Greta Brown
Since starting TYC in elementary school with Mrs. Schmidt, coming up to Charles Wright every week has been something I’ve always looked forward to. I can still remember how excited I was the first time I got to sing with the older choirs at a concert, and it’s amazing to be able to stand in their shoes now.
I really appreciate all the time my parents spent driving me to University Place before I could myself, and waiting for me patiently while I spent time after choir with all the friends I made. I’m also so grateful to all the family, friends, and TYC staff that have kept me coming back year after year. Mrs. Herrington and Ms. Yi in particular are incredibly talented artists that I am so lucky to have gotten to work with.
My favorite songs we’ve sung are ‘Ave Maria’ and ‘Exsultate Justi’. It’s been great getting to sing in so many different styles, and I’ve found something to love in all of them. Next year I’ll be heading to Fordham University in NYC to study in their international political economy program. I definitely plan to continue singing!
Allias Dumont
TYC has been a part of my weekly routine from my early days as a Music Maker to where I find myself today a graduated senior. Taking my first steps into rehearsal with Mrs. Schmidt, I had no idea how long my loyalty to TYC would last, and also simultaneously how quickly my time in TYC would seem to come to an end.
What makes me excited to show up every week on top of my love for music are the connections I am so grateful to have made, whether that be with directors, accompanists, staff or peers. Thank you to Mr. Brizuela for pushing us to connect to the music we sing and the audience we perform to. Thank you to Mrs. Herrington for always believing we are more capable than we think, allowing us to grow as musicians and as people.
As I look ahead, I find it fitting that this fall I will be attending PLU. Since my earliest years in TYC, I have performed in Lagerquist Hall. I am excited to return to this same stage as a student and choir member. I am so grateful to be able to say TYC is where I started as I continue my musical journey.
Amira Fusco
It has been so wonderful to be able to be a part of TYC. I can’t imagine how much I might have missed out on had this not come into my life. I have heard so many amazing voices and sang so much amazing music. Every rehearsal inspires love and emotion, and I really mean that. It has been so incredible to be able to be surrounded by so many people passionate in music and life. To be able to sing onstage with my choir so many times, challenge myself with music and notes I wasn’t sure I’d be able to sing and to hear such beautiful music like Crowded Table, Mystery, and Tundra. Thank you so much to my family and TYC that I was able to do this. I am so grateful I got to be a part of this experience and I’ll never forget it.
Aly Humiston
For the two years I have been in Tacoma Youth Chorus, I have met many kinds of singers and seen people including myself grow in the way of music and performance. Singing has always been a part of my life, but this part I will never forget. I have loved every rehearsal, every concert in TYC, everyone singing together and learning together and growing together has only brought us closer as a community. I am grateful for all I have learned in TYC and hope for the program to thrive for many years after I’m gone. I’m not only grateful for the people I sang with but also for everyone who came to listen to us, without an audience our art would mean way less.
TYC would not even exist without help from staff and especially our wonderful director, Ms. Judy. Whether it be warming up our choir to preparing us for a concert, she is kind, understanding, and has a great sense of humor. I haven’t gone one class without smiling at least once. To my family, I want to thank them all for supporting me these last two years in TYC. I wouldn’t be in this program if it was not for them. Especially my mom, thank you for driving me to rehearsals. Though this year is over, I do have plans to return to TYC, not as a student but as someone who can help out, even after I graduate from Tacoma Youth Chorus.
The memories I have made in this choir will never leave me, especially the times when we got to listen to other choirs and orchestras play alongside our group. It always amazed me how we got to hear all of our parts come together. And before concerts I got to meet a lot of kind singers that I usually don’t sit next to in class which is always fun. Though I have loved every song Ms. Judy has chosen for us, there is one song that has always stuck to me. The song “Tundra” written by Ola Gjeilo. It’s a beautiful song, and to me it’s fun to sing, especially in a huge group of talented singers. The song is close to the kind of music I like and I would describe it as euphoric, stunning, vast and ethereal. I find myself singing it at random times. I will never forget my time with Tacoma Youth Chorus because it has helped me become a better musician and a better singer.
Eli Hunt
I remember entering TYC at the beginning of 8th grade nervous and confused. After exiting the pandemic I was completely stumped on how to use that lower register that seemingly took over my vocal chords. The last time I sang in a choir I was more or less a soprano, and my new teenage voice couldn’t have been farther from that. Despite my worries, TYC welcomed me with open arms and taught me to love choir again. My first year I was almost afraid to sing but over time that fear disappeared. I am still blown away that a program could transform someone as quiet as my middle school self to a person capable of leadership and choral excellence. TYC has never felt like an afterthought to me, it is always the highlight of my Tuesday and I always regret the days I have to miss. I only wish I could have spent even more time getting to know the wonderful people (students and teachers) of TYC. I don’t know if I would have continued singing without the people in the tenor-bass choir pushing me forward and showing me the musical talent I still strive to reach. I plan to pursue a degree in political science at the University of Michigan this fall, and hope to continue choir there as well. I would like to thank Mrs. Herrington for her engaging choral exercises and her attentiveness to each and every student, Mr. Brizuela for his energy and jokes, and Mr. Eric and Ms. Hunt for always greeting me with a warm welcome. I also want to thank my parents and grandparents for always showing up to my concerts no matter the circumstance. Some of my favorite memories and songs come from TYC. I still fondly recall practicing at the chapel, performing “Jonah” in front of a forest as the sun slowly set. I often find myself humming some of my favorite TYC songs like “She Moved through the Fair” and “Stars I Shall Find”. I am going to miss TYC, and I hope people continue to enjoy this wonderful experience learning and sharing music with others.
Carter Milliren
Over 13 years, TYC has been a constant in my life. Every Tuesday or Wednesday for as long as I can remember I’ve spent those afternoons driving out to Charles Wright and letting song take over my mind. The opportunity to share my voice, learn, and connect with those around me is something that I am forever indebted to TYC for. I thank my mother and father for providing me continuous support and driving me to participate in choir as well as my brother, Tyler, for the years of singing we were able to do together with TYC. I also want to thank Mr. Brizuela, Mrs. Herrington, and Mrs. Schmidt for pushing me to grow as both a singer and human.
In the fall, I will attend the University of Southern California to study accountancy in the Marshall School of Business. I hope to join one of the campus choirs and plan to audition for the concert choir in the Thornton School of Music. I will always remember the long days at PLU for Gift of Song and listening to the concert CDs at home. My favorite music I sang in TYC was John Rutter’s ‘Mass of the Children’ with Symphony Tacoma Voices. Goodbye TYC and thank you for all the memories!
Jonathan Pope
It has been said that everyone is a leader and while this is undoubtedly true, not every leader leads well. To lead with excellence requires one to care deeply about those who are following; to lead well is to add value to the lives of others. This is an inherent characteristic of TYC and why I love spending exorbitant amounts of time singing in TYC.
From the directors to the rehearsal assistants, everyone involved in TYC understands that education is about encouraging students to grow as human beings. Mrs. Herrington graciously exhorts us to share a message through our songs and wisely guides us through music that often builds us into better musicians and people. Mr. Brizuela gently brings us back to our scores when our humor grows inordinate. The accompanists provide a sturdy foundation for both our voices and rehearsals through their disciplined virtue. Finally, those who work in the office and as rehearsal assistants help ensure that TYC runs as smoothly as a choir can. While I wish that there were enough sheets of paper in the world to properly thank all the mentors I have found in TYC, I am fairly certain that exhaustively documenting the value they have added to my life would singlehandedly empty the Amazon of its trees.
Audrey Preston
I joined TYC in second grade, and it has been a major highlight of my life ever since. Being in this choir for so long has grown my skills, friendships, and my love for singing. My experiences here are irreplaceable. I’m singing alongside some of my favorite people, and TYC has, without a doubt, allowed me to grow closer with them. I love the excitement of returning to favorite songs, like Festival Gloria, and the bittersweet sentiment of singing Blessing every year. Whenever a lyric or harmony comes up that excites me, I look up and my friends and I share an excited glance at each other. I am always proud to see my mom and aunt come up to sing as alumni alongside me, and I am even more proud to have continued my family’s involvement in this choir. I’m so grateful that my little sister sings with me, too. I am thankful for my parents, grandparents, and Mrs. Herrington for supporting me through every concert, and pushing me to my fullest potential. Mrs. Herrington has played a huge role in my journey to singing at PLU next year, and I will always feel pride in the fact that she is my director. I love TYC and I will never lose the impact it’s had on me.
Rainey Trinen
I joined TYC during my sophomore year and I have loved it ever since. I joined TYC because I had a few friends in it and I wanted to spend more time with them, but I had no prior choir experience. I remember being incredibly nervous on my first day, but not only were my friends welcoming, everyone was, especially Mrs. Herrington. Through TYC my singing and musical abilities have grown tenfold, my voice has become stronger as well as my ability to harmonize. My favorite songs we have sung are Tundra and Festival Gloria. Both are powerful songs that encompass and fuel my favorite parts of TYC, unity, focus, and a passion that make the whole choir feel connected. I would like to thank my parents, and my friends for supporting me in my singing. TYC has given me what will be a lifelong love of choir and experiences that I will never forget.