Liberty’s choirs are making an impact beyond the classroom through a songbook meant to help members of our community find light and stay positive.  

“Our mission this year is to continue to bring hope and healing through music. And what better way to do that than making sure your music gets out there?” choir director Robin Wood said, referencing the interactive songbook that choir has been working on this year. 

The idea behind the songbook is simple: a PowerPoint-style presentation, something that the viewer can click through to sing along to easy, campfire-style songs. This spring, once this interactive songbook is finalized, Liberty’s choir program plans to distribute it amongst children’s hospitals and retirement homes to help raise spirits. 

Choir is also attending the Washington Music Educators Association Eastshore Choir Festival and the DeMiero Jazz Festival to showcase their skills to judges and receive feedback. However, all of those festivals have turned virtual this year, forcing the choir classes to be creative with how they perform and attend. 

“We have to record everything and then play it back, so it’s a real lesson in delayed gratification,” Wood said. “You have to first get the backing tracks, then overlay the singers, try to get everything lined up, and finally record a video of yourself singing to lay on top of that. You don’t have to do half that work if you’re not virtual.”

It’s impossible to deny the work the Liberty choirs have put in this year, improving their technique while creating music for our community. 

“We’ve turned to our artists and musicians, and we agreed that we’ve got to stay strong as a choir and as a community as well,” Wood said.