If you pass by the choir room during third block on a gold day, you’ll hear the Woodford County High School Chorale hard at work perfecting their songs. Under the direction of conductor Taylor Strickland, the 2024-2025 school year has been a particularly exciting one for the Chorale, marked by numerous performances and opportunities to showcase their talent.
By November, the Chorale had already completed two major events: the Broadway Showcase and a combined concert with the University of Kentucky Chorale. The Broadway Showcase is an annual highlight where Chorale members perform ensemble numbers with the full choir, and also have the chance to shine individually as soloists.
The combined concert with the UK Chorale took place at the Singletary Center for the Arts. After performing four pieces from their own repertoire, the Chorale joined UK’s renowned choir to perform a rendition of “Indodana.” This experience provided a valuable opportunity for students, particularly those considering continuing their choral journey in college, to perform alongside a highly skilled choir and witness the impressive talent of the UK Chorale.
The WCHS Winter Concert, on December 5th at Versailles Baptist Church, featured performances by all three high school choirs: the Treble Choir, Concert Choir, and Chorale. Each choir showcased their favorite pieces from their repertoire for the local community. In addition, the school’s acappella groups, composed of WCHS choir members, also performed.
Following the Winter Concert, on December 9th, the Chorale will perform for the Versailles Baptist Church’s Primetimers group during the school day. Later, on December 14th, the Chorale will join the Kentuckians Chorus for a special concert featuring accomplished singer Vera Stonestreet Paige.
In a remarkable achievement last year, the Chorale’s director, Taylor Strickland, submitted recordings of the 2023-2024 Chorale to the Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA) for consideration to perform at their annual conference. As a result, WCHS was selected as the only SATB high school choir to perform at the prestigious KMEA conference, an honor that reflects the exceptional talent of the group. The performance is scheduled for February 6th, 2024, with a preview concert to be held in late January.
Looking ahead, the second half of the school year will bring additional opportunities for the Chorale to showcase their talents. The Spring Concert, taking place on May 1st, will bring together all three WCHS choirs for a final performance of the year. The Chorale’s last performance will be during graduation, where they will sing “My Old Kentucky Home” and the “Star-Spangled Banner,” finishing off the year with a memorable tribute.
This year has proven to be a standout one for the WCHS Chorale, with multiple performances and the honor of being selected for the KMEA conference. The choir’s dedication, hard work, and passion for music are evident in every performance, and the Woodford County community eagerly anticipates the Chorale’s upcoming events.
