Sophomore Kaylyn Truong has remained dedicated to choir for the last six years.
Currently, Truong is an alto 1 in the Annandale Chamber Orchestra. Her dedication to choir for the previous six years goes all the way back to her last year at Annandale Terrace Elementary School. She originally started chorus for fun, as she also had other friends who joined along with her.
While describing her experience in ATES, she describes it more as a fun chance to explore chorus. In ATES, choir was more of a choice rather than a class or dedication, as she would spend her lunch time in the choir room with other students and Essel Linton, one of the main music teachers. She describes her experience as more fun on a subject she enjoyed as a child, rather than a serious matter.
Then came middle school, different in its own way.
“While at Poe Middle School, it got more serious, where we had grades and levels in choir,” said Truong. “The thing that changed how I feel now is that choir gives you opportunities to go places, such as colleges, and allows you to get real life experiences of being judged and graded on during performances.”
“I liked getting to see how far both me and everyone else has accomplished a lot throughout that year,” Truong added.
During this period of six years, she has continuously enjoyed learning new songs and singing them with her fellow choir peers. Normally, she practices with her class, but sometimes practices at home when a piece needs to be memorized.
To join a choir, she believes it takes dedication or even a light bit of interest, along with having some confidence and stability to gain a position such as singer. Even though Truong has been in the choir for a long period of time, she has and still continues to struggle with her confidence in singing.
Truong said, “I’m not much of a talker and rather be to the side. But I’m starting to gain some [confidence] with my classmates and Mr. Vaughn’s help”.
Truong believes choir has allowed her to grow as an individual while also simultaneously allowing her to learn qualities about herself and what she can do in the choir.
With her multitude of years in choir, she believes that chorus is a learning environment where you have a great community of people who will sing and gain experience with you.
With her continuous dedication to her passion, Truong plans to continue in the choir until she graduates.
Finally, Truong speaks to those who are interested in the choir program here in AHS.
“People should join choir because the people are amazing, as well as Mr. Vaughn being one of the nicest teachers I’ve ever met,” Truong said.
“Choir gives you a lot of opportunities to grow and go places and figure out what you enjoy!”
