Bobcat Stories

Singers are especially busy during the festive winter season, and Bosque School’s upper school choir, Cantate, is no exception. They sang their hearts out at their annual winter concert in Budagher Hall on December 11, then made a quick transition to a major highlight of the season, performing with the New Mexico Philharmonic for their Home for the Holidays Concert. Cantate joined forces with choir members from Moriarty High School and Cleveland High School to create a choir of over 75 voices. The stage was filled with 200 musicians singing and playing to a large audience at Popejoy Hall. Performing at this level required a lot of extra rehearsal time, which began in October, and the ability to learn a lot of music very quickly. Senior Ma’ayan said, “It was a really cool experience to get to perform with not only other choirs but with a live professional orchestra.” An added bonus is that Performing Arts Department Leader and  Director of String Ensemble Nicolle Maniaci also plays in the New Mexico Philharmonic, so Bosque was well represented! Many of the singers were still deep into other commitments, including the winter art show, volleyball, basketball, Model UN, and, of course, semester-end academics. One of the great gifts Bosque School gives its students is the ability to participate in so many diverse activities without sacrificing dedication and quality.

At the start of the school year, many members of Cantate began preparing for All-State auditions. The process requires a huge amount of work for each individual singer. They must learn and memorize a classical solo, prepare the All-State selected choral piece, and sing a sight-singing example that they only get to prepare for one minute. Over 1,500 high school students from all over the state audition for the All-State Choir, and fewer than 300 are selected for the honor of performing with the choirs. Bosque is well represented, with 13 students selected this year. Students are given repertoire that they must learn and memorize and then re-audition in January to show that they have done so. After that nerve-wracking audition, singers spend the next two days working with nationally renowned conductors, who help to meld singers from throughout the state into a uniquely combined choir. Performances take place on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at Popejoy Hall.  

Upper School Choral Director Joanna Hart is incredibly excited and proud of all of the students who auditioned. All-State experiences can be life-changing in many ways. Being a part of a large choir and creating music at the highest level is something our hard-working and talented Bosque students will always remember.