WSU choir visits Ephrata, other high schools to encourage students to sing

May 19-EPHRATA - The members of Ephrata High School's chamber choir had a glimpse of what could be their future Thursday morning, when the Washington State University chamber singers and concert choir joined them.

The WSU students were passing through Ephrata as part of a tour of high schools from Pullman to Bellingham, encouraging high schoolers to continue in choir after they graduate.

"You're learning some absolutely wonderful skills," WSU Choir Director Dean Leuthi told the EHS students. "So please, please don't stop singing when you're done (with high school.)

Ephrata was the first stop on the final day of the WSU tour. From there they went to Eastmont High School in East Wenatchee, Quincy High School and finally Moses Lake High School.

The two choirs started together with some warmup exercises under the direction of Luethi and Assistant Director Matt Myers.

"They're doing different warmups that they haven't done before," said EHS choir teacher Tom O'Donnell. "The director's focusing on some different things that maybe I let fall through the cracks, which I always love. It's always nice to work with a different director because they've got in their head what's most important to them. A lot of times we get kind of in a rut, and it's really nice to have (the students) work with somebody else."

The 30 EHS singers went first, singing several a cappella numbers, and then the WSU students took the stage. Finally, both choirs combined for a couple of songs.

Hearing the college-age singers was helpful to his students, O'Donnell said.

"It's a big thing that we get to hear the kids get exposed to voices that are just a couple of years older than them," he said. "It's a different sound when you're 20 than 17."

Part of the purpose of the tour is to show students that singing isn't just for music majors, Luethi told the students. O'Donnell agreed.

"My daughter went to Wazoo and sang in the choir program," O'Donnell said. "She was studying nursing. I try to encourage the kids, if they're going to go to college, keep singing in choir. It doesn't have to be part of your degree. And it's a really awesome way to make friends ... especially if you're feeling lonely at a new school."

"We hit the (high school) choirs because all of these kids have great skills, and we want them in our choirs," Luethi said.

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