By Meredith Gardner
meredith.gardner@theindependent.com

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Lane Hickenbottom Grand Island Senior High vocal music instructor Eric Shepard conducts singers from Barr, Walnut and Westridge middle schools Monday during the Grand Island Public Schools Middle School Choral Clinic at Senior High. The all-day clinic culminated in a concert for parents Monday night. Lane Hickenbottom Grand Island middle-schoolers sing during the choral clinic Monday at Senior High. Click Thumbnails to View

The clinic, which has been held annually for more than three decades, was led by the GISH vocal teachers and capped off with a 7 p.m. concert for parents and the general public.

The day was one of learning and cooperation for the estimated 170 seventh- and eighth-graders who participated, said Kay Lyons, vocal music teacher at Walnut Middle School.

Typically, middle school singers only come together in competition. But Monday was different, Lyons said.

"It is a day of non-competition," Lyons said. "That's always been my biggest plus for the day. This is a day of cooperative effort.

"It doesn't matter what part of town they're from. They're here for one purpose, and that's to make beautiful music."

For months, the students from Barr, Walnut and Westridge middle schools have been practicing five vocal music selections with their regular music instructors.

The middle school teachers were then able to recommend students for the clinic at GISH.

The goal of the workshop was to prepare the students for an evening performance at the high school auditorium a chance for the students to show their parents and instructors what they learned.

"I think it'll be a good experience, because we have one day to prepare, so we'll have to give it our best shot," said Michael Barrios, an eighth-grader at Walnut Middle School, during his lunch break.

Those who attended benefited from the experience in a number of ways, Lyons said.

First, the students were able to meet future high school classmates as well as some of the GISH vocal music staff.

"It's a great recruiting tool for the high school directors," as the experience can help sway middle school students toward continuing their vocal music education in high school, Lyons said.

The high school instructors who led the clinic also made an effort to give the students new tools to enhance their singing voices, said Eric Shepard, a GISH vocal music instructor.

For example, some boys in attendance said they had spend the morning doing exercises to help their voices sound more mature.

After concluding the clinic, students usually give positive feedback about the experience and are glad to have been able to make new friends, said Julie Sackschewsky, vocal music instructor at Westridge Middle School.

"It's a tiring day, but it's worthwhile," Sackschewsky said.

And Monday evening, the students were able to perform as a single choir in a venue larger than many of them have ever sang in before.

"It's nice to be able to offer a different musical experience to these students, for these students," Shepard said.

In perfect harmony