The thunder of applause erupts, the stage lights turn dark, and the curtain drops. “CMONT!” the seniors shout. “YOU KNOW!” scream more than 150 choir kids – and with that lively tradition, another Carlmont Choirs performance comes to an end.
Reflecting on her time in the Carlmont Choirs, Clare Marks, a choir teacher at Ralston Middle School and Carlmont High School alumna, said, “I remember doing different rituals before performances. We would all have these dance parties together right before we were about to go on and sing. It still sticks in my head as a memory of the great community we had.”
The National Library of Medicine states that students gain many benefits from being a part of a choir, such as belonging to a well-connected community and feeling a closer connection to the school, as well as having the chance to shape their identity in a supportive environment.
The evolution of Carlmont Choirs
The Carlmont Choirs program consists of over 150 students and 4 different choruses that regularly compete in local and regional competitions. The program has grown tremendously over the course of the last three decades. In fact, in the late 1990s, the Carlmont Choirs program failed before being restarted by Karen Linford.
“Karen Linford was the choir director for three or four years before I arrived. She built the program from nothing. When I came in, there was a chamber and concert choir, but they were very small. That first year was all sopranos and altos,” said Genevieve Tep, director of Carlmont Choirs.
Although Karen Linford made the initial push to get the program started, Tep has shown her commitment and dedication to improving the program through her strong efforts over the years. When Tep arrived at Carlmont in 2003, there were approximately 50 kids in two classes enrolled in the program.
In recent years, that number has ranged between 150 – 180 kids between 5 classes and a cappella groups. Throughout her career, she has also been recognized by her peers as Carlmont Teacher of the Year, Sequoia Union High School District Teacher of the Year, and in 2021 as California Choral Directors Association Choir Director of the Year.
The Carlmont – Ralston connection
Carlmont Choirs has a special relationship with Ralston’s Choir program, curated from special events and performances that are held where both choirs perform together. Additionally, Carlmont Choirs performs for a few middle schools every year to expose students to choir and encourage them to sign up.
“It was really fun to perform at the annual Celebrate the Music event and go to a festival with Carlmont. I saw how good the high school choir was, how nice everyone was, and it made me want to join even more,” said Sophie Schultz, a sophomore at Carlmont and a past participant in both Carlmont and Ralston Choirs.
Similar to Schultz, Marks first joined the choir in eighth grade, and after meeting Tep, she was convinced to join the choir all four years of high school.
“All my friends were part of the music program in some way. Music really was a part of my social circle in high school,” Marks said.
Along with her friends, she also had a support system and mentor through Tep.
“She was like a counselor, therapist, and just overall helpful. She was probably one of the first adults that I had growing up whom I could talk to about things. It wasn’t right away, but over time we built a relationship,” Marks said.
The lasting impacts
The benefits of being part of a choir extend well beyond a student’s time in school. It not only lets students develop their creativity, but it can also help them academically and provide an opportunity to build useful skills for later in life.
According to Chorus America, being a part of one of America’s 270,000 choirs, whether it is through school, church, or community, is strongly correlated with qualities that are directly associated with success throughout life. Some of these skills are greater civic involvement, discipline, and teamwork.
“I’ve studied music and the impact that music has on academic achievement. I know as an adult what kind of impact it probably had on me, but I don’t think I was acknowledging it at the time. It really gave me a lot more confidence and leadership opportunities that I wouldn’t have had if I weren’t a part of the choir program,” Marks said.
Program directors also make a big difference in the success of a choir and even some students’ lives beyond high school.
“I think it’s amazing that she’s able to stay in contact with many of these people 10 years later, and still be a great mentor and support for them, even though they’re long past high school,” Marks said.
