HHS band and choir getting back on track after difficult season

Local teachers have had to overcome challenges this school year due to the pandemic. Schooling has been conducted fully online, two days per week in person learning and three days online learning and now four days of in-person learning. Curriculum and schedules have had to change to adapt to protect the safety of the local surges. 

The high school band and choir programs have not escaped these adaptations and challenges. In October, the high school choir did hold a choir concert. Limited seating was allowed, and the concert was broadcasted live for the public to partake. 

The high school band did hold a summer band camp before school started. Havre High School band teacher Cullen Hinkle said the camp did help get the band going. 

“We have had a huge wall to overcome with the kids being timid because all they can hear is themselves because of being socially distanced,” Hinkle said. 

In the fall, there were sometimes only two or three students in some classes, creating more timidness, Hinkle said. The classes do have more students now, however they are still socially distanced.

“There are a few positives with the kids having to become more confident and less dependent upon others. Then there is the other part where those that can’t overcome that are just having to suffer,” Hinkle said.

March 25, the choir performed for a limited audience again after having three months of four-day-a-week practice. 

“If you listened to our first two concerts for band or choir, you would think, ‘Oh they did OK.’ It wasn’t to the standard that we normally have at our concerts. But people who watched the concert in March a couple weeks ago could tell an obvious difference from being able to rehearse with each other four days a week instead of two,” Havre High School choir teacher Danielle Stoll said. “It was a night-and-day difference.”

Stoll said her choir students are having a lot more fun and learning more being in four-day face-to-face learning. 

Havre High School band will be holding a recital tonight at 7. Percussion, saxophone, flute and clarinet ensembles along with solos will be performing. 

Thursday, Havre High School choir will be performing a recital at 7 for a limited audience due to the District Music Festival being virtual this year.

“We decided to make kind of a recital for those smaller groups and solos to be able to share that with their family, community and friends,” Stoll said. 

The same limited seating protocol will be followed for both recitals and four tickets will be distributed by each student to guests. 

The annual Taste of Jazz concert will be held this year Monday, April 26. Bell Voix, Highlighters and Jazz band will perform for a limited audience. 

Tables will be sold by table for to ensure groups of no more than six per table and bleacher tickets will be sold for designated blue box seating. Patrons attending concert will need to give contact information upon entry for contact tracing. Masks will be required for attendees when not seated. 

Individually wrapped slices of pie will be served by band and choir students and utensils will be individually wrapped and handed to recipients. Servers will be masked and gloved at all times. 

Performing groups will be socially distanced from the audience and will wear masks when not performing.