Behind the elegant, vibrant performances of Carlmont Choir is the organization that most people in the audience don’t know about – the Choir Council.
“Choir Council is an organized body of students who get together and make decisions about events that would be best for the choir as a whole,” said Kiran Boone, a senior.
The council, headed by Copresidents Boone and Jill Albertson, a senior, takes input from students on how to improve choir classes and implement events that make the program run as smoothly as possible. The group has two representatives for each of Carlmont’s five choral classes, as well as the position of secretary, librarian, treasurer, vice president, and president.
I am one person who is in charge of 200 students […] The Choir Council is my backbone. These people run the machine that is called choir.
— Matthew Goulart
As for activities, Choir Council plans several bonding events open to all 200 choir students with the aim of cultivating a positive community within the program. They also manage a large number of administrative tasks including advertising, scheduling, and setup and cleanup for the various choral concerts.
And since Carlmont’s regular choir director and teacher, Genevieve Tep, is currently on maternity leave, a portion of her administrative responsibilities have fallen onto Choir Council.
“They’ve always run the logistics and such of our performances and after-school events,” Jocelyn Wang, a junior, said. “Especially now that Mrs. Tep isn’t here, they’ve played a really important role in organizing everything.”
In the absence of Tep, their work also alleviates some of the stress placed on Matthew Goulart, Carlmont’s substitute choir teacher.
Goulart said, “Choir Council has a large role in the choir program. I am one person who is in charge of 200 students, so it becomes a little overwhelming at times, and I need help. The Choir Council is my backbone. These people run the machine that is called choir.”
Moving forward, Choir Council is currently organizing a potluck to raise students’ spirits as they go into the new semester, as well as for the upcoming concert.
Boone said, “Right now, we’re planning our next event, which is a potluck in February that will help us get ready for the March Spring Concert. Everyone’s going to be there, and we’re going to plan it by decorating and getting the schedule together.”
Ultimately, behind every great musical production is a hard-working cast, a lighted stage, and perhaps most importantly, a strong, dedicated group of leaders. For Carlmont Choir, that group is the Choir Council.
