For LASA choir members, home is where the song is. 

Choir at LASA is led by director Deric Lewis. Originally part of a combined choir with Lyndon Baines Johnson Early College High School (LBJ ECHS), the choirs split along with the rest of the academic clubs and sports during the 2020-2021 school year. Now, there are 28 student members in choir. 

Over the course of the year, students build friendships, strengthen their vocal skills, and win recognition by participating in competitions. According to senior and choir president Ella Williams, choir can be different than what people expect.

“People assume that being in choir is just singing like you would in your car, and that it doesn’t take technical skills and practice,” Williams said. “I think a lot of people underestimate the value of continuing to practice and working with different directors to increase your technical skills. Singing is not something that I was born with, but it is something that I’ve worked hard on.”

Choir students are given solo or ensemble pieces to learn in order to showcase their vocal abilities in competitions. According to Lewis, the pieces that students learn are typically in a foreign language, like German or French. 

“They perform that piece for a judge, and the judge gives them notes, and then also gives them a score,” Lewis said. “If they score high enough, and they’re able to go on to state, then they do the same thing at the state level. The ensemble portion of that is almost the same, except instead of singing as a solo, they do it as an ensemble. It can be a trio, duet, or a smaller ensemble with five or six people.” 

LASA choir participates in University Interscholastic League (UIL) competitions as well as Texas Music Educators Association competitions. Senior Devon Hobbs, choir vice president, has competed at these events and says out-of-class practice is needed for a skilled performance. 

“It has to be extracurricular,” Hobbs said. “I have to work with Mr. Lewis or other people to get my solo where it needs to be. Last year, I got all the way to state, and I got a perfect score, so I’m doing it again this year.”

Choir also involves performances without the competitive nature. One such performance, Art as Activism, has previously only been in-house but will be public next year. 

“Students are able to choose a topic that they want to spotlight using music,” Lewis said. “And they do a little bit of research in their particular subject area and then they do an infographic and a slideshow. Part of their performance is a song that they choose that sort of helps to bring attention to whatever topic they choose.”

Williams has been involved in choir since she joined her freshman year after having participated in her middle school’s choir. She believes the traditions that the choir community has developed—like the daily game known as Quarter of the Day, which involves members trying to guess everything they can about what’s on a quarter—bring everyone together in a more personal way. Other traditions range from get-togethers to more games.

“We have socials every three-ish months,” Williams said. “We also always compete at the same competitions, and we have traditions tied to that.”

According to Hobbs, the experience of being in choir, along with the traditions it comes with, enables students to come together to form a community. Williams agrees with this and says that her relationship with choir has shaped who she is.

“Being in choir both requires learning and technical skills, which I think is really important, and also fun,” Williams said. “It’s also about building a community of people who make beautiful music together and encourage that sort of sense of community.” 

Recently, the choir program lost a few students to the school campus move. According to Lewis, LASA choir is a welcoming and friendly community, and he wants students, especially those that have previously taken choir in middle school, to know it’s an option.

“We’re open to new students, and we would love to have them,” Lewis said. “We are just a family down here. We really want as many people as possible to not feel afraid to take it because yes, we do hard music, but the way we teach it, it’s very accessible.”

Hobbs shares that being involved in choir can open opportunities to meet like-minded people and enjoy yourself. Hobbs says that choir is social and emphasizes the people and experience, which she missed during online schooling. 

“During the pandemic, we couldn’t meet in person,” Hobbs said. “Things like band and choir and orchestra, you can’t really do that over zoom. You just can’t make music with other people together like that, and I didn’t realize how much I missed it until we finally came back this year. We were all in a room together singing, and it was just incredible. It’s such a nice feeling. Even though we have to wear masks, which isn’t great when singing, it’s still empowering. It’s just fun. Just adjusting yourself or other people and working together to make something.” 

According to Williams, choir is a way for students to create relationships and connect to people with similar interests. She says choir has been influential in her relationships, and she’s gained friends as a result. 

“My closest friendships have come from choir, which has been really important in shaping who I am,” Williams said. “I think that music is something that brings people together in a really unique way that is irreplaceable.”