Counterpoints, CHS freshman choir, has begun discussing a few changes for future choir placement. Choir director Ann Conrad said she and the other directors have been considering changing how Counterpoints is portrayed to students in the Program of Studies. The full title of the choir is called “beginning chorus,” which is how the state of Indiana identifies it, and Conrad said she wants to make sure that is emphasized more. According to her, Counterpoints is not open only to freshmen, although the majority of the group is composed of them.

“We have mostly freshmen in there, but there are a few upperclassmen. We have a few special needs students who really fit into the music level of the group. And we do have some people who just come to the class to observe and listen, not necessarily perform with us,” she said.

Conrad said the choir department is trying to work towards making sure that the course description doesn’t say that Counterpoints is a freshman choir, as it is sometimes more fitting for someone with a lower aptitude for music to be in the group.

“People who come in and have no singing background and really aren’t as caught up as those in intermediate classes shouldn’t be placed in intermediate classes just because of their age. So, we’ve talked about really pushing the fact that ‘beginning chorus’ is known as ‘beginning chorus,’” Conrad said.

However, even though the department is discussing portraying Counterpoints in a different way for the future, Conrad said putting an older student in Counterpoints would be a rare occurrence. The students and his/her parents would be contacted beforehand, so the student would be completely aware of this decision.

She said, “Nobody should be nervous that they’ll be kept in Counterpoints if they’re a freshman now, because they’d know if that would happen. They’d actually have to not be able to handle the skill level of intermediate choirs for that to happen. We just want to make sure what we do is complimentary to the program of studies, so that’ll be in the future.”

Freshman and Counterpoints member Vessi Doncheva said that she doesn’t think the changes will affect her at all.

She said, “I mean they’re not making huge changes or anything, so I’m not too worried about it. I’m more concerned with the May concert than anything.” By Dhruti Patel <[email protected]>