The Choral/Vocal Arts Department at San Juan Hills is dedicated to the development of each individual student's musical abilities and fueling each singer's personal passion for singing. The Choral/Vocal Arts Program does this by focusing instruction on healthy vocal technique, musicianship skills - including sight-reading and music theory, solo singing technique, and choral ensemble singing technique. Students are also given opportunities to audition and perform on stage as a solo artist with both classical and modern repertoire.
The Choral/Vocal Arts Program features six concerts in the 2024-2025 Academic Year with a Fall Concert, two Winter Concerts, Spring Concert, and two Pops Concerts. The Pops Concerts will also be featuring a live rock band to accompany the choirs and the soloists. We invite you, friends, family and anyone in the community to come and join us this year at all of our concerts! We promise you won't be disappointed!
CHOIR AUDITIONS
Students who wish to audition should for any ensemble should contact Mr. Ushino before April of the Spring Semester. Students who wish to audition must sign up for an audition time and will have to do a number of musicianship and skill-based exercises to determine placement. Students will also be asked to sing a solo piece of any genre ranging between 16-32 bars in length. Please contact Mr. Ushino at miushino@capousd.org to schedule an audition time or if you have any questions.
The Ensembles:
CHAMBER SINGERS
The Chamber Singers are the most advanced choir in the Choral Department at San Juan Hills High School. This choir is an audition-only ensemble. The Chamber Singers have built a reputation of singing challenging works from a variety of historical periods of music. The Chamber Singers were invited and performed at the California All-State Educators Conference (CASMEC) in Fresno, CA in February 2023 and the American Choral Directors Association Western Region Conference in Pasadena, CA in March 2024. The Chamber Singers have scored "Superior" ratings at local festivals including those hosted by the Southern California Vocal Association. The choir has been invited to perform at many functions around the Capistrano Unified School District and is proud to be a part of the SJHHS Stallion Family.
A Cappella
A Cappella is an audition-only ensemble. This choir sings a challenging repertoire of music exclusively for treble/upper voices. A large portion of this ensemble's repertoire is sung unaccompanied. The A Cappella also participates in choral festivals and is involved around campus singing for school functions. The choir performs in all concerts on campus and participates in all choral-related events throughout the year.
Concert CHOIR
Concert Choir is our beginning choir for treble/upper voiced students of any age and background. This choir is a non-audition ensemble. The student needs only the desire to sing. They sing a wide variety of music appropriate for singers of all ages and backgrounds. In the class, each singer is being trained in classical vocal technique, receiving instruction on music theory/sight-reading, and given the opportunity to develop their voice. The Concert Choir performs in all concerts on campus and have numerous opportunities to participate in all choral-related events throughout the year.
Meistersingers
Like Concert Choir, Meistersingers is our beginning choir for lower voiced students of any age and background. This choir is a non-audition ensemble. They too sing a wide variety of music appropriate for singers of all ages and backgrounds. In the class, each singer is being trained in classical vocal technique, receiving instruction on music theory/sight-reading, and given the opportunity to develop their voice. Meistersingers performs in all concerts on campus and have numerous opportunities to participate in all choral-related events throughout the year.
VOCAL ENSEMBLE
Vocal Ensemble is an after-school 7th period Jazz Chorus made up of vocalists within and outside of the vocal department. Meeting group vocal jazz repertoire for school functions and choir concerts. The Co-Presidents of Vocal Ensemble for 2024-2025 are Eliza Bourne and Zachary Smith.