisyn said the performance was fun, and she has already signed up for choir for the next school year.The composer, Andy Beck, was invited but unable to make the performance, Chapman said. ìI caught up with him afterwards, and he said he wants to see the DVD of the performance Ö he wants to video chat with all the kids after heís seen it to see how they liked performing,î she said.Beck also sent Chapman two unpublished pieces ñ she can choose one that Beck will dedicate to her and her students. ìItís pretty cool to have a piece of music dedicated to us,î Chapman said. ìWhoever buys that music (when itís published) will see the dedication on the sheet music.ìIím just so proud of them, and I can say this now that everything is done, that Iím proud of myself for stepping out and doing that. Iím really excited that we had a chance to do it and really proud of the kids and grateful for the parents.î
