Carl J. Lamb School's Spartan Show Choir made their mark at the Maine chapter of the American Choral Directors Association's annual Fall Conference, earning an invitation that represents a tremendous honor, particularly for a group at the elementary level.
On October 10, more than 70 music educators from across Maine gathered at Windham High School for the Maine ACDA Fall Conference. Among the day's highlights was a performance by CJL's Spartan Show Choir, personally invited by MEACDA President Julia Edwards. This year's conference carried additional significance with Robyn Hilger, Executive Director of ACDA National, serving as keynote speaker, placing the CJL students on both a statewide and national stage.
The young performers presented a four-song program called "When I Grow Up," featuring soloist performances from Carl J. Lamb students Emmy French, Madilynn Peck, Disney Bolduc, Tommie Bolduc, Ahna Boyd, Ridleigh Guertin and Emelia LeHoux.
"It was really fun, but really nerve-wracking to have a big audience just watching you, basically not anyone else," French said. "And that feels really good."
The highlight for many students came during "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," when two chorus teachers from the audience were invited on stage as backup singers. "When you have 100 chorus teachers in the audience, a lot are very eager to sing," noted Carl J. Lamb music teacher Hattie Skvorak.
After Guertin performed her solo in "I'm Still Standing," the Windham High School Chamber Singers appeared from the back of the room to join the elementary students for a surprise fourth song—accompanied by a slideshow of baby photos from both groups.
For students accustomed to the more casual atmosphere of their regular school concerts, this was something special. "This audience was really supportive," LeHoux said. The difference was clear to the young performers—these were people who "really know music and really appreciate how to be an audience member."
The Spartan Show Choir was selected for their reputation for high-quality performance, professionalism, and dedication to music advocacy. Now in its third season, the Spartan Show Choir is CJL's auditioned vocal ensemble for third- and fourth-grade students, dedicated to developing musical and physical literacy through quality performances.
For many of the young performers, this was their first time singing in front of such a large audience. When asked about their favorite part of the experience, answers ranged from performing solos to dancing with the Windham singers.