Choirs
The Impact of Music Education on Children is Profound
Music does more than just make sounds, it changes the way we think and act. The skills your child will learn in music will help them be successful on the stage, in the classroom, and for the rest of their lives.
- Clarkston Choirs Booster Organization
- Sashabaw Middle School Choirs
- Clarkston Junior High School Choirs
- Clarkston High School Choirs
Clarkston Choirs Booster Organization
BOOSTED BY PARENT SUPPORT
Clarkston fine and performing arts programs have an excellent reputation for producing outstanding young musicians and we owe much of that success to the support of our students' families.
The Clarkston Choirs Booster Organization (CCBO) was created to support and promote all Clarkston choirs. All Clarkston residents are welcome to attend CCBO meetings, which are held each month (usually on the second Thursday) from August through May.
Sashabaw Middle School Choirs
Sixth and Seventh Grade Choirs
These courses are designed to teach students the fundamentals
of choral music literacy (theory, ear training, and the social, cultural, and historical contexts of music), beginning vocal technique, and ensemble skills/collaborative musicianship. Students will have four required performances yearly: a fall, winter, and spring concert and an adjudicated Choir Festival performance in March. Students can also choose to participate in Solo and Ensemble Festival through the Michigan Schools Vocal Music Association. 6th and 7th-grade choir is the perfect place for students who loved their elementary music classes, enjoy singing in the shower, or want to find community through music and play.
Essential Skills:
Sashabaw Middle School students will focus on reading musical notation including pitch and rhythm. Skills introduced at this level include:
- posture
- pitch
- rhythm
- technical fluency
- tone
- breathing and breath control
- vowel shape
- diction
- intonation
- style
- interpretation
- sight-reading technique
- personal and ensemble presentation
- basic foreign language
Additionally, students will develop leadership abilities and interpersonal skills, working independently and in collaborative ensembles.
Uniform Information
Uniformity is extremely important for performances. When members of an ensemble are dressed alike, the ensemble appears as one unit and those in the audience are more apt to hear the entire group rather than focusing on individual students. If a family is unable to provide any part of the SMS Concert uniform, please contact your director by the end of September.
6th Grade Uniform: Students are to wear black shoes, black dress slacks or a skirt of appropriate length, black socks, black tights or hose, and your Clarkston Choirs t-shirt.
7th Grade Uniform: Students are to wear all black shoes, black dress slacks or a skirt (knee length or longer), black socks, black tights or hose, and your Clarkston Choirs t-shirt.
Meet the Directors
Natalie Pagel, 6th Grade
Ms. Pagel is in her 14th year teaching and her 8th year with Clarkston Schools. She began her teaching career teaching band, choir, and orchestra with Berkley Schools' middle and high school programs. Ms. Pagel has taught a variety of ages and music classes, ranging from Young 5's general music through College wind ensemble. She holds a Master of Arts in Conducting from Oakland University, and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education as well as a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance from Central Michigan University.
As a flutist, since age 10 Ms. Pagel studied extensively with Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Sharon Sparrow, Jeff Zook, and Joanna White from the Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra. She has sat on the substitute musician list for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and continues to perform locally.
At home, she enjoys being with her 6 year old daughter baking, hiking and traveling, as well as spending time with her dog and horses.
Benjamin Neideck, 7th Grade
Ben Neideck is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who discovered his passion for vocal music education while attending Clarkston High School. After graduating from Wayne State University in May 2023, he took a year off to explore different teaching experiences to ensure his first official bio wasn’t two sentences long. During that “time off” he taught as a substitute teacher in the Oakland County area, taught voice lessons at and conducted Berkley High School's spring musical, Legally Blonde, and taught/conducted the Wayne State Choral Union.
Now, Ben is back in Clarkston to assume the Secondary Vocal Music Teacher position. He aims to provide a musical experience through collaboration, exploration, and performance that will leave students with the music literacy skills they need to continue their appreciation of music on a deeper level throughout their lives.
Clarkston Junior High School Choirs
Eighth and Ninth Grade Choirs
In 8th and 9th grade choir students who have taken choir in middle school will build upon the fundamentals of choral music literacy (theory, ear training, and the social, cultural, and historical contexts of music), beginning vocal technique, and ensemble skills/collaborative musicianship. Students who are new to choir will receive targeted instruction and support from their peers to develop these same foundational skills, ensuring they can successfully integrate into the ensemble and grow alongside their peers. Students will have four required performances yearly: a fall, winter, and spring concert and an adjudicated Choir Festival performance in March. Students can also choose to participate in Solo and Ensemble Festival through the Michigan Schools Vocal Music Association. 8th and 9th grade choir is the perfect place for students to continue their choir journey and for students curious about the performing arts.
Essential Skills:
Clarkston Junior High School students will continue to focus on reading progressively more challenging musical notation and will expand their vocal range. Skills cultivated at this level include
- refined pitch discrimination
- rhythm
- technical fluency
- tone
- breathing and breath control
- vowel shape
- diction
- intonation
- style
- interpretation
- sight-reading technique
- personal and ensemble presentation
- foreign language
Additionally, students will continue to develop leadership abilities and interpersonal skills, working independently and in collaborative ensembles.
Meet the Director
Benjamin Neideck
Ben Neideck is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who discovered his passion for vocal music education while attending Clarkston High School. After graduating from Wayne State University in May 2023, he took a year off to explore different teaching experiences to ensure his first official bio wasn’t two sentences long. During that “time off” he taught as a substitute teacher in the Oakland County area, taught voice lessons at and conducted Berkley High School's spring musical, Legally Blonde, and taught/conducted the Wayne State Choral Union.
Now, Ben is back in Clarkston to assume the Secondary Vocal Music Teacher position. He aims to provide a musical experience through collaboration, exploration, and performance that will leave students with the music literacy skills they need to continue their appreciation of music on a deeper level throughout their lives.
Clarkston High School Choirs
Concert Choir & Madrigals
These courses are designed to build upon the fundamentals of music performance. Skills learned at a younger age are improved, including vocal technique, music literacy, and stylistic interpretation. Students continue to refine the fundamentals needed to make informed musical decisions. Students will perform in concerts throughout the year including one adjudicated Band/Choir/Orchestra festival performance. Students can also choose to participate in Solo and Ensemble Festival through the Michigan Schools Vocal Music Association.
Essential Skills:
Clarkston High School students will continue to focus on reading progressively more challenging musical notation and will expand the ranges of their voice. Skills cultivated at this level include
- refined pitch discrimination
- rhythm
- technical fluency
- tone
- breathing and breath control
- vowel shape
- diction
- intonation
- style
- interpretation
- sight-reading technique
- personal and ensemble presentation
- foreign language
Additionally, students will continue to develop leadership abilities and interpersonal skills, working independently and in collaborative ensembles.
Meet the Director
Benjamin Neideck
Ben Neideck is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who discovered his passion for vocal music education while attending Clarkston High School. After graduating from Wayne State University in May 2023, he took a year off to explore different teaching experiences to ensure his first official bio wasn’t two sentences long. During that “time off” he taught as a substitute teacher in the Oakland County area, taught voice lessons at and conducted Berkley High School's spring musical, Legally Blonde, and taught/conducted the Wayne State Choral Union.
Now, Ben is back in Clarkston to assume the Secondary Vocal Music Teacher position. He aims to provide a musical experience through collaboration, exploration, and performance that will leave students with the music literacy skills they need to continue their appreciation of music on a deeper level throughout their lives.