SK School District Students Come Together to Sing
The lights dim as voices hush, while students shuffle their way onto the stage. The conductor follows quickly behind and looks upon his musicians with pride. With the performers in their positions, the eager group draws in a deep breath and their voices begin to melt together into one beautiful piece of music.
Throughout the year, the South Kingstown High School Music Department performs multiple shows for local audiences, and this year’s spring concert debuted on March 21st. Annually, SKHS music teachers Mr. Benz and Mr. Muir work together to create lively concerts performed by the school’s most passionate students. However, this year, Muir decided to switch it up for the annual Spring Concert.
“This is something I’ve wanted to do since I started working here,” Muir explained, “and this is the first year, especially after covid, where I felt like it was a good time to give it a shot.”
Muir’s goal was to do something that would connect with the community as well as future SKHS students. This year, the SKHS Choir and eSKape joined together with the district’s middle schools, both Broad Rock and Curtis Corner Middle Schools, as well as Matunuck, West Kingston, and Peace Dale Elementary Schools, to perform the annual late March concert.
“I think all of them don’t know what to expect,” Muir said, “but once you sing with 205 people, it’s gonna feel really awesome.”
Muir has served as the South Kingstown High School’s Choral teacher and Theater director since 2017 and possesses quite an impressive background. Muir was part of a Rhode Island Rock Band called “Monty Are I.” Formed in 1998, the band has performed many concerts across the U.S. and Muir has served as one of the group’s vocalists and lead guitarist. The band was active until 2011 when Muir eventually decided to devote himself to teaching and inspiring young musicians.
Since he arrived at the school, Muir has earned a great reputation in the South Kingstown community, and over the years he has inspired many of his students to join together while sharing the joy of music. Not only does Muir teach and lead the SKHS Choir, but he also guides the music ensemble of talented singers, eSKape. Muir also serves as the director of the Theater Department and many agree that the 11-year veteran teacher has done a noteworthy job putting together numerous musicals and plays that draw in both the school and the local community.
After the Covid outbreak in 2020, Muir said it has been a struggle to put together special events, concerts, and trips, which makes the upcoming Spring concert feel even more special to the community. Muir said he has been wanting to plan a concert like the upcoming event for years and he expressed his excitement to collaborate with the school district’s music and choral teachers, a list that includes Christine Pierce (Peace Dale), Karen Toy (West Kingston and Matunuck), Andre Theroux (Broadrock), and Laurette Vitello (Curtis Corner).
Together the choir teachers from across the district brought together an ensemble of over 200 musicians on stage together. “I think [the show] will specifically impact the younger kids who don’t really get a chance to sing at this caliber,” said Muir, “so it’ll be a good singing experience by just being here and then the parents get to see what we do here in the high school.”
While it’s clear Muir’s enthusiasm about the event radiates, many of his students shared the same eagerness to get up on the stage and sing.
One SKHS choir student reflected on how she would feel if she was in the younger kids’ shoes. “I thought that if I had this opportunity to sing with high schoolers, it would probably be pretty cool,” Raven Violante-Alioto said. The SKHS junior Violante-Alioto is one of the many students that Muir teaches who also believes in the pure joy of coming together to make music.
While Muir will be conducting many 4th graders on stage, he’s particularly happy to be conducting someone very important to him. “My daughter is in it,” Muir said, “and I’m very excited to conduct her which I’ve never done before.”
Muir shared that on the first practice kids of all ages trickled into the auditorium to get ready, the room was full of bustling, positive energy.
According to Muir, the concert went by beautifully, and many parents of children performing cried tears of joy as they watched the display of their kids all together on stage. Each choral section complimented the next and cheers and applause roared throughout the auditorium by the end of the night. Throughout the event, Muir conducted the children and teens with passion and clearly displayed his devotion to the music and the students.
“I felt like we did a really good job and I also felt like it was just very nice to be with everyone in the district and it was just a real community building sorta thing,” explained high school senior and choir section leader Maya Delmonico.
Delmonico believes the Spring concert was a very impactful moment for the kids and important for the community. “It was kinda nice to know that they would hopefully grow up and sing in [the SKHS] choir too.”
Violante-Alioto was also satisfied with the outcome of the concert. “We all did great,” Violante-Alioto said “The energy was great.”
While the concert has passed, the performance still lingers and the hopes for another Spring Sing next year appear very likely. Muir said that he hopes that this experience has truly connected with and inspired some of the younger students and encourage them to continue singing throughout their school years.
Delmonico agreed.“I feel like it’s really good to get the younger ones excited about singing in their future,” the SKHS senior said. Overall, the community truly appeared to appreciate the event, and all who were involved felt pride in themselves and their fellow singers. Walking into his concert choir classroom following the event, Muir and his students continued to relish the performance.
“I would like to do this every year for sure,” Muir said.
