Community invited to join school’s choir

From Dallas ISD Staff Reports

All are welcome to join the choir at School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center.

“I love that it’s open to anyone at any point of their high school career,” said Miranda G., a junior. “We are very beginner friendly, which helps a lot of people feel welcome and comfortable. I think this is great because anyone can experience what it’s like to be part of a high school varsity choir. The majority of students end up loving it and pursue choir for more years.”

Townview boasts the only competitive choir in the district that is open to anyone — no matter what grade level, experience or talent. Students don’t have to audition — they just need to sign up for the class. “If you want to be part of the Townview Choir, we want you,” said Devlin DeCutler, director of choir, modern band and music theory. “I think there’s a misperception that some people can do music, and others can’t. That keeps a lot of people away from it.”

The inspiration for this kind of choir came when Townview faced scheduling challenges as they introduced the traditional model — separating students by age and ability. Leadership decided to bring the class together, making the choir accessible to everyone.

“We turned a stumbling block into a steppingstone. What was initially a challenge has become part of our identity,” DeCulter said. “Our program proves that if you’re willing to work, it doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done. It’s not about past experience, but present effort and future goals.”

From recitals performing to a small crowd to large events with hundreds of people, the students participate in up to 30 performances and competitions every year.

Each year, the choir receives between 30 and 40 new students. A typical class begins with stretches and vocal warmups. Students then work on sight reading and practice for upcoming performances. 

Georgina D., a senior, has been singing in choirs since she was 3 years old. She said Townview’s all levels model is what drew her to keep going in high school.

“I decided to give it a try. I loved it and decided to continue through all four years of high school,” she said.

Like Georgina, Valeria S. started singing from a young age. She wanted to continue her passion in high school, so she signed up for choir at Townview. 

Valeria, a junior, has been a member of the choir since her freshman year. She said one of her most memorable performances was “How I Learned to Fly,” which the choir performed in the May 2023 spring concert.  

“We performed that song with the graduating seniors of that year. It felt amazing singing with them and making music with them,” she said. 

In fact, lifting her voice in song with her community is the most rewarding part of being in the choir, Valeria said. “I have made so many new friends through choir and my favorite part overall is making music with them,” she said. “It always feels so rewarding getting a song right during our concerts, especially if we had been working on that song for a long time.”

A senior, Ruby C., has been singing in choirs since she was in middle school. She said she heard about Townview’s reputation and wanted to know more.

“What most motivated me to be part of the choir was my previous experience of being in my middle school choir and my deep passion for singing and music,” she said. “Before coming to Townview I had done research on their music programs and I was impressed by their works, so I had been looking forward to being part of the choir.” 

Her advice to students who want to join the Townview choir is to continue working on self-confidence. 

“I know from personal experience how hard it can be to perform on your own,” she said. “Learn to stop being your own biggest critic and hater. Although it is good to be self-reflective, it is also essential to go easy on yourself and stop being mean to your heart since it can create more damage than help sometimes.”