Crusader Choir

"Since singing is so good a thing, I wish all men would learn to sing" - William Byrd (1535 - 1623)

Welcome to the Bishop Gorman Choral program, begun in 1993 as an after-school group. We now offer a Sixth Grade Beginning Choir, a Middle School Mixed Choir and Treble Ensemble, the High School Choir with its specialized ensembles, Honor Choir (“Encore”), and Music Ministry.

Sixth graders begin the Fall Semester with a six week rotation of FAX: Fine Arts Exploratory Art, Band, and Choir. In December, students choose which of the Fine Arts they will participate in for the rest of the year. Fine Arts instructors encourage students to stay with their selected class at least throughout Middle School in order to develop solid skills upon which to build in High School.

The Beginning Choir starts each January, learning to use their voices correctly, to develop a stronger sense of pitch, to learn essential music-reading and Solfege techniques, and to sing choral literature more challenging that that of elementary school. They will participate with the Middle School Chorus in Solo & Ensemble contest and enter the TPSMEA Concert Choir competition March. Sixth grade Choir will also perform in the Spring Concert.

The Middle School Choir consists of seventh and eighth grade students with treble, cambiata (changing) and/or lower voices. Students continue to work on sight-reading skills, and vocal development as they learn more challenging and interesting music. Singers have the opportunity to audition for the TPSMEA MS Honors Choir in the Fall. The MS Choir performs in Fall and Christmas Concerts, for Mistletoe & Magic, and at Advent and Lenten Luncheon concerts in area churches. Singers also go caroling at nursing homes and compete in TPSMEA Solo & Ensemble Competition and Concert Choir contest. They wind up the years with Sandy Lake Pops Competition and participate in the Spring Concert and 8th grade Commencement Mass.

The High School Crusader Choir has several ensembles within the group: Canticle Women’s Choir, Encore Sacred, Encore Pops and Music Ministry. The Choir performs in Fall and Christmas Concerts at Bishop Gorman and at area churches and organizations such as Hospice and the Rotary Club. The Choir hosts Talent Shows and musicals. Singers are encouraged to audition for TMEA and TPSMEA All-Region/All-State Choirs, as well as TAPPS and TPSMEA Solo & Ensemble Competitions, Concert/Sight-Reading, Sacred Ensemble, Madrigal and Pops Choir competitions. The Choir performs in the Spring Concert and for Baccalaureate Mass.

Since 1993, Bishop Gorman singers have:
•    Produced 19 musicals (MS, HS, and all-school)
•    Won two TAPPS State Championships in Choir
•    Warned Sweepstakes three times
•    Placed in the top three 3A & 4A TAPPS Choirs numerous times
•    Placed in All-Region, All-State, and/or state-wide MS Honors Choirs every year
•    Earned 1st Division Superior ratings at Region and State for Solos and Ensembles
•    Won “best of the division” awards at Sandy Lake
•    Developed a large and enthusiastic student Music Ministry