Part of my joy in transitioning to Tigard High School will come in the meeting of all the choir students and choir parents. Very soon I will be hosting small group listening sessions with members of the choir leadership and parents to learn as much as I can about what aspects of the choir program are important to you. What are the things that you have valued in the past, traditions and experiences that you want to see continue and to hear about things that you may want to explore that are new. So I am looking forward to hearing about the core things that you think make the choirs at Tigard great! Exciting times ahead!

Today I am reminded about how much I value being a member of a warm and inviting community. I met members of the Varsity Football team today, including Ryan, Ben, and Spencer and members of the Varsity Cheerleading Squad. Nearer to the end of the year, I met members of Choralation, our new principal Mr. Van Fleet, the front office staff, Mrs. Edwards and Mrs. Mason, along with custodians Gus, Josh, Natividad and Bill. Everyone at Tigard is so friendly and warm. What a great place!

I cannot wait to meet all of the new and continuing members of the 2015-2016 Tigard High School Choirs. We are going to have a wonderful time getting to know each other, building community, learning and growing together and making incredible music!

Take advantage of some of the great musical opportunities out there this summer. Go see Thoroughly Modern Millie at our Deb Fennel Auditorium over the next two weeks! It is AMAZING! Go see Wicked at the Keller if you can summon up the money to do it. Wendy and I, along with other friends and family are going to see Millie again on the 24th of July. Perhaps we will see you there! And enjoy your summer!

I spend countless hours listening to great performances of great music by great artists. The performances that touch my heart are the ones that meld great singing of important texts with great emotion and expression no matter the style or genre of music.

And that is what we seek to do in our choirs. A great choir performance comes from tapping into the same things great artists tap into. Take the time to build a strong vocal technique, sing the best music within whatever style or genre you are singing (classical, folk, jazz, musical theatre, pop) and marry it to a selfless, honest and expressive presentation. Great singing is great theater. The audience must be engaged by your presentation or it is meaningless. Make the audience care about what you are singing by opening your spirit to sing with honesty and devotion. That is were inspiration comes from.

In the Fall of 2015, the Tigard High School Choir Program comes under the new leadership of Mr. Robert Hawthorne.

Having served the Tigard Choir Program for twenty-two years, Ms. Sue Hale retires with an extraordinary legacy of excellent choirs and committed singers who embrace the individual and ensemble craft of making great music.

In the last thirty years, only two directors have led this program, Mrs. Debbie Glaze from 1984-1992, and Ms. Sue Hale from 1992-2015. As the Tigard High School Choir Program moves into its next era, there is a powerful commitment to honor the legacy established and blaze onward to a bright tomorrow.

Welcome to the Tigard High School Choir Website. Stay connected with the choir program, learn about us, and when and where we are performing. More details about the Fall and the coming year will be posted as the summer progresses.