Social Activities

In all aspects of the music department (band, strings, and chorus...and possibly drama as well), creating that sense of family is key. After all, us musicians have to stick together, especially in Hingham. This is why social activities, such as watching Disney movies together, attending the school musical as a giant group, and field trips like Chicago as so important; they help us bond. On a sports team, everyone gathers after practice to chat or get a pep talk from the coach. This is not good enough for chorus if we're to gain 20% more members (at least) by the time I'm a senior. To really make chorus a contender in Hingham, we must get together outside of school. Sure, we can talk about having a flash mob in the Student Council assembly, but that will never happen if we don't actually get together and practice. I think it would be an excellent idea if we would all gather together and watch Disney movies- but if we want to watch all of the movies on the list, we have to start now. Now is the time to build morale so that when winter sets in and we all get gloomy, we'll have morale to spare and our music won't suffer. We need to begin to plan, as a group, what movies we want to see and in what order. Should we watch them in order of song appearance at the concert? In order of the year they came out? Should we watch the least popular ones first, thus saving the old favorites for chilly winter nights? We need to decide this now, in class or in chorus council, well before we start learning our Disney music. I also think that a social activity like a one day trip to Boston to maybe do a flash mob or sing carols would be really fun, too. This way, members of chorus who are unable to go to Disney will still be able to take a trip with the chorus, and it wouldn't cost anywhere close to the big trip. And speaking of Disney, I have just one minor complaint: though we all talk about building ties with band and orchestra, chorus completely disregards those conversations by going to Disney while band and orchestra visit Montreal. Though I know that our trip to Disney is not a random excursion, but rather a trip that's connected to the music we're singing, I also know for a fact that my parents would have let me go to Montreal if that was our trip this year. Last year, the entire music department went to Chicago- it was loads of fun, and everyone, regardless of what instrument they play, truly bonded. Though, again, I know why we're going to Disney, I wish we were going to Montreal instead- it's loads less expensive, we'd be going with the band and orchestra (by bus, probably...which would be great time for bonding, speaking from experience), and my mother wouldn't have a panic attack thinking I'll be abducted by communists because Canada has socialist values (and is nowhere near Cuba).