We are so excited to welcome you to our WV Choir Family!
​On this page you will find information about our freshman curricular choirs as well as other ways you can get involved in the WV Choir Department. ​

About Us

The Waubonsie Valley Choir Department is a nationally recognized program that we would love for you to be a part of!
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At Waubonsie Valley we aim to provide a comprehensive choral arts education in which students gain not only musical skills and a life-long appreciation of music, but also develop individual skills and strategies that will help them to be successful in all academic areas and throughout their lives.

Why Join Choir?

  • Music enriches students' daily lives, providing an outlet during the school day
  • Performing & creating music with others is extremely rewarding
  • Music builds community & helps develop self-confidence
  • Experience unique travel and performance opportunities throughout your high school career
  • Many studies have shown that music and singing can help reduce stress and improve mental health
  • Music communicates cultural values & traditions in a meaningful way

Freshman Curricular Choirs

As a freshman you will enroll in either Cecillian Singers (MUSC1004) or Bass Chorus (GMUSC1005). These ensembles are made up of all freshman and focus on fundamental vocal techniques and the establishment of music literacy (ability to read notated music).  Both ensembles sing a wide variety of music ranging from Renaissance to Contemporary. Throughout the year these ensembles perform at four curricular concerts (1 performance per quarter).
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After freshman year, you will have the opportunity to enroll in Concert Choir or Bass Chorus. You may also audition for one of our advanced ensembles; Treble Choir, Varsity Singers, and Varsity Chamber. Auditions are held during January before students enroll for sophomore year. 
There are so many opportunities ahead of you! Below you will find the various ensembles you can be a part of outside of your choir class. You will also find tentative audition information for auditioned ensembles. 

Show Choir

The show choirs are ensembles of singer-dancers that perform pop, contemporary, and show tunes in costume with choreography.

There are two groups you can be a part of, Resonance and Sound Check. The audition consists of a singing and dancing portion. Information on auditions will be available May 2023! Show choir members must be enrolled in a curricular choir.

UnaVoce

UnaVoce is an a cappella treble ensemble made up of freshman and sophomore students. UnaVoce sings pop and contemporary songs, and performs at curricular concerts, and community events. Auditions will be held Fall 2023. Members must be enrolled in a curricular choir.

Mosaic

Mosaic Choir is an extra-curricular, auditioned group of over 100 students. Students do not need to be enrolled in a curricular choir to audition for Mosaic. Mosaic sings world and gospel music and have been featured with the Chicago Sinfonietta in various concerts. They have also performed at the Chicago Symphony Center, Wentz Hall, and the Chicago House of Blues. Auditions will be held Fall 2023! All students are welcome to join the Mosaic Choir.

Pink Notes/Cloud9

Cloud 9 and Pink Notes are student-directed a cappella groups at WVHS. These ensembles are made up of 9 members and sing pop/contemporary songs. Cloud 9 and Pink Notes perform at curricular concerts, and community events throughout the year. Information on auditions will be available May 2023! Members must be enrolled in a curricular choir.

Scheduling

We know that there are a lot of requirements for graduation and scheduling can feel overwhelming at time. Below we have provided sample schedules from former WV music students. You will see that many students were able to take a language as well as participate in multiple music ensembles/electives all four years. We hope that these schedules will help you navigate course selection. If you have any questions or concerns about fitting choir into your schedule please email kristen_murray@ipsd.org and/or seth_durbin@ipsd.org. We are happy to help!

Frequently Asked Questions


​Is it possible to be involved in the choral program at Waubonsie, in addition to other activities, and maintain a high level of overall academic success? 
Of course it is! It does take a lot of hard work and time management, BUT it is possible to excel in many activities. Many of our students are involved in sports and other activities at Waubonsie, in addition to church and community groups. The most involved students are also the most successful students, both in and out of the classroom. On the following page is a list of actual four year schedules from a few of our most active choral students.
Music class is fun, but I’m not planning a career in music. Don’t I need to start taking classes more aligned to the specific career I’m interested in? 
Yes, music is fun, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t rigorous or relevant to your academic progress and your future. The majority of our music students don’t go on to a career in music, but the nature of your musical learning gives you a competitive edge in whatever field you pursue. On a daily basis, music students must be creative, analytical, reflective, disciplined, self-motivated, collaborative, communicative, and solution oriented. Our former music students are now engineers, architects, geologists, physicians, lawyers, software designers, and of course—professional musicians, music teachers, production managers, and arts administrators. A rigorous academic schedule that includes study and participation in a highly advanced school music program can set you apart from your peers as you think ahead to college and/or the workplace.

Contact Us

We are here to help answer any questions you may have about the Waubonsie Choir Department.
Please feel free to reach out to us through email or by phone.

Kristen Murray - Director
kristen_murray@ipsd.org
(630) 375-3272

Seth Durbin - Director 
seth_durbin@ipsd.org
(630) 375-3275