The auditorium at Veterans Memorial High School filled with nervous energy and excited chatter as sixth grade choir students from across Judson ISD took their seats for Beginner Fest. For many of them, it was the first time seeing what a high school choir program looks and sounds like.
Throughout the day, students rehearsed together, learned from guest conductor, Mrs. Amy Oxley, and listened as varsity choirs from Veterans Memorial, Wagner, and Judson High Schools performed for them. The event is designed to give middle school singers a glimpse of what could be waiting for them if they continue choir into high school.
Veterans Memorial High School choir director Stan Moody said the goal is simple, help younger students see the bigger picture.
“This is a choir workshop event for sixth grade and new choir students in middle school,” Moody said. “They get to work with a clinician, hear our high school choirs perform, and ask the high school students questions about their experiences in choir.”
Some of the most memorable moments come when students realize how much the program can grow with them.
“It’s always really fun to see young choir students open up to the possibilities that choir can offer them,” Moody said.
Metzger Middle School choir director Andrew Sanchez, who helped coordinate the event, said the experience helps students see that they are part of something larger than their own campus.
“It brings together beginning choir members from across Judson ISD,” Sanchez said. “They start to see the community that choir creates and where music can take them if they continue through high school.”
He added that choir teaches students more than just music.
“Singing is something very personal,” Sanchez said. “You’re sharing a part of yourself. Through choir, students build confidence, empathy, and leadership while learning how to support one another.”
For students like Lila Flores from Metzger Middle School, the event’s Q&A session allowed her to hear from the high school singers and made the experience feel real.
“I learned that choir might be hard sometimes, but that doesn’t mean you should give up,” Flores said.
Some of the high school students speaking to the younger singers also remembered being in those same seats not long ago.
Veterans Memorial High School student Layla Mata, who attended Kitty Hawk Middle School, said choir quickly became a place where she found both music and friendships.
“The first thing I remember about joining choir was the people,” Mata said. “I made a lot of friends in choir, and I’m still friends with them today.”
Fellow Veterans Memorial student Ryan Alexander, also a Kitty Hawk Middle School alum, remembers looking up to the high school singers during her Beginner Fest experience when she was younger.
Now in high school, she had a simple message for the students sitting in the audience.
“Don’t be shy,” she said. “A lot of the opportunities you get in choir require you to put yourself out there.”
For many students in the audience, Beginner Fest was more than just a workshop. It was a first look at the community, confidence, and opportunities waiting for them as they continue their choir and fine arts journey in Judson ISD.