Mrs. Leslie Walker and one of the SJHS choirs.

Jose Martinez
SJHS Staff Writer

Every year at Springville Junior High there is always a very special concert, The Winter Choir Concert.  This year the Winter Choir Concert will be held on January 14th.  It is a prestigious honor for the choir students to be in. They have been practicing since the beginning of the year to bring students and staff members a rich and life filled-concert with a variety of musical styles and well known songs.

“The Winter Concert has a lot of variety in the types of songs we sing. I think people coming to see it will enjoy the different styles of music that we sing,” said Mrs. Leslie Walker, choir teacher at Springville Junior High.

“Next semester, we have the Journey Men. They are a group of eighth and ninth grade boys. I’m excited to work with them. I will also have a new group of Apprentice Singers, which I’m excited about. It’s always fun to get to know the new 7th graders. We will continue working in Master Singers, and we will have another concert in May,” said Mrs. Walker. The choir isn’t just stopping at this concert they are also going to continue throughout the year and beyond.

“The first semester students have been fantastic! I have really enjoyed working with them,” said Mrs. Walker. Springville Junior High is excited for the concert and for choir. The concert is scheduled to be on January 14th.

Dr. Sam Tsugawa plays along with the junior high orchestra.

Sarah Jensen
SJHS Staff Writer

January 20th is the first concert of the year for Springville Junior High’s eighth and ninth grade orchestras. They will play many different songs. Alex Hawker, a seventh grader in the eighth-grade orchestra, said, “We will play six songs, and one we learned it without any music!” Dr. Tsugawa is the director of these orchestras. Students in his eighth-grade orchestra think he is funny. According to Yamina Castro, Dr. Tsugawa teaches music concepts well and jokes with them.

In orchestra, the students learn many songs and do music theory. Dr. Tsugawa helps them with everything they do. Alex Hawker said, “Dr. Tsugawa is nice and funny. He makes learning theory fun and exciting.”

Yamina Castro’s favorite part of being in orchestra is “being able to play with many different parts and harmonies at the same time to make beautiful music.” They play songs called Frolic, Fiddles Down Under, Joust, Nightrider, Ashgrove, and Two English Dances. Remember, the concert is on January 20th at 8:00 p.m.

Chelsea Ricks
SJHS Staff Writer

On Thursday December 2, 2009, the choir preformed their Christmas concert at Springville Junior High. This included the Apprentice Singers, Knightingales, and Master Singers. Some of the songs that the master singers sang were songs from all over the world. Both the Knightingales and Master Singers danced during some of their songs.

Cami Sumsion, a Master Singer at Springville Junior High, said, “I chose to take choir and tryout for Master Singers because it was fun and challenging at the same time.” The choir students practiced singing their songs during class. “We practice our songs by singing them, and Mrs. Walker will stop and fix what needs to be fixed in that song,” said Braden DeFreese, another Master Singer.

The choir will be performing some of these Christmas songs for the school right before the Christmas break.

Brooke Seaton
SJHS staff writer

The choir students at SJHS are exited for this year’s first choir concert. The choir concert will be December 2nd. The Apprentice Singers (seventh graders) will be performing at 6:45, and the Knightengales and Master Singers (eighth and ninth graders) will be performing at 7:30.

Mrs. Leslie Walker, the choir teacher, said that they have been rehearsing since the start of the year. Most of the songs will tell stories. The choir will even do some dancing in their performances. According to Andrea Dockstader, an eighth grade choir student, the songs are spiritual and Christmas songs.  The entire choir will sing, as well as students in groups, but some will get the spotlight to themselves for a moment.

No one in the choir seems to be the least bit nervous. Krystena Robins and Andrea Dockstader both said that they have been in plenty of concerts so no that it’s nothing to get worked up about. The students have good faith in their teacher.  Krystena said, “It is so fun.  Mrs. Walker is a great teacher.”

The concert will be at Springville Junior High. “Don’t be late,” Mrs. Walker reminded the choir students. That goes for the audience too, you don’t want to miss any of this fun concert.

Emily Regan
SJHS Staff Writer

On April 29th Springville Junior High School and Mapleton Junior High School combined their efforts for a spectacular orchestra concert. Held in the SJHS auditorium, students from both junior highs came to play and be conducted under one teacher. There were a total of 85 students on stage, being led by Springville Junior High’s own Mr. Samuel Tsugawa and Mapleton Junior High’s Mrs. Deanne Helquist.

Mr. Tsugawa himself was looking forward to the concert. He and Mrs. Helquist had planned to do the combined concert last year, but it ended up not happening. They decided to do it this year instead, and it was worth it.

“I was pretty eager to see some of our old students again,” Mr. Tsugawa said. “I consider Mapleton our sister school, so it was good for all of us to play together again.”

First, both schools had the chance to perform by themselves. Then they all came together to play Star of County Down, a combination of Irish fiddles, and Lover’s Waltz, by J. Unger. Audience members were wowed by the beautiful tunes, and the students enjoyed playing them for their audience.

“I was so excited to hear how much sound we could make together and be able to hang out with some of my Mapleton friends that I don’t get to see very often,” said Kristi Hatch, eighth grader at SJHS.

Overall, the joint effort of Springville and Mapleton students was a success. Audience members agree that the concert should definitely become a tradition for our two fine orchestra programs.

Jantzen Dalley
SJHS Staff Writer

The upcoming concert for this semester’s choir classes is just round the corner. Each of the choir classes has been practicing their songs, and they will have the opportunity to show off the songs they have learned.  All the SJHS choirs will sing on the same night, May 13th, at 7:00 p.m. The Apprentice Singers (seventh grade choir) will be singing before the other choirs at 6:15 p.m.

Mrs. Leslie Walker, the SJHS choir teacher, commented when asked how the choirs will do in the concerts. “They are going to be wonderful! We have been practicing since January on all of the songs, so they should be in excellent shape by May 13th!”

Dallin Droubay, a choir student in the 8th and 9th grade Journeymen also commented on how he thinks the choirs will do. “I think that the choirs will do very well; they are well prepared and they will do great.”   Good luck to all the choirs on May 13th!

Kara Dunn
SJHS Staff Writer

Practice, that’s what Mr. David Booth, band director at Springville Junior High, has driven his eighth and ninth grade classes to do in order to prepare and attend a band festival held at the Utah Valley University (UVU). The eighth graders will be participating in the band festival on Monday, May 4th, and the ninth graders will be going on to UVU on Tuesday, May 5th. These students will have the opportunity to perform three different pieces of music for an adjudicator, or a judge, to comment and make suggestions on what can be improved and what they are succeeding in. The bands are judged on many different criteria’s including appearance and tone.

Mr. Booth has taught at Springville Junior High for thirteen years, and attends these festivals every year. “Band festivals are a great opportunity to hear other junior high bands throughout the state of Utah,” Mr. Booth explained.

When asked, Afton Brown, an eighth grader in band, explained that students should participate in band festivals, “So we can be judged on how good we are and what we have to improve on.”

Mr. Booth also explained why he enjoys band festivals. “I enjoy seeing my students work hard and prepare for festivals. I think the students enjoy the experience and probably don’t mind getting out of school for a while.”

Makaiah Williams
SJHS Staff Writer

On April 3rd SJHS choir students got to go to Springville High School to perform for schools from all over Nebo School District. Some songs they sang were” Rhythm of Life,” “In Thee Is Gladness,” and “Come Rain Come Down.” Other schols performed at the high school as well.  Some schools that went were Mapleton Junior High, Payson Junior High, Diamond Fork Junior High, and Mount Nebo Junior High. The choirs went to be judged, have fun, and listen to other schools sing.

Scott Wallentine, an eighth grader at SJHS, said, “My favorite part of the festival was singing for everyone else.”

The choir festival went from 8:50 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There wasn’t any shortage of people at the concert–about two hundred thirty people showed up.

“My favorite part of the festival was when we got to listen to the other schools sing their songs,” Mike Creviston, a ninth grader at SJHS, said.

The kids at SJHS were exited to be doing the choir festival and can’t wait until next year to do it again.

M. Dayton
SJHS Staff Writer

On December 3, 2008 Springville Junior High School’s choirs took the stage with grand articulation. SJHS has three choirs, the seventh grade Apprentice Singers, the eighth and ninth grade Knightingales, Ladies Chorus, and the ninth grade Master Singers. Each choir had 15 to 20 minutes to showcase what the had been working all semester long. “I was astounded by the sound of the three choirs,” Kristi Hatch, an eight grade student, said. Many others share her same view. “The songs were so pretty,” Brooke Caswell, another SJHS student, reported. Over all, people are seeing the night as a big success.

“I was really proud of my choir [the Knightingales] and all the other choirs,” Maddie Patten reports. There was an array of songs ranging from classic carols to unheard melodies. Many family members and friends were thrilled with the program. “I loved the whole thing, especially seeing my sister and all her friends sing the songs,” said Camden Dayton.

The night was a success in large part because of SJHS’s choir teacher, Mrs. Leslie Walker. “Mrs. Walker always does an amazing job with the kids. She makes them work hard and it shows,” said Jill Dayton, parent of a SJHS student. Many parents, teachers, and students all agree that they are very lucky to have such a wonderful lady directing the choirs.

It was a great night that the performers and on lookers all enjoyed. “Mrs. Walker and all the chorus students should be commended for an excellent performance!” Arynn Patten, parent of a SJHS student, happily reflects. “Over all, it was a great performance and I’m looking forward to the next concert,” Camden Dayton readily commented. Camden is not the only one. Many parents, students, friends, and teachers also await the next performance in January. But more than anyone, the performers are looking forward to the next concert so once again they can enhance the lives of others through the gift of music.

Zachary Nemelka
SJHS Staff Writer

On December 11th the Springville Junior High Band will be having three concerts–one for each grade’s band. The bands will play in the SJHS auditorium. The seventh grade concert will start at 6:00 p.m. The eighth grade band will begin at 7:00, and the final performance will be the ninth grade at 8:00. The band will play six pieces of music, which will all be different types of music.

The music the band will be play is holiday music, traditional band music, cultural music, an African folk song, music from movies and classic rock music. The pieces will be played with ten different types of instruments: flutes, clarinets, oboes, saxophones, French horns, trumpets, trombones, baritones, tubas, and all kinds of percussion instruments. Please and support the SJHS band classes by going to the concerts.

It is important for the performers to have fun while playing in the concerts or else they might make more mistakes then usual. “We practice for two class periods during school, and then we perform for our parents that night. I like seeing my parents proud of me,” Michael Martinez a 9th grade band student, commented. He is never nervous during the concerts he is always calm because he is with his friends

Sarah Fawson
SJHS Staff Writer

Here at SJHS there has been some beautiful music coming from Mrs. Leslie Walker’s choir room. The junior high choir concert will be on December 3rd at 7:30 p.m. in the SJHS auditorium, and Mrs. Walker and the choir students hope to see you all there.

This Christmas, the the ladies choir, known as the Knightingales, are going to sing many different songs. Two of the songs are Christmas carols from Puerto Rico: “At the Hour of Midnight” and “Los Reyes del Oriente.” They will also sing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Lullay Alleuia,” and “Up, Up, Up in the Sleigh.”

The advanced choir, known as the Master Singers, will sing “Only a Baby Came,” “Stille Nacht” (Silent Night in German), “Masters in this Hall,” and “Fruitcake.” They will dance and sing “Happy Holiday.” Both the Knightingales and Master Singers have been working on these songs since August and are very excited for the performance.

The Knightingales and Master Singers will also be going to the elementary schools in the area. The schools they will visit are Art City, Sage Creek, Brookside, and Cherry Creek. The junior high students are very excited to go and sing to the elementary students. The elementary students have loved to hear our choir in past years, and this year won’t be any different.

Abi Santiago
SJHS Staff Writer

Some kids like listening to music, students that are in band enjoy working with their hands and creating the music. At SJHS, Band is a class where you can learn music, then later on perform it for an audiance. “It’s a class where you can focus on music and not on tests,” Jordan Gage said, “You’re using instruments instead of books and pencils.”

Mr. David Booth, the band teacher at SJHS, arranges the seventh grade class into two sections, brass and percussion together, and woodwinds. The beginning band students are in seventh grade. There are eighth and ninth grade bands also. All grades have concerts in December and May to show what they’ve been working on. Mr. Booth likes to pick all different kinds of music for the concerts, such as jazz, rock, and traditional.

The eighth and ninth grades bands go to a band festival in the spring at UVU. The ninth grade also attends the Nebo District band festival, which is also held in the spring. Mr. Booth conducts a Jazz Band made up of ninth grade band members. They perform in the spring. They play jazz music, classic rock, and Latin.

Mr. Booth has always been interested in music. He is inspired by all kinds of music, but he especially enjoys Classic Rock, Jazz, Latin, R&B, and Funk. Someone who inspired him to be a teacher was his high school wrestling coach and math teacher, Mr. Hilderman. “I really admired him. He was an excellent teacher, coach, and person,” Mr. Booth commented.

Students at Springville Junior High love having Mr. Booth teach here, and they all love his hilarious sense of humor! “He helps the students remember things when they forget, and he’s a really good teacher!” Brooke Caswell says. Good job Mr. Booth!