Gathered on the steps of the California’s Capitol building, it’s clear that one choir director’s initiative has shaped a diverse organization and instilled a long-lasting passion for music across generations of students.
Chamber choir freshman Caitlin Brady said the Folsom High choirs have always been a place for “a whole bunch of people singing all together, it’s like making beautiful notes and beautiful harmonies.”
This award-winning choir’s passion for music has brought students and community members to create new traditions together, such as California’s official birthday celebration.
For the past two years, the Folsom High School chamber choir and concert choir as well as choirs from Folsom Middle School and Sutter Middle School have performed at the official Admission Day ceremony in September at the State Capitol in Sacramento.
Admission Day commemorates California’s official birthday when it became a state 175 years ago and includes renditions of patriotic performances such as the national anthem, California’s state song and more.
Folsom High School chamber choir director Melanie Huber has always encouraged students to sing at events like this in their community, instilling a love for performance and outreach in young singers.
“The kids sang all the way here,” Huber said. “It made my choir heart happy to be on a bus full of kids singing choir songs.”
The Admission Day concert was partially organized by the choir’s enthusiastic student directors.
“I have so many great student leaders that help me,” Huber said.
These juniors and seniors coordinate class plans and help “teach (us) new things,” freshman Jett Lewis said.
Before the ceremony, students led warmups, arranged students in riser order, set up their accompanist’s supplies and created social media posts together.
Huber guides these students and sets an example for leadership, not only teaching them music but also confidence and responsibility.
As the primary choir leader, choir student president Henry Lin said Huber has taught him how to “not only … manage the choir, but also … to show the people how we need to perform on a stage.”
The day was made extra special by the appearance of another one of Huber’s former mentees, Lea Woods, and her choir.
Woods was not only Huber’s middle school choir student, but she also recently completed her education as a music education major at Sacramento State University and received her teaching credential as Huber’s student teacher. Now, she has stepped into Huber’s role as the choir director at Folsom Middle and Sutter Middle.
“I feel really lucky that I watched Mrs. Huber last year,” Woods said. “I’m so happy that I was able to learn from her and use some of her rehearsal techniques and just the way she talks to kids – it was great.”
Simultaneously honoring Huber’s legacy while also introducing her own ideas and goals, Woods said she is seeking to continue the choir’s tradition of excellence.
“I want to do music that they’re interested in,” Woods said. “Mrs. Huber does that a lot … just doing something like that to pique student interest and to get them involved in it and feel like it’s their choice.”
Bella Murillo, a freshman in the FHS chamber choir, has seen Woods’ confidence grow under Huber’s tutelage.
“I feel really proud because I remember her being a really shy, quiet student teacher, but … she stepped up to take Mrs. Huber’s position (as a student teacher last year), and I think that’s really awesome how she can do that so quickly in a year,” Murillo said.
It was a full circle moment for Woods to direct a concert alongside her former teacher, looking out on a stage of young adults with the same dreams and goals as her younger self.
Woods had the opportunity to direct the choirs for “California Dreamin’” and “This Land is Your Land,” while Huber directed “America the Beautiful,” “California Here I Come” and “California Sis Joe.”
“I love ‘California Sis Joe,’” Huber said. “The kids sing it so energetically and have the most fun with it.”
Each of the songs has a distinct historical meaning related to the state’s origins, such as the story of railroad workers told by “California Sis Joe.”
Once the performance was complete, the Capitol building staff served cake and ice cream and took the students on a tour of the grounds, even allowing them to observe legislative sessions.
“I think (the best part of the day) was eating the cake for me,” Brady said.
After seeing the difference that music can make on the lives of students like Woods and Lin, the choirs have made it their mission to be more involved in their community and spread joy through their singing.
Lewis said the most satisfying part of the day was “just seeing the crowd out there, just watching us perform, and … seeing how excited they were to see us sing.”
