At Barstow, the Singers class has become a vibrant hub for budding vocalists and provides a unique platform for students to explore their passion for music. However, Singers is not just about learning how to sing; it’s about building confidence, fostering creativity, and forming lasting friendships through the power of music. Students participate in various performances, showcasing their talents to the school community. They also collaborate on group projects, enhancing teamwork and communication skills. Barstow’s Singers class creates a supportive environment where every voice is valued.
Josie O’Keefe ‘25, emphasizes how much she enjoys singing in sectional, “I love working on pieces in smaller groups and seeing the result of bringing it all together.”
While she finds joy in the collaborative process, she admits, “I’m most concerned about the group coming together, the sound blending well, and everyone putting in the effort.”
What makes Barstow choir truly special, she explains, is “the close community. It makes it easier to understand assignments and have more fun because you can trust that we will get there eventually.”
She loves experiencing the rewarding feeling of seeing all the hard work come together into a cohesive performance at the end of the semester. Although, that process doesn’t happen without struggle. However, she finds Barstow’s choir to be special because of its close-knit community. The closeness among choir members makes it easier to complete assignments and enjoy the process together knowing that the mutual trust will ensure success.
Dr. Josh Markley explains that one of his main goals is to “help students grow, not just as singers, but as a team.” Dr. Markley takes pride in watching the choir evolve over the course of the year, especially when students work through challenges and eventually create a polished performance.
Building trust among the individuals in the choir is the biggest hurdle Dr. Markley has to jump over with his students, “Trust allows for the best sound and a unified performance.” The most rewarding moments for Dr. Markley come when students realize their potential and how much they can achieve when they work together.
Dr. Markley notes, “It’s going pretty well, but we have to rearrange things due to the seniors we lost. The new seniors and lowerclassmen are doing a good job replacing them.”
He adds, “Later on in October is the Green and White Gala, and the winter concert will feature a large piece with all the courses, including the faculty choir, with almost 200+ singers on stage.”
Both Josie and Dr. Markley emphasize the value of teamwork in creating beautiful music. Josie appreciates the close community and the process of blending different voices into a harmonious whole, while Dr. Markley focuses on building trust and guiding students toward a shared goal. Together, these perspectives reveal how Barstow’s choir class is not just about singing but about fostering connections that allow students to grow both personally and musically.
