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Veritas choir tops in 1A/2A division

School celebrates with assembly; NHS doesn't place in the 6A class

By: Laurent Bonczijk (The Newberg Graphic)
Published: 5/10/2011 7:17:00 PM - Newberg Graphic.com

Photo by Laurent Bonczijk

Members of the Veritas choir perform before staff and family members Friday morning in celebration of their win in the state competition.  

Veritas School won the state choir competition in the 1A/2A division on Thursday. Students celebrated Friday morning with a special concert assembly.

“It was everything I’d been hoping for and working toward,” said senior soprano Consuela Hegeman. She added that during the competition “it wasn’t very obvious who’d won until they called our name.”

As a matter of fact, when the second-place winner was called the Veritas choir figured it hadn’t won anything. Hegeman said that part of Veritas’ edge came during the sight reading part of the competition, which requires technical musical knowledge; Veritas scored 10 points higher than the second best team.

“They really want to emphasize the education of the kids and director,” said director Sally Mehler, who added that student participation was key. “It’s big for a school that has 72 kids in it” to have 37 students in the choir.

The Newberg High School concert choir competed at George Fox University this weekend in the 6A category, but didn’t place. Choir director Jason Taylor said it was “one of the best performances they’ve done” and that given that the choir hadn’t qualified for state in many years “just being able to go was a privilege in and of itself.”

Even though the group had sung at Bauman Auditorium before, as soon as they walked in there and saw all the other choirs and the audience they realized it was time to shine.

Taylor, who had been to state as a student, said it was an eye-opening experience to attend as a director. Seniors Micah Bevis and Hannah Consenz were soloists during the four-song set.

Two music students from NHS competed in the state solo contest April 30 at Lewis & Clark College. Senior Victoria Baker played the flute and junior Jordon Paulus played the French horn.

“They played very, very well,” said band director Joel Tanner and both finished in the middle of the pack.

Students Performing at George Fox University

Photo by Lee Hills (Veritas School)